Previewing Michigan vs. Maryland with a Terrapins insider

By Clayton Sayfie

TheWolverine.com caught up with Maryland writer George Gerbo of The Washington Times ahead of Saturday’s matchup between the Terrapins and Michigan Wolverines football. Gerbo broke down Maryland and offered a final score prediction. We begin with the projected starting lineup for the Terps.

Maryland projected starters on offense

• #7 – Freshman QB Malik Washington (6-5, 231) — A four-star and the nation’s No. 105 overall player and No. 11 quarterback according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, Washington has started from day one. He’s completed 57.9 percent of his passes (216-of-373) for 2,294 yards and 13 touchdowns with 7 interceptions. His 6.2 yards per pass attempt average checks in tied for 13th in the Big Ten. Washington has rushed 39 times for 269 yards (6.9 yards per attempt) with 4 touchdowns, and he’s only been sacked 3 times. Washington is a prolific deep ball passer, going 15-of-41 (36.6 percent) for 490 yards (12 yards per attempt) with 7 touchdowns and 3 picks on passes of 20-plus air yards. Maryland has run a lot of screens — 58 of them — going for 6 yards per attempt.

• #0 – Redshirt freshman RB DeJuan Williams (5-11, 215) — Has rushed 111 times for 409 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and 2 touchdowns with a 23-yard long. He averages 2.7 yards after contact per carry and has forced 18 missed tackles. A strong receiver out of the backfield, Williams has been targeted 50 times, hauling in 35 receptions for 330 yards and a score. Redshirt sophomore running back Nolan Ray (6-1, 212) also mixes in, and he’s rushed for 284 yards and 2 scores on 64 attempts.

• #5 – Senior WR Octavian Smith Jr. (6-0, 182) — Has recorded 35 catches for 438 yards and no touchdowns with a long of 53 yards. Most of his targets have come on short throws, but he has hauled in 10 receptions of 10-plus air yards, including 4 of 20-plus.

• #4 – Senior WR Shaleak Knotts (6-3, 194) — Enjoying a breakout season, Knotts has caught 32 passes and leads the team in receiving yards (496) and touchdowns (5). His average depth of target is 13.5 yards — he’s caught 6 deep passes of 20-plus air yards — and 19 of his grabs have gone for first downs.

• #1 – Senior WR Jalil Farooq (6-2, 213) — The Oklahoma transfer and All-Big 12 honorable mention selection in 2023 started 25 games at his previous school, totaling 89 catches for 1,287 yards and 7 touchdowns in his career as a Sooner. This season, he leads the Terrapins with 43 catches and has racked up 364 yards and a score. Only 6 of his catches have come on passes of 10-plus air yards, but he leads the team with 7.1 yards after catch per reception.

• #9 – Redshirt sophomore TE Dorian Fleming (6-3, 245) — Has hauled in 34 catches to lead all Big Ten tight ends, going for 297 yards and 2 touchdowns. He’s generated a 43.8 PFF run-blocking grade.

• #76 – Redshirt junior LT Rahtrel Perry (6-5, 317) — The Central Connecticut State (FCS) transfer has posted a 61.1 overall PFF rating with 14 pressures and no sacks allowed. He didn’t give up any sacks in two games against FBS competition a season ago (Central Michigan, UMass), helping him become a top-35 rated offensive tackle in the portal this past offseason.

• #74 – Redshirt senior LG Isaiah Wright (6-5, 315) — The Buffalo transfer started 24 games across the 2022-23 seasons, before joining Maryland and missing the 2024 campaign with an injury. He’s opened all 10 tilts this year, registering a 57.4 overall PFF grade with 13 pressures and 1 sack given up.

• #61 – Sophomore C Michael Hershey (6-5, 295) — The first-year starter has recorded a 67.1 overall PFF rating. He’s given up 5 pressures with no sacks this season, and his 85.7 PFF pass-blocking grade checks in third among Big Ten centers with 100-plus such snaps.

• #66 – Redshirt junior RG Aliou Bah (6-6, 327) — The Georgia transfer is in his second season at Maryland and has opened the last 22 games for the Terrapins. He has a 57.5 overall PFF grade with 9 pressures and no sacks allowed this year.

• #71 – Senior RT Alan Herron (6-6, 320) — The D-II Shorter University transfer has started the last 22 games for the Terrapins and has excelled in pass blocking, with his 85.2 PFF grade ranking fifth among Big Ten tackles with 100-plus such snaps. He’s recorded a 73.4 overall PFF rating (10th among Big Ten tackles) with 13 pressures and 1 sack allowed.

Maryland projected starters on defense

• #10 – Graduate DT Cam Rice (6-2, 303) — The West Virginia, West Liberty and Ohio transfer has recorded 26 tackles, including 3 for loss and 1.5 sacks, with 1 pass breakup. He’s pressured the quarterback 21 times, the third most on the team.

• #98 – Redshirt sophomore DT Eyan Thomas (6-3, 328) — The FCS Saint Francis (PA) transfer has registered 24 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack and 1 pass breakup, adding 7 pressures. Freshman Bryce Jenkins (6-6, 350) returned from injury in the 24-6 loss to Illinois last week and logged 35 defensive snaps. He’s a former four-star recruit who has made 6 tackles with 1 for loss in limited action this season.

• #29 – Freshman DE Sidney Stewart (6-2, 255) — The On3 Freshman Midseason All-American leads the Maryland defense with 30 pressures, adding 25 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 6 sacks, 1 pass breakup and 1 forced fumble.

• #9 – Freshman DE Zahir Mathis (6-6, 222) — The On3 Freshman Midseason All-American and former four-star, top-170 recruit leads all first-year edge rushers in the Big Ten with a 76.0 PFF pass-rush grade. Stewart is second at 74.3. Mathis has recorded 30 tackles, 7 TFL, 5.5 sacks and 24 pressures.

• #1 – Junior LB Daniel Wingate (6-5, 230) — Leads the team and ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 89 total tackles, contributing 5.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 interception and 1 pass breakup. He’s missed 15 tackles.

• #32 – Freshman LB Carlton Smith (6-1, 222) — Made his first career start last week against Illinois and posted 10 tackles (8 solo) while adding 3 pressures as a pass rusher. He’s made 56 tackles with 1.5 for loss and a half-sack this year.

• #6 – Junior NB Dontay Joyner (6-0, 180) — The Arkansas State transfer recorded a career-high 8 tackles with an interception against Michigan last season, the pick coming on a pass from graduate Davis Warren. His other interception last year came against Iowa State. This year, he leads the team with 6 pass breakups, and he has picked off 2 passes and added 31 tackles. He has a 74.3 PFF coverage grade and has given up 25 catches for 244 yards and 3 touchdowns on 39 targets. His pick-six in the third quarter against Nebraska gave his team a 31-24 lead, before it lost 34-31.

• #14 – Redshirt junior CB Jamare Glasker (6-1, 185) — The Wake Forest transfer is second on the Maryland defense with 4 pass breakups, adding 27 tackles, 5 TFL and 3 interceptions. He has a 60.3 PFF coverage rating, allowing 21 catches for 294 yards and 7 touchdowns on 43 targets. No player in the country has given up more touchdowns in coverage, per PFF.

• #27 – Sophomore CB La’khi Roland (6-2, 196) — Has posted 17 tackles and 3 interceptions. His 81.6 PFF coverage rating ranks fifth among Big Ten cornerbacks with 100-plus such snaps. He’s given up 7 catches for 101 yards and no touchdowns on 18 targets.

• #22 – Senior S Jalen Huskey (6-2, 201) — The Bowling Green transfer was a first-team All-MAC selection in 2023, before making the move to play for the Terrapins. He had an interception on Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy in a 31-6 Falcons loss in 2023. He’s third on the team with 55 tackles and leads the squad with 4 interceptions this season. His 86.0 overall PFF rating checks in third among Big Ten safeties with 35-plus defensive snaps, and his 88.5 rating in coverage ranks second. In coverage, he’s been targeted 17 times and allowed 10 receptions for 76 yards and 1 touchdown.

• #13 – Redshirt junior S Lavain Scruggs (6-3, 215) — Has recorded 52 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 pass breakups. He’s generated a 64.7 PFF coverage grade, giving up 12 catches for 172 yards and a score on 16 targets.

Maryland specialists

• #36 – Redshirt freshman K Sean O’Haire (6-2, 188) — The FCS Richmond transfer was 12-of-12 on field goals in four regular-season games and one playoff game for his previous school last season, in his first year playing football. He’s made 19 of his 21 field goal attempts this season, with a 49-yard long. One of his two misses was from 50-plus, the other between 30-39 yards. Redshirt freshman Philip Noyes handles kickoff duties and has booted only 8 touchbacks on 38 attempts.

• #34 – Redshirt junior P Bryce McFerson (6-2, 191) — The Notre Dame transfer is in his second season as Maryland’s starting punter, after averaging 45.1 yards per kick for the Fighting Irish in 2023. He’s averaging 44.5 yards per kick with a 62-yard long this season. He’s pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line on 16 of his 50 attempts, and has 13 of 50-plus yards.

• #24 – Freshman KR Iverson Howard (5-11, 195) — The running back is averaging 15.4 yards per kick return on 7 attempts, with a 27-yard long.

• #1 – Senior PR Jalil Farooq (6-2, 213) — Has returned 6 punts for 46 yards (7.7-yard average) with a 20-yard long.

What to expect from Malik Washington

With Washington and Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, each side will have a freshman starting quarterback. The Maryland offense has had its ups and downs, largely due to its ineffectiveness running the ball, ranking 118th nationally with 110.6 rushing yards per game, but Washington has also been inconsistent.

“As evidenced by the last couple of weeks, [offensive coordinator Pep] Hamilton has finally included some designed runs for Washington in the game plan and seems to have encouraged him to use his feet more, which was absent in the first half of the season,” Gerbo said. “He has remained incredibly poised in the pocket all season. As he began to face more difficult defenses in conference play, some freshman tendencies have cropped up, including rushed and under-thrown passes along with a few fumbles and interceptions.

“He consistently averages in the low-200s in yards passing and in the high 30s in attempts per game. I expect his attempts to be in the 40s as Hamilton tries to ‘simulate’ a run game with screen and short passes. But he can display his natural talent and hit some ridiculous throws from time to time.”

Maryland has protected the quarterback

Washington has been sacked only 3 times, and he’s faced pressure on just 23 percent of his dropbacks.

“The offensive line has been a strength, specifically in pass protection,” Gerbo explained. “Washington has only been sacked three times this season, and after years of trying to plug and play inexperienced players across the line, [head coach Mike] Locksley and Maryland have finally landed a transfer-laden group that has played well together.

“At the same time, that success hasn’t extended well to run blocking, which is exacerbated by backfield inexperience in sophomore RB Nolan Ray (a Bloomfield Hills native) and freshman DeJuan Williams.

“Maryland lacks a standout tight end, which was a safety blanket and linchpin of the offense during the [Taulia] Tagovailoa era. Drops among the receiving corps have been an issue, and transfers Jalil Farooq (Oklahoma) and Kaleb Webb (Tennessee) haven’t provided the impact that Locksley and Co. were hoping for. Neither has had more than 48 yards in a game during conference play and they have only combined for 3 touchdowns all season.”

Maryland forces a lot of turnovers

Maryland ranks 12th in the FBS with a 0.8 average turnover margin per game, with 20 turnovers caused (tied eighth), including 18 interceptions (second). But the group has had issues stopping the run.

“Injuries and nicks are catching up with Maryland’s defense, which is still one of the top takeaway units in the nation with 18 interceptions,” Gerbo said. “Jalen Huskey and Jamare Glasker have 7 combined INTs and lead that secondary unit.

“Mathis has been playing through a turf toe injury that caused him to miss the UCLA game and has limited his availability. Linebacker Daniel Wingate is one of the Big Ten’s top tacklers, but Locksley has described him as ‘playing on one leg’ with an ankle injury.

“Michigan will likely exploit Maryland’s run defense, which allows 171 yards per game, the third worst in the league. That number is even worse recently, with Indiana, Rutgers and Illinois all rushing for at least 225 yards on the Terps in their last three games.”

Top key for Maryland against Michigan

Gerbo discussed what Maryland must accomplish to notch a home victory over Michigan.

“Offensive balance,” Gerbo said of the biggest key to victory. “The Terps haven’t scored a TD in their last six quarters and go three-and-out far too often because they lack the personnel to consistently gain yards on the ground. In the Tagovailoa days, Maryland could strike at will, and 3 minute or less drives that ended up in touchdowns were common. As Washington has learned this offense, quick strikes are rare, and Maryland will need to grind out 8-10 play drives and use the clock to get comfortable and score.”

Gerbo’s final score prediction

“For some reason, the last two games in this series have been close contests — 7 points,” Gerbo began. “And for the second time in two years, Michigan’s trip to Maryland comes before it hosts that team from Columbus and all the emotion that entails. Maryland mounted a third-quarter comeback in the 2023 edition to cut Michigan’s lead to five, but failed to score in the fourth quarter. I think it will be a close game initially, but Michigan will pull away and win by two scores.”
Prediction: Michigan 27, Maryland 13