With the start of the Big Ten football season just about a month away, things are ready to ramp up on the practice field for the Terps as they get set to travel to Northwestern for their season opener Oct. 24.
Next up, TSR takes a look at five Terps coming back from injury who should have an instant impact for Locksley & Co. this fall.
Antwaine Richardson
Perhaps the Terps' biggest loss on defense this offseason was that of safety Antoine Brooks, an All-Big Ten performer and team MVP a season ago, who is now part of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization.
The Terps won't have to look very far or turn to a newcomer, however, as senior safety Antwaine Richardson is back and healthy after suffering from a torn ACL last spring which caused him to miss all of the 2019 season.
Richardson started 10 games at safety in 2018, finishing fifth on the team with 41 tackles, while adding 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception. In all, Richardson has 13 starts under his belt in a Terps uniform.
Sophomore safety Nick Cross really came into his own late last season and is poised to have a breakout 2020 season. Richardson paired with Cross should give Maryland one of the better safety tandems in the Big Ten.
Jeshaun Jones
Who can forget the start of Jeshaun Jones' Maryland career? Recording a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown on his first three collegiate touches in a thrilling 34-29 season-opening win for the Terps over Texas.
While Jones only started two games as a freshman, his numbers were extremely impressive. The 6-foot-1, 189-pounder recorded seven total touchdowns. His five receiving touchdowns were the most by a Maryland freshman since Stefon Diggs in 2012. Jones also caught a pass in each of the Terps' 12 games, finishing the season with 22 catches for 288 yards.
Expectations were sky high for Jones heading into last season, but like Richardson, Jones was lost for the entire 2019 season after suffering a torn ACL.
Fast forward to today and Jones is back to showing the same impressive skillset we saw throughout his freshman campaign. Jones has excellent hands and a knack for getting open. With all-everything freshman wideout Rakim Jarrett in the mix, it will be interesting to see if Jones is used more outside or in the slot. Regardless of where he is lined up in 2020, look for Jones to be a big part of the Terps' offense.
Durell Nchami
Similar to Jones, folks around the program raved about Nchami last offseason heading into the 2019 campaign. Like Jones and Richardson, Nchami too tore an ACL in the preseason.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder saw action in 10 games as a freshman in 2018, showing much promise as a pass rusher. Nchami finished the season fourth on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss and also had a sack. He also blocked a kick.
The addition of Nchami back into the lineup for the Terps this season could be a big one. Maryland's defensive front really struggled to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season and Nchami is likely Maryland's best option at the JACK position.
Lance LeGendre
While LeGendre did see the field last season as a true freshman, he only saw action in three games and missed most of the final game versus Nebraska due to a season-ending shoulder injury in the first half.
That injury really hampered Mike Locksley's plans for the end of the season as it was expected LeGendre would see a significant number of snaps--perhaps even getting a start--in the season finale versus Michigan State.
Luckily for the Terps, LeGendre's injury might have ended his 2019 season, but the redshirt freshman is participating in fall camp and competing for the QB1 job with Alabama transfer Taulia Tagovailoa.
Getting LeGendre back and healthy for the 2020 season was even more imperative for Maryland when senior quarterback Josh Jackson opted out, thus ending his career and leaving the Terps with just two scholarship quarterbacks.
At this point, it looks like the starting nod is most likely to go to Alabama transfer Tagovailoa. That said, anyone who has paid any attention to Maryland football over the last several years should know, you can almost always count on the Terps needing their backup at some point along the way and LeGendre would give Maryland the most talented QB2 in quite some time.
TJ Bradley
While Bradley isn't likely to start for Maryland this season, his presence in the two-deep could be crucial for Maryland as they look to continue to build depth along the offensive front.
Bradley, who saw action in four games as a sophomore in 2018, missed all of 2019 after suffering a knee injury. That injury Bradley suffered led to Austin Fontaine being moved from the defensive line to the offensive line last season, where he flourished, starting six games at right guard.
Fast forward to now and Fontaine has opted out of the 2020 season, leaving a gaping hole in the interior of Maryland's offensive line. With Bradley's massive 6-foot-8, 317-pound frame, he should be able to back up one of the tackle spots and give the Terps another experienced lineman they can plug in should anyone get hurt.
