Maryland football played its annual Red-White spring game on Saturday, with Team Red coming out victorious over Team White in a close battle, 20-19.
The Terps’ No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense donned the red jerseys, while their No. 1 defense and No. 2 offense competed for the white team.
Here are some takeaways from the initial look of coach Mike Locksley’s 2023 group.
Transfer receivers should have a big presence in Maryland’s offense
Rakim Jarrett, Dontay Demus Jr. and Jacob Copeland all entered their names into the 2023 NFL Draft, leaving multiple holes at wide receiver for Locksley to fill. He used the transfer portal to his advantage, bringing in some potential impact pieces.
Tyrese Chambers (FIU) and Kaden Prather (West Virginia) both returned to their home state for the upcoming season. The duo competed on Team White, working with redshirt senior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa in the first half.
Prather corralled three catches for 47 yards from Maryland’s leader in passing yards and touchdowns in program history, while Chambers snagged a five-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa.
“That’s my guy. It feels good playing with a quarterback like that,” Chambers said of Tagovailoa. “I feel like his best attribute [is the way] he extends plays. I’ve never played with a quarterback that extends plays as much as he [does]. When it seems like he’s about to get sacked he just comes out of nowhere and [is] throwing the ball downfield.”
Chambers also hauled in a beautifully-placed ball from third-string quarterback Cameron Edge, getting a foot down in bounds — while on the run — before going into the sidelines for a 13-yard touchdown.
The two transfers bring a combined 160 catches, 2,294 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns to College Park, and should hold important roles for the Terps’ 2023 offense.
“Make plays, be a playmaker,” Chambers said of his role in the offense. “We’ve got a lot of playmakers on this team. When your number’s called, you’ve gotta make it happen. That’s what you’ve got to do. So that’s what I’m here for.”
Maryland’s expected 2023 offensive line
Three of Maryland’s starters on its offensive line a season ago — Jaelyn Duncan, Spencer Anderson and Johari Branch — departed for the NFL. Additionally, the Terps’ starter at left guard — Mason Lunsford — transferred to LSU, and an important depth option in Coltin Deery transferred to TCU.
The result is an unknown Maryland offensive line for the upcoming season.
The red team — the Terps’ offensive starters — gave a look as to what the group protecting Tagovailoa could be. From left tackle to right tackle, the unit was redshirt junior Delmar Glaze, redshirt senior Amelio Moran, senior Aric Harris, senior Corey Bullock and senior Gottlieb Ayedze.
Bullock and Ayedze are transfers, while Moran, Glaze and Harris have been with the program.
No matter who’s out there for Maryland, the offensive line may undergo growing pains in the early stages of the season.
“[Offensive line coach Brian Baswell] has done an awesome job with gelling that room together,” Tagovailoa said. “It’s new people, so they’re always trying to continue to get used to it and get more comfortable in the offense. I think they’re looking really good.”
Defensive back potential injuries
Senior Ja’Quan Sheppard transferred from Cincinnati as Maryland’s high-profile transfer commit on the defensive side of the ball. The 2022 All-AAC first team member collected 64 tackles and 10 pass breakups over his time as a Bearcat.
But Sheppard went down in the first half on Saturday after a collision with Prather and had to be carted off the field. He got onto the cart under his own power, and Locksley said after the game that he made it back on the sideline but was held out for precautionary reasons for the rest of the game.
Additionally, senior Tarheeb Still went down after tripping over a receiver. Locksley said that he had not heard from the athletic staff on the nature of his injury.
Sheppard and Still have time to get healthy before the start of the 2023 season, with Maryland’s opener scheduled for Sept. 2 against Towson.
