STROUD TO STOVER
Ohio State tight end Cade Stover is selected 123rd overall in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Texans, reuniting him with C.J. Stroud.
Before each Ohio State game, Eleven Warriors catches up with a media member who covers the opposing team to get his or her perspective on the Buckeyes' upcoming opponent.
We're joined this week by Emily Giambalvo, who covers Maryland athletics for the Washington Post, for expert insight on the Terrapins, who will be looking to bounce back on the road at Ohio State this week after getting walloped in a 51-14 loss to Iowa in their home stadium last week.
 |
| MARYLAND TERRAPINS |
|
4-1 (1-1 B1G) ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
|
|
|
NOON – SATURDAY, OCT. 9 OHIO STADIUM COLUMBUS, OHIO |
|
|
|
FOX FOX SPORTS |
What went wrong for the Terps against Iowa, and what was going well for Maryland before that loss? Should we expect to see the passing offense that was one of the best in the country in the first four weeks, or the one that threw six interceptions against Iowa last week? How has the defense outperformed expectations this year, and what kind of response should we expect from Maryland after last week's setback?
We get answers to all of those questions and more in this week's edition of Across The Field.
Maryland was 4-0 before turning the ball over seven times and losing to Iowa at home by 37 points. What the heck happened against the Hawkeyes?
Giambalvo: It’s clear that the quality of opponent changed dramatically when Maryland faced Iowa, but I also think the Terps are a good bit better than what they showed last weekend. Against Iowa, it all totally unraveled at the start of the second quarter to an astonishing degree.
If you look at those few minutes, Iowa scored to go up 10-7, and then Dontay Demus Jr. fumbles the kickoff and suffers a brutal injury. Iowa gets the ball back near the end zone and scores quickly. First play of the next drive, Taulia Tagovailoa throws an interception, and Iowa has a short field again and scores. Second play of the next drive, Tagovailoa throws another interception. So you essentially had a stretch where Maryland kept turning the ball over, and they dug a hole so deep there was no coming back. Tagovailoa says now that he felt like he was trying to do too much – that thinking where you feel like you can make up all the points on one play. The rest of the game was fairly competitive, and maybe it would have been a closer margin if things didn’t spiral out of control starting with Demus’ injury.
Starting the season strong and getting a big early win or two before stumbling as the season progresses has been a pretty consistent trend for Maryland in recent years. Why do you think that’s happened, and is it about to happen again?
Giambalvo: I’d imagine that’s what all the Maryland fans are terrified of right now. I do think this year the Terps showed much more through the first four games than they had in previous solid starts before letdowns. But what is similar is that Maryland plays well in non-conference games and then crumbles against these top-tier Big Ten teams. I think Maryland ran into a good opponent and made a lot of mistakes (seven turnovers and tons of penalties). The obvious problem is that if you’re looking for a bounce-back game, playing at Ohio State isn’t the ideal choice for that. If Maryland doesn’t play great again, I’d be more likely to think it’s a product of the opponent than the early signs of things completely going downhill the rest of the way.
The Terrapins were averaging more than 350 passing yards per game before throwing for just 174 yards with six interceptions against Iowa. Do you think that had more to do with losing Dontay Demus or simply going up against a better defense, and what do they need to do to get back on track this week?
Giambalvo: Losing Dontay Demus certainly hurt, but Maryland has enough talented receivers that his absence alone wouldn’t be enough to swing the passing production that much. I think Tagovailoa never really settled in, and the mistakes piled up. Going against a top defense had a lot to do with that, but I still think Tagovailoa can play much better even against a solid team. The key this week will be to get Tagovailoa in a rhythm and maybe try to take some pressure off him by establishing the run a bit more. But again, I’m not sure if at Ohio State is the best place for a still somewhat inexperienced quarterback to rediscover his groove. Because of fan restrictions last season, the road game against Illinois earlier this season was Tagovailoa’s first and only experience as a starter in a road environment.
Maryland was holding opponents to fewer than 15 points per game before giving up 51 to the Hawkeyes. How would you evaluate the Terrapins’ defense five games into the season?
Giambalvo: I think the defense has exceeded expectations so far, even with the Iowa game. I think, after watching the unraveling against Iowa, I’d feel more confident in Maryland’s chances if it’s going against a team with an elite offense than a team with an elite defense. A lot of the points came off turnovers with Iowa having great field position.
The defensive line has done a solid job getting to the quarterback, and that’s been a pleasant surprise this year. The concern is that Maryland’s struggled with injuries, so some of the best players haven’t been out there. The Terps lost two starters, cornerback Deonte Banks and linebacker Fa’Najae Gotay, early in the year. The linebacker unit is particularly thin with linebacker Branden Jennings, who was filling in for Gotay, missing the last game with an injury.
Taulia Tagovailoa and Rakim Jarrett are Maryland’s biggest names. Who are some of the other Terrapins players to watch in this game?
Giambalvo: I’d expect to see another receiver step up without Demus, so I’d look out for Jeshaun Jones. He hasn’t always been super consistent, but he’s capable of making explosive plays. Defensive end Sam Okuayinonu has shown he can get to the quarterback and could be a problem for opposing offenses. He has benefited from coming back as a “super-senior” with the extra eligibility because of the pandemic. Cornerback Tarheeb Still has also been great contesting catches.
Jeshaun Jones could play an expanded role for Maryland at wide receiver with Dontay Demus out for the year. (Photo: Tommy Gilligan – USA TODAY Sports)
Which outcome do you think is more likely: Maryland bouncing back to challenge for an upset at Ohio State, or the Terrapins getting blown out for the second week in a row?
Giambalvo: I think Maryland will be better and have a performance that you could maybe classify as a bounce-back, but I’m not sure the Terps will be really challenging for an upset. I think Ohio State’s defense could give Tagovailoa an opportunity to make some plays, and I don’t think the game will be over by halftime. But I also don’t think Ohio State fans will need to be holding their breath in the fourth quarter.
