Preview: Maryland football looks to get back on track against Illinois

Maryland football’s play in the second half of a tough loss to No. 3 Ohio State left Michael Locksley with some reservations about his team.

“We didn’t make enough plays in any phase of the game,” Locksley said. “We lost the turnover battle, we lost the explosive play battle … the recipe we use for winning, we didn’t get it accomplished.”

But the coach emphasized not letting the loss linger into the Terps’ (5-1) preparation for their next game against Illinois (2-4), a team hungry to claw back in Big Ten standings.

Maryland needs to find a rhythm on offense after both the passing and running game teetered out in the second half.

Running back Roman Hemby failed to produce to his usual standard for another week. The redshirt sophomore finished with 35 yards on eight carries — his fourth straight week failing to reach 55 rushing yards.

Getting a three-down back like Hemby into a groove would give the Terps’ pass-heavy offense another gear. They’ll have a chance to do so against a Fighting Illini defense allowing 176 rushing yards per game, the most in the conference.

Taulia Tagovailoa had his worst game of the year against the Buckeyes. He finished with season-lows in passing yards, completion percentage and passer rating while throwing two interceptions, including a momentum-crushing pick six in the second quarter.

He’ll have a chance to regroup against a young secondary that features heavy contribution from underclassmen. The Terps’ four leading receivers are all upperclassmen.

The real threat facing Tagovailoa is arguably the best defensive tackle in the nation, junior Jer’Zhan Newton. He leads all FBS interior defensive linemen in pressures with 24, according to PFF. That’s 14 more than anyone else on his team. He’s projected to be a high first-round NFL draft pick, cracking the top 10 in PFF’s prospect rankings.

The pass rush around him leaves more to be desired, as Illinois is tied for the second-fewest sacks in the Big Ten with eight.

“This is probably one of the best defensive structures that we’ve faced,” Locksley said. “They’re the type of defense that you’re gonna have to drive the ball down the field, and I can’t tell you that we’ve been consistent enough on offense with being able to methodically drive it down.”

The Fighting Illini don’t have the same caliber of offensive talent as the Buckeyes, but the Terps’ secondary will be tested nonetheless. Illinois is tied for the second-most pass attempts in the conference with 214, only behind Maryland.

Quarterback Luke Altmyer has been a strong addition to the Illinois passing attack. The redshirt sophomore transferred from Ole Miss in the offseason and is fourth in the conference in both passing yards and completion percentage. He’s also a threat with his legs, leading the team with 54 carries and three rushing touchdowns.

Altmyer is the Big Ten’s leader in interceptions with eight, but his receivers have dropped 12 balls. The quarterback has only thrown seven turnover-worthy passes, according to PFF. That’s a lower turnover-worthy pass rate than quarterbacks like Tagovailoa, Ohio State’s Kyle McCord and USC’s Caleb Williams.

He throws to a receiving core led by Isaiah Williams, a 5-foot-10 junior who leads the Big Ten in both receiving yards and receptions — the latter by a wide margin. 

“He is a threat every time he touches [the ball],” Locksley said. “He’s that type of football player that we need to know where he is at all times.”

The Fighting Illini backfield sees three running backs split touches. Junior Reggie Love III leads the pack with 276 yards on 51 carries, while sophomore Josh McCray has 43 carries and freshman Kaden Feagin has 24.

That rushing attack has been a nonfactor against tougher teams. Illinois has averaged under 100 yards on the ground against FBS opponents.

Maryland’s secondary may still be without senior cornerback Tarheeb Still, who missed last week’s game and wasn’t seen practicing during Tuesday’s media availability. Without him, the Terps allowed McCord to torch them for over 300 yards and two scores.

Kickoff against the Fighting Illini is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at SECU Stadium.