Saturday was a breakout day for Keon Lattimore. As a part of the Maryland football team?s four-back rotation, the junior from Mount St. Joseph High busted loose against Virginia, rushing for 114 yards on 15 carries and scoring a 56-yard touchdown.
Lattimore?s touchdown put the Terps (4-2) ahead for the first time in their eventual 28-26 win and gave them a confidence boost that they?ve needed all season.
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“When we run the ball and get those big runs, all that work you have done, all that effort you put in, you know something is going to come out of it,” offensive lineman Andrew Crummey said.
Saturday?s game was the first time Lattimore cracked the 100-yard mark for Maryland, and it earned him offensive back player of the week honors in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“It definitely boosts my confidence,” said Lattimore, who has 371 yards and two touchdowns through six games. “I always have confidence in myself, but once I did it, I was like, ?Wow, I want to do it again.?”
Coming into the Virginia game, Lattimore had been struggling. Since the Terps? opener against William & Mary, he had rushed for fewer yards every game. He hit his season low against Georgia Tech, when he ran five times for two yards.
“I did not really change anything,” Lattimore said. “I just said, ?Hopefully, I will get the opportunity,? and I got the opportunity.”
Terps coach Ralph Friedgen was disappointed with Lattimore?s performance against Georgia Tech and expressed that to the running back. He was more than pleased with how Lattimore responded.
“Saturday was not just how aggressive he ran the ball, but how he broke one for a long play,” Friedgen said. “That one gave our team tremendous help. That one did not go unnoticed.”
Friedgen said, however, that Lattimore?s performance would not change Maryland?s backfield rotation of Lattimore, Lance Ball (468 yards, 6 TDs) and Josh Allen (52 yards, 0 TDs).
“When you have a lot of depth, you have got kids that are fresh,” Friedgen said. “I would love to have that depth at all our other positions, too, but we don?t.”
IT?S A RUNNING GAME
» The Terps? ground game is averaging nearly four yards per carry and has scored two-thirds of the team?s touchdowns this season.
» Lance Ball did not let Keon Lattimore steal the entire show against Virginia. Ball rushed for 76 yards on 12 carries and had a touchdown of his own.
