The Maryland defense may be another case where the stats are deceiving. On one hand, the Terrapins are ranked 13th in the nation against the run and 47th against the pass. The problem with those stats has everything to do with Maryland’s schedule.
Against Hampton, they allowed a net gain of just ten yards on the ground and only 75 yards through the air. In Week 2 against UConn, Maryland gave up 67 rushing yards and 156 passing yards. Then, last week against Virginia Tech, the Terps allowed 131 rushing yards and 314 passing yards.
So, the Terrapin defense has looked worse and worse each week as the opponents have gotten tougher and tougher.
Let’s look at Maryland’s defensive personnel.
Defensive Line
Maryland’s front four has been the same in all three games this season. Redshirt junior Eyan Thomas and senior Lavon Johnson will be two of the starting defensive linemen. I expect them to start on the inside, mostly because the other two starting linemen are listed on the roster as linebackers. Thomas has made nine tackles including two TFLs and two sacks while Johnson has made three tackles with one TFL.
The two linebackers listed as starting defensive linemen in Maryland’s game notes are sophomores Sidney Stewart and Nahsir Taylor. So, I expect them to play as edge rushers on the outside. Stewart has made eight tackles with 1.5 TFLs and a sack. He also has a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. Taylor is fourth on the team in tackles with 11 including 1.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. He also has a quarterback hurry.
Linebackers
Moving to the linebackers who are labeled as linebackers in Maryland’s Game-By-Game Starters (because they don’t publish a depth chart), there is senior Daniel Wingate and sophomore Carlton Smith. Wingate leads the Terrapins with 18 tackles including a TFL while Smith is second on the team with 17 tackles and a TFL.
While junior Trey Reddick started ten games last year, he has only started against UConn this season. Despite that, he will still see a lot of playing time tomorrow. That’s because Reddick is third on the team in tackles with 15 including half of a TFL.
Secondary
The starting corners for the Terrapins will be redshirt seniors Amari Jackson and Jamare Glasker. Jackson is tied for seventh on the team in tackles with eight while Glasker is just one tackle behind with seven including a TFL.
The starting safeties will be redshirt senior Lavain Scruggs and sophomore Messiah Delhomme. Delhomme is fifth on the team in tackles with ten and he leads Maryland in interceptios with two. He also has a pass breakup. Scruggs has made six tackles this season.
Who the nickel back might be is up in the air. The last two games it was sixth-year senior Jordan Scruggs. If there is a poster boy for the Protect College Sports Act, it may just be him. Jordan, who is no relation to Lavain, began his career at Washburn in 2021. He spent 2022 with Central Missouri and transferred to Hutchinson Community College a year later. From there, he moved on to South Alabama in 2024 and West Virginia in 2025. Now, he’s with Maryland and he’s tied for seventh with eight tackles.
But he may not be able to play.
Jordan Scruggs was upgraded to probable from questionable today. If he cannot play, I expect to see Judah Jenkins get his second start of the season. The redshirt sophomore started against Hampton, but also played in Maryland’s other two games off the bench. He has made three tackles this season.
Outlook
The UCLA offense has another opportunity for a big game tomorrow just like last week. While the Terps’ defense is highly ranked after three games, I expect them to continue their descent to mediocrity as they start playing tougher competition in conference play. Eventually, this year’s Maryland defense will probably be ranked about where last year’s Maryland defense was and it could prove to be the last straw which causes Mike Locksley his job.
More immediately, I expect Dean Kennedy to build on last week’s performance where UCLA’s offense was humming both on the ground and through the air.
After all, there are lies, damn lies and statistics. Maryland’s statistics are not to be believed at this point in the season.
Go Bruins!!!
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Joe, the numbers tell on themselves. Ten rushing yards against Hampton, 67 against UConn, 131 against Virginia Tech — that is not a defense, that is a staircase, and every step goes down. Maryland built a top-15 run defense out of three weeks of nobody. Now Dean Kennedy walks in with an offense that hung 52 on Purdue, and the Terps get to find out what the fourth step looks like. Lies, damn lies, and September statistics. Go Bruins.
I agree. Let's go Bruins!!!