Maryland special teams coach Charles Bankins calls his charges “Dog Soldiers.” He issues them dog tags, and each week he delivers awards.
The Hammer (an actual sledgehammer) goes to the Terrapins player who makes the biggest special teams hit. The War Daddy (combat helmet with Terp stickers) is given to the player who grades out the best. The Heavyweight Championship Belt is bestowed on the player who makes a game-changing play.
“This is a game,” Bankins said. “We try to make it fun.”
The way Maryland’s special teams are producing this season, the awards aren’t so clear-cut. That was the case Saturday when Maryland overwhelmed Wake Forest 62-14. Against a team that hadn’t surrendered a blocked punt since 2007, the Terps got two, leading to 10 points.
Maryland also swarmed Wake Forest in kickoff coverage. Wake sophomore Michael Campanaro (River Hill) entered ranked second in the ACC in returns (25.2 average). But Wake averaged just 14.6 yards on 11 returns.
Claiming the Hammer this week were senior wideout Emani Lee-Odai (Anacostia) and sophomore tackle Zach Kerr (Quince Orchard). The War Daddy went to senior wideout LaQuan Williams, who blocked Wake’s first punt. The Heavyweight Championship Belt was delivered to junior linebacker Nick Peterson (Broadneck), who vaulted Wake’s protective shield to swat down another punt, leading to a touchdown that gave the Terps a 24-7 lead. Peterson also had four tackles in kick return coverage.
With a few exceptions, stellar special teams play has been a constant.
“One game [Clemson] we didn’t play very well,” Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. “In all the other games we’ve played, special teams has been a decided advantage for us.”
According to Friedgen, linebackers and defensive backs are usually the most willing participants on special teams. But this year his talented and deep receiving corps has been anxious to contribute and provided a rare dose of speed.
In addition to Williams (nine tackles), other wideouts who have thrived have been sophomores Kerry Boykins (six tackles) and Kevin Dorsey (five tackles, one punt block). Contributing in a dynamic way has been junior wideout Tony Logan, who has returned two punts for touchdowns and ranks second in the nation with a 21.2 return average.
One special teams area in which the Terps have struggled has been on kickoff returns. This was a supposed strength with junior Torrey Smith, the school’s all-time leader in kickoff return yardage. But with Smith limited by an ankle sprain, the Terps rank 116th in the nation with a 17.6 average.
But Friedgen said Sunday that Smith’s ankle is strong again and he will resume his return duties Saturday at Miami.
Maybe he can claim one of Bankins’ awards. The former running back at James Madison University served one year as a special teams assistant with the St. Louis Rams (2005), a pleasant experience considering what he expected.
“It was amazing that even guys making millions of dollars will buy into it,” Bankins said.
