Preview: Maryland football seeks to maintain strong start on the road against Illinois

Following two home wins to open their 2021 season, Maryland football will head to Champaign, Illinois, to face the Fighting Illini as they kick off their Big Ten schedule.

It will be the first ever trip to Champaign for the Terps after they joined the Big Ten in 2014. The Terps and the Illini have faced off once before, a 63-33 Maryland win in College Park in 2018. 

“It starts Big Ten play which is another season for us, different than the out of conference games,” coach Mike Locksley said. 

While it will be Maryland’s first trip to play at Champaign, it won’t be the first for Locksley. He was the Illini’s Offensive Coordinator from 2005-2008. 

“Obviously a place, probably other than Maryland, for me and my family [Illinois] is a special place,” Locksley said. “Raised my kids there, my two older sons graduated from high school there and the two younger [children] call it home.”

Coming off of a 62-0 blowout of Howard a week ago, Maryland’s offense will look to pick up where it left off against an Illinois defense that gave up 42 points to Virginia last week en route to their second straight loss. 

The offense’s success will largely rely on quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and dynamic receivers Dontay Demus Jr. and Rakim Jarrett, among other weapons. The trio has combined for a collective 450 yards and four touchdowns already this season, highlighting Tagovailoa’s trust in the wideouts and also their ability to make plays with the ball in their hands. 

With the Fighting Illini allowing almost 312 yards a game to opposing passers, Tagovailoa will look to gash the Terps’ Big Ten foe from the air.

“Our offensive unit [is] a pretty tight-knit group,” Locksley said. “A lot of it is due to the fact that Taulia has really played a role in creating that chemistry.”

On defense, Maryland will have to contend with Illinois’ handful of playmakers, starting with Isaiah Williams. Williams, a redshirt freshman, converted from quarterback to wide receiver during the offseason and has looked the part so far in 2021. 

Williams has 19 catches through three games for 183 yards, and leads the team in receiving yards per game. A dynamic option out wide, Williams could give Maryland’s secondary fits throughout Friday night.

Illinois’ starting QB, Brandon Peters, also returns after suffering an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in the first quarter of the Illini’s season opening win over Nebraska. 

In five games as a starter last season, Peters threw for 429 yards and three touchdowns and also racked up 136 yards rushing and a score on the ground. He transferred to Illinois in 2019 after spending his first three seasons at Michigan.

“A guy that has a strong arm, a classic drop back passer,” Locksley said. “For them to get him back for our game is definitely a concern.”

Maryland is looking to move to 3-0 for the first time since 2016, when they finished the season 6-7 and took on Boston College in the Quick Lane Bowl. For Locksley, it would be the first 3-0 start to a season in his career, and a step in the right direction as part of a changing culture for Maryland football.

“It’s a Big Ten Opener, national TV audience, where we’ll be the show. Should be a great crowd and we’re excited about the opportunity,” Locksley said.