The Terps hit the road to face the Charlotte 49ers Week 2 following a 31-10 win over Buffalo at home to open the 2022 season.
The Terps are looking to improve and build upon last week's outing as they look to move to 2-0 with a dangerous SMU team on deck Week 3.
Below, we take a look at three things to watch for in the Terps' road opener.
Can the Terps play a clean game?
The biggest question from a week ago remains the biggest question heading into Week 2, after the Terps committed eight penalties for a whopping 82 yards versus Buffalo in the opener.
The Terps might be able to get away with committing a huge number of penalties versus teams like Buffalo or Charlotte and still come away with a win, but as the schedule starts getting much more difficult in Week 3, the margin for error will become much smaller.
Playing smart, mistake-free football needs to be an emphasis this week and if they are unable to play a clean game, it could be a harbinger of things to come for the Terps later in the season.
The good news this week? Charlotte comes into Saturday's game having committed 19 penalties for 168 yards in their two games to start the season.
Can the Terps get improved play at center?
One question heading into Week 1 that was answered in a resounding way in the win over Buffalo was whether or not the Terps could establish the run. The answer was, 'Yes.'
The Terps were able to rip off 149 yards on the ground, including 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns from redshirt freshman Roman Hemby in his first career start.
Maryland's passing attack struggled a bit versus Buffalo however, as Tagovailoa's timing seemed to be just a bit off, throwing an interception with no touchdown passes.
Senior Johari Branch got the start at center for the Terps in their opener, his first career start at the position after starting at both guard spots over the past two seasons. He struggled with snapping the ball versus Buffalo and finishing with the lowest rating among Maryland's offensive linemen according to Pro Football Focus.
Snapping the ball is the most rudimentary of skills and one of the most important for the offense to fire on all cylinders. The Terps need the ball to get back to Tagovailoa quickly and where expected so that he can focus on his reads and place the ball where it is expected from the receivers. Again, this another small attention to detail that could be the difference between a good season and a great season.
Can the defense generate turnovers?
For the most part, the Terps' defense had an excellent showing in the opener, holding Buffalo to just 10 points and really clamping down in the second half. Senior defensive back Jakorian Bennett finished with five pass break ups on the day.
The one thing missing from the Terps' Week 1 defensive performance? A turnover.
Charlotte will likely be the weakest opponent the Terps face this season, with multiple quarterbacks injured coming into their matchup with Maryland. This matchup is ripe for the Terps' defense to create multiple turnovers and to build some confidence as they head into the meat of their schedule in Week 3.
