The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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140 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY RYAN TICE New Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin served one year at Michigan, coordinating one of the nation's top defenses to top‑16 finishes in all four major categories, including three top‑six placements. That he was tabbed to lead a program so quickly should not have been a surprise to anyone, given his reputation com‑ ing in and the ability he showed to take a good unit and push it over the edge to greatness. This fall will reveal if he can turn the Maryland defense into a respectable one after the Terrapins finished 54th nationally in defending the run (162.8 yards allowed per game), but 91st or worse in the other three categories. The first‑time head coach's plan to get it done included hiring two former head coaches with 23 years of experience leading programs and 163 wins. Former Syr‑ acuse head man Scott Shafer was also on the staff for a few months before stepping away this spring due to personal reasons. The defense returns five starters, led by senior cornerback William Likely, a 5‑7 dy‑ namo. The 2015 Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year led the country with 1,197 com‑ bined return yards and ran back three kicks for scores despite playing in just 11 games. He even moonlighted on the offensive side — remember, Durkin saw the Jabrill Peppers blueprint first‑hand last year — while finishing with 44 tackles, four tackles for loss, 11 passes broken up and three forced fumbles en route to his second straight All‑Big Ten first‑team honor on defense from league coaches. He could earn All‑America honors this fall at more than just punt returner, which he did last year. Redshirt junior linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. is another nice building block from his middle linebacker position. He paced the squad with 103 tackles last year en route to honorable mention all‑conference laurels. Technically, only two starters return to the defensive front, but seniors Roman Bra‑ glio and Azubuike Ukandu plus junior Jesse Aniebonam were all productive last year, combining for 18.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and nine sacks in 21 starts. On the other side of the ball, four quarter‑ backs saw action, and the group must raise their completion percentage from a collective 47.4, while cutting down on last year's 29 interceptions. Fifth‑year senior Perry Hills is the favorite, thanks to his mobility after rank‑ ing second with 535 rushing yards last year. Although leading rusher Brandon Ross has graduated, every other runner of consequence returns and so do two of last year's starting of‑ fensive linemen. The Maryland ground game ranked 31st nationally with 200.7 yards per game in 2015, and senior Wes Brown should lead the way after playing a secondary role last year, gaining 317 yards and three scores. Brown has 1,055 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in his career, but will be pushed by Virginia Tech graduate transfer Trey Ed‑ munds, who rushed for 675 yards and 10 scores in 2013 (while also compiling 155 yards and two scores as a receiver). The Ter‑ rapin legacy ran for 185 yards and a trio of touchdowns in Blacksburg last year. Similarly, seven of last year's eight pass catchers who eclipsed 100 yards through the air are back, but there isn't a standout in the group yet. The Jacobs brothers — fifth‑year senior Levern and redshirt junior Taivon — combined for 56 catches, which gained 687 yards and five scores. Sophomore D.J. Moore might eventually become the star af‑ ter tying for the team lead with three touch‑ down grabs and ranking second to Levern with 357 receiving yards last year. Durkin is off to an impressive start on the recruiting trail for 2017 — as of June 1, his staff already earned pledges from a five‑star defensive end ranked fourth nationally overall; two four‑stars, including a quarterback; and a pair of high three‑stars from within the state's borders — but that won't help on the field in 2016. Finishing this season around .500 would be an encouraging start to his tenure. Notes Athlon ranked Maryland's hiring of former Michigan defen- sive coordinator D.J. Durkin as the seventh-best head coach addition this offseason … Seven of the Terps' top eight pass catchers return after they combined for 130 receptions in 2015, which gained 1,686 yards and 14 touchdowns … Nicholas Pritchard started every game as a true freshman and boomed a 70-yard punt, but he needs to be more consistent after averaging just 38.2 yards per attempt. ❑ Familiar Face Will Lead Rebuilding Terrapins Into The Big House GAME 9 • MARYLAND • NOV. 5 2016 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2015 Result Sept. 3 Howard — Sept. 10 at Florida International — Sept. 17 at Central Florida — Oct. 1 Purdue — Oct. 8 at Penn State L, 31-30 Oct. 15 Minnesota — Oct. 22 Michigan State L, 24-7 Oct. 29 at Indiana L, 47-28 Nov. 5 at Michigan L, 28-0 Nov. 12 Ohio State L, 49-28 Nov. 19 at Nebraska — Nov. 26 Rutgers W, 46-41 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: U-M leads 4-1 First Meeting: U-M 20, Maryland 0 (Sept. 28, 1985, at Ann Arbor) Last Meeting: U-M 28, Maryland 0 (Oct. 3, 2015, at College Park, Md.) Head Coach: D.J. Durkin, first year at Maryland and overall Off./Def. Systems: Multiple/Multiple 2015 In Review: 3-9 overall, 1-7 Big Ten (T-6th East Division) Final 2015 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 13 (7 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist) Last Bowl Appearance: 2014 (Foster Farms, vs. Stan - ford, L 45-21) Big Ten Conference Championships (last): 0 (9 ACC titles, last in 2001) RETURNING LEADERS Passing: Perry Hills (1,001 yards, 8 TD, 13 INT) Rushing: Perry Hills (525 yards, 3 TD) Receiving: Levern Jacobs (405 yards, 2 TD) Tackles: Jermaine Carter Jr. (103) Sacks: Jesse Aniebonam (3.5) Interceptions: Jalen Brooks (2) PLAYERS TO WATCH Offense: Perry Hills, 5th-Sr., QB — Started seven games in 2012 and eight in 2015 … Set career highs as a true freshman by com - pleting 57.4 percent of his passes and throwing for 1,336 yards … Tossed eight touchdowns in both 2012 (against seven picks) and 2015 (13 interceptions) … Ran for at least 100 yards in three straight games against Ohio State (season-high 170), Penn State and Iowa. Defense: Jermaine Carter Jr., R-Jr., LB — Led his squad and is the Big Ten's sixth- leading returning tackler after posting 103 stops in 2015 … His 14 tackles for loss ranked second on the squad and were the most for a Maryland middle linebacker since All-American E.J. Henderson in 2002. Despite checking in at 5-7 and 175 pounds, senior cornerback William Likely is a two- time All-Big Ten first-team pick on defense by the league's coaches. PHOTO COURTESY MARYLAND