Terps show glimpses in opening win

Sophomore Da’Rel Scott rushed for 197 yards on 26 carries and Maryland snuck past Delaware, 14-7, before an announced crowd of 49,119 at Byrd Stadium Saturday.

The Terrapins rushed for 274 yards behind Scott and true freshman Davin Meggett, and survived three first-half missed field goals, as senior kicker Obi Egekeze missed left, right and short.

Scott, in his first start, put up the highest single-game rushing total since Bruce Perry rushed for 237 yards against Wake Forrest on Nov. 29, 2003. He also solved the team’s backfield concerns after the departures of tailbacks Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball.

“We came in with the game plan knowing we could load up on them and run the ball,” Scott said. “I was prepared for it.”

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen didn’t find any clarity about his quarterback situation, as senior Jordan Steffy was inconsistent in three quarters of play. Steffy was 9-for-16 for 118 yards and two interceptions — both coming on plays in which he stared down top target Darrius Heyward-Bey before releasing the ball.

Junior Josh Portis was used as a situational quarterback, as promised, but Delaware’s defense quickly picked upon his simple left-side draws, and held him to 13 yards on four carries.

Heyward-Bey had six touches in Maryland’s new offense, scoring his second career  rushing touchdown on a 12-yard end-around off right tackle with 8:03 remaining in the second quarter.

The next touchdown seemed a lifetime later.

Meggett, a 5-foot-8, 210-pound back, took a pitch off the left side, evading a tackler halfway through his 14-yard scamper to the end zone. His score, with 3:56 left in the third quarter, capped a 42-yard, three-play drive that lasted just 1:21.

Delaware got on the board late in the fourth quarter, when Johnathon Smith scored from one yard out with 5:20 remaining in regulation.

By that point, Delaware’s contingent was drowning-out the thinning Maryland student section.

But Maryland sealed the victory with safety Terrell Skinner’s interception, the Terrapins’ second of the game.

“I do not believe in moral victories,” Delaware coach K.C. Keeler said. “We had our opportunities and we let them get away.”

After throwing two interceptions, Steffy was replaced by junior Chris Turner. Steffy left with a right thumb injury, Friedgen said. None of Steffy’s teammates were aware of the injury.

Steffy’s first interception came one play after Maryland senior corner Kevin Barnes intercepted a Blue Hens end-around pass. Steffy looked right through Eric Johnson trying to find Heyward-Bey, and fired a pass right into the Delaware linebacker’s hands.

Steffy would be intercepted again with 7:38 remaining in the third quarter, throwing a predictable third-and-18 lob toward Heyward-Bey that was snagged by Blue Hens defender Anthony Walters at the Delaware two-yard line.

“I’m very disappointed,” Walters said. “Some people would feel good that they competed, but competing is only one thing. Winning is a whole different type of ball game and we didn’t win.”

Maryland was heavily favored over Delaware, despite the Blue Hens being the runners-up in the Football Championship Subdivision title game last season. The opening-game scare against a Colonial Athletic Association opponent is a yearly tradition for Maryland, which escaped challenges from Villanova and William & Mary in the past two seasons.

“It tends to happen every first game, doesn’t it? We come out and play these teams, when you can beat them by a couple touchdowns,” defensive end Jeremy Navarre said. “We always improve. We got our win, and now we need to improve off this game for the tougher games later on, when we’ll be peaking.”

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MARYLAND AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE