Even with their struggles the last two seasons, there’s never been any question that the Maryland Terrapins had playmakers. Providing them daylight, however, often has been difficult.
Against Florida International on Saturday, the Terps’ speedsters made the most of their opportunities in a 42-28 win before 33,251, the smallest crowd of the Ralph Friedgen era, at Byrd Stadium.
Maryland freshman Danny O’Brien thrived in his starting debut, completing 18 of 27 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. But the biggest difference Saturday was the speed of the Terps.
Junior Tony Logan returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown. Junior Torrey Smith (eight receptions, 159 yards) caught a 68-yard touchdown pass. Senior Da’Rel Scott (15 carries, 103 yards) bolted 56 yards for a score. And junior Davin Meggett added a clinching 76-yard sprint as Maryland improved to 3-1.
“You’re only as good as your offensive line,” Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin said. “If the offensive line can protect, you can get the ball to your playmakers on the perimeter.”
Even with perfect weather, there were many no-shows Saturday — a sign of the declining fortunes of the program. Those who stayed home missed a stellar performance from O’Brien, who showed pocket presence and accuracy on a rare turnover-free day for the Maryland offense.
“The key to beating a team like that is just to not turn the ball over and not freak out when you see pressure coming,” said O’Brien, who will celebrate his 20th birthday on Sunday. “When they pressure, you’re gonna get one-on-one outside.”
With junior Jamarr Robinson unable to “raise his arm above his shoulder,” according to Friedgen, O’Brien went all the way on a sprained ankle.
“I was very impressed with his poise. He never got rattled,” Friedgen said. “He was in total control.”
Then there were the big plays.
Logan’s dash came first. With a coverage man bearing down on him, Logan caught the punt, side-stepped left, then used two jukes to break into the clear to give Maryland a 14-7 lead.
Scott’s run followed as he took a pitchout, burst through a narrow seam in the FIU defense and raced to the end zone for a 21-14 Terps lead before the end of the first half.
In the second half, the Maryland defense got interceptions from junior cornerback Trenton Hughes and senior linebacker Adrian Moten. The Terps also stopped FIU (0-3) inside the 5-yard line as tackle A.J. Francis (11 tackles) emerged.
“Our defense was done,” Friedgen said of the unit that was on the field for a whopping 98 plays. “I was proud of the way our kids kept fighting, especially the defense.”
