Over the next several weeks I will be outlining the future of Maryland’s positional groups. To do this I’ll be looking at who is currently on the roster, who is committed and who the Terps are recruiting in order to get a full picture of what a potential future could look like.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

The first group I’ll be looking at is the quarterbacks. Quarterback play was Maryland’s biggest weakness last year, and despite a decent showing against Howard (c’mon guys, it’s Howard), it will probably be a weak spot again this year.

While it would be hard for Maryland to match its historically bad quarterback play from last year where it threw 29 interceptions, six more than any other team in the FBS and finished 127 of 128 schools in passer rating, the Terps didn’t add much in terms of passing ability. Yes, a switch to a quicker, more run-oriented offense will certainly help and freshman Tyrrell Pigrome showed a lot of potential, especially as a runner, but Maryland still has a questionable quarterback situation as we look ahead to Big Ten conference play.

Senior Perry Hills is the starter and coming off of a game where he completed almost 75 percent of his passes. Clearly Hills worked hard this off-season to improve his game, returning home to Pittsburgh weekly to work with Gus Frerotte. There are intangibles about Hills to like as well. It’s reasonable to believe Hills is a better fit in Offensive Coordinator’s Walt Bell’s Offense vs. what he was previously asked to do under the former regime of Head Coach Randy Edsall and the previous OC Mike Locksley. I’m still having a hard time seeing Hills shredding defenses when when it’s the Buckeyes or the Wolverines instead of the Bison on the other side of the line. A new year, a new offense, an improved Hills etc.; but I still have visions of the issues Hills had with ball control. Additionally, while I believe Hills can be successful with the short passing underneath, I question if he’s capable of driving the ball down field into tight windows when necessary.

But while quarterback play may continue to hold Maryland back some this year, the future is bright at the position for Maryland. Next season 4-star quarterback Kasim Hill will be on campus and it isn’t a stretch to say he’s in good position to push for the starting job, though Pigrome won’t make it easy. It should also be noted that Caleb Henderson is also going to factor into this race after transferring into Maryland from North Carolina. It is exciting for Maryland fans, to see capable depth being lined up at the position. Especially given Maryland’s injury history at the position. Like Pigrome, fellow True Freshman Max Bortenschlager also received time in the opener vs. Howard. He’ll be that much more advanced next year after a year of adjustment to college, and a year in the system. Where does Gage Shaffer fit into this long term picture? At times this Summer, he was looking strong in Bell’s system.

Moving into the 2018 class, Maryland is in the running for several talented quarterbacks. The Terps seem to be on the outside looking in for 4-star New Jersey star Artur Sitkowski, who most experts predict to be heading to Florida, but Durkin will surely be working hard to avoid Sitkowski playing in his old stomping grounds. Outside of Sitkowski, Maryland is the favorite for 3-star Devin Leary from New Jersey and is talking to dual-threat James Graham out of Georgia. 

While the present seems shaky, the future looks very bright for the Terps at the quarterback position. Up next: the big guys who protect the quarterback.

Andrew Feather
Andrew Feather

Andrew Feather is a multimedia journalist from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. Currently a broadcast journalism major at Elon University in Elon, N.C., Feather serves as the Assistant Sports Director of Elon Local News, the school’s award winning, student-run news broadcast.

X