By Jake Kauderer and Michael Howes

With Maryland football on bye this week, The Diamondback’s football beat writers Jake Kauderer and Michael Howes asked readers to submit questions for a Terps mailbag.

A few were selected to answer.

Four games into the season, what’s one thing that stands out from a positive and negative perspective?

Jake: Maryland’s defensive line has impressed. The Terps are tied for the Big Ten lead with 16 sacks after finishing with 14 all of last season.

The biggest difference has been freshman defensive lineman Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis. Stewart has a sack in each game while Mathis boasts two-and-a-half sacks and a blocked kick. No one else has more than one sack.

I expect opponents to focus on slowing down the duo as the season progresses, but stopping two standouts is a challenge. Maryland has faced subpar offensive lines so far, so it will be fascinating to see how the pass rush performs against better units like Washington and Indiana.

Mike: Receiver drops have plagued the Terps this season.

Quarterback Malik Washington has a 59.7 percent completion rate — doesn’t look great on paper. But receivers have accounted for 16 drops of his 54 incompletions. Even if the pass-catchers had caught half of their drops, Washington’s completion percentage would rise to 65.6.

Transfer receiver Jalil Farooq has three drops to lead the group, while Shaleak Knotts, Octavian Smith Jr., tight end Dorian Fleming and running back DeJuan Williams each have two. Perhaps it’s an indictment of the Terps not possessing a clear No. 1 option like previous seasons, but Maryland is already four drops away from matching its 2024 total.

[Maryland football defensive lineman arrested on DUI charges]

How is Maryland adapting to Roman Hemby transferring to Indiana? Is its rushing attack excelling or is the loss noticeable?

Jake: The loss is definitely relevant, even with Maryland’s rushing woes last season. It averaged more than 100 rushing yards per game for the third-lowest mark in the Big Ten in 2024. Hemby averaged 4.5 yards per carry but finished below 30 rushing yards in six of 12 games.

While the Terps’ new offensive line has thrived in pass protection this year — Washington wasn’t sacked in non-conference play — the ground game has worsened.

The offensive line has struggled to create space for running backs Nolan Ray and Williams, both without a run more than 20 yards.

Neither have made much impact in the passing game, and both are averaging below four yards per carry. The loss of Hemby’s diverse skillset as a pass-catcher and runner is notable. But with an inexperienced backfield and offensive line still gelling, patience is key.

When was the last time Maryland was nationally relevant in football?

Mike: Depends how you determine ‘nationally relevant.’

Maryland has opened 4-0 twice under coach Michael Locksley, including a 5-0 start in 2023. But the Terps have cracked the rankings only once in his tenure — reaching No. 21 in week three of 2019 after a 63-20 rout of then-No. 21 Syracuse.

Maryland was ranked for one week in 2013, and another week in coach Ralph Friedgen’s final year in 2010. But you’d have to look at the early 2000s under Friedgen to find the last time the Terps were ‘nationally relevant.’

Maryland was ranked 30 times under Friedgen from 2001 to 2004, earning Gator Bowl and Peach Bowl victories.

The Terps received six votes in the latest AP Poll, not enough to crack the top-25, but growing momentum that with a couple more wins, they could squeeze through.

[Maryland football notebook: A pair of senior receivers have broken out]

How do you feel about the Terps’ chances against ranked opponents this season?

Jake: Maryland has three ranked opponents on its schedule: No. 11 Indiana, No. 23 Illinois and No. 19 Michigan. The Hoosiers seem even better after last season’s surprising College Football Playoff appearance, Illinois looks drastically improved and Michigan remains a top program. I think it’s likely the Terps can win one.

Locksley is 2-28 in his career against top-25 ranked opponents, including 0-16 against ranked Big Ten foes. Not exactly inspiring.

It’s tough to envision a close contest against the Hoosiers, as Indiana’s only loss to a Big Ten opponent since 2023 came against then-No. 2 Ohio State. I could see Maryland being competitive against a Michigan squad led by a true freshman quarterback. The Terps can also compete with Illinois, which is largely unproven, though the game being on the road doesn’t help.

Do you see Maryland falling off as the season progresses, like has been the case in recent years?

Mike: September has been Locksley’s month since he became the Terps’ coach in 2019.

He is 19-5 in the 30-day span over his career. After the month, he is 15-31. The only season Locksley’s team posted a winning record after September was 2022.

So historically, a regression is likely. And only one team the Terps face in their last eight games has a losing record.

But there’s still room for optimism. Locksley is 4-2 against Rutgers in his career and defeated Michigan State in 2022 and 2023 with what have been his best rosters so far. Factoring in that winless UCLA recently fired its coach, there are multiple winnable games left for Maryland.

The Terps have already matched their win total from last season and with two more victories, would become bowl-eligible.