COLUMBUS, Ohio — Maryland has had some success on offense this season when it’s been balanced and methodical — the way you have to be to have a chance against a top-10 opponent, let alone as a 21-point road underdog.
Maryland demonstrated that at times against a young Ohio State linebacking and secondary corps. But a Terrapin defense that came in tied for the Big Ten Conference lead in sacks only registered one, and a banged-up secondary was torched frequently by the No. 7 Buckeyes in a 66-17 loss.
“I felt our effort was there today. The execution was piss poor,” said Maryland coach Mike Locksley. “I felt we could have executed better.”
Ohio State freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud put on a show, passing for 406 yards and five touchdowns, two each to senior Chris Olave and junior Garrett Wilson. Fellow freshman TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 102 yards on 16 carries, scoring on both a rushing and receiving touchdown.
“Those guys are very, very talented and very gifted, and they do a good job of getting open,” said Ohio State coach Ryan Day.
Maryland (4-2, 1-2) quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa finished 23-of-32 for 232 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Terrapins were held to 56 yards rushing and only made it into Ohio State territory five times.
“We played No. 5 and No. 7, and we’re obviously not there yet,” Locksley said of his team’s last two games against Iowa and Ohio State. “We have a lot of work to do as a program…through recruiting, through our roster development, in all those aspects, to be able to compete against those types of teams and play at that level.”
An initially foggy, early-autumn day in the Ohio capital gave way to early-summer-like temperatures — a perfect environment for Ohio State’s (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) field-scorching offense that’s the fourth best in scoring nationally.
The Buckeyes put up 598 yards, 43 above their average, and scored touchdowns on every drive but three: A kneel-down to end the first half, a field goal in the fourth quarter, and a turnover on downs after Tagovailoa’s first pick.
“Our coverage technique … we had guys looking like they fell out of airplanes they were so wide open,” Locksley said. “It was like seven on seven out there in the first half.”
“I feel like some of us got overwhelmed,” said Maryland defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu. “Early on, we were able to stop the run, but it was the pass that got to us.”
Maryland was without starting freshman linebacker Brandon Jennings, as well as senior defensive backs Jakorian Bennett and Kenny Bennett. To add to the list of banged-up Terrpins, on Maryland’s second play from scrimmage, Jeshaun Jones left the game with an apparent knee injury after a six-yard completion to the 33 yard line. He, like teammate Dontay Demus a week earlier, had to be carted off the field.
Locksley said he wouldn’t have any information on Jones’ condition until they “get him in there for an MRI.”
“We’re playing through some injuries, which to me, are part of the game,” Locksley said. “We develop our players to be able that when the next man has to show up he’s got to be able to execute the stuff that we coach.”
That first drive continued with a roughing the passer penalty to OSU’s Javonte Jean-Baptiste that set Maryland up at the Buckeye 25. Jean-Baptiste got some retribution with a Tagovailoa sack two plays later on third-and-short, leading to a successful 48-yard field goal by Joseph Petrino and Maryland’s only lead of the game.
Ohio State’s Big Ten-leading offense then went to work, as freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud led the Buckeyes on a 17-play, 88-yard drive — the longest drive of the day by far and in the last six years for the Buckeyes. On fourth-and-goal from the Maryland two, Stroud found Wilson on a fade to the right corner of the end zone to give Ohio State the lead for good.
Maryland tried to stay in rhythm but was hampered by pressure. Tagovailoa was hurried on both of his drop backs on the second drive, and a holding penalty by Jaelyn Duncan negated a first down and forced the Terrapins’ first three-and-out of the afternoon.
The Buckeyes saw the opportunity to pick up the tempo to their liking and took it, with Stroud leading Ohio State 74 yards in 1:51 for their second score. It was a four-yard touchdown run up the middle by running back TreVeyon Henderson, his eighth of the season, to extend the OSU lead to 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
It was the same song, different verse for Ohio State to start the second quarter. After the second straight Maryland drive that gained only four yards, the Buckeyes struck in 62 seconds. Stroud found Olave streaking over the middle of the field and dropped it in his arms as he crossed the goal-line for a 36-yard touchdown and a 21-3 lead.
Maryland tweaked its offensive strategy in the middle of the second quarter and found the end zone because of it. Tagovailoa threw the ball more downfield on Maryland’s fourth drive instead of to his left and right in the flats, and it paid off. The junior went 6-for-8 on the series and found receiver Carlos Carriere to cut the Buckeye lead to 11.
“I’m just trying to go through my reads,” Tagovailoa said. “I know I have to use my feet more … just trying to extend plays.”
But that’s as close as it would get for Maryland, as the Terrapins just couldn’t keep pace.
“What we need to do as coaches is to do a great job of making sure we’re calling the things that the players that we have available can execute, and I think we could do a better job of that as a coaching staff,” Locksley said
When Maryland had success on offense, it came from sustained drives. All of the Terrpins’ first-half drives of 10 plays or longer made it inside the Ohio State 30. The last of those, with under two minutes to go in the half, featured a nice rushing attack from senior Challen Faamatau and a 30-yard pickup on fourth-and-inches from the Buckeye 41. The drive ended, however, after a second fourth-down try, this time from the OSU four, saw Tagovailoa mishandle the snap and take a sack.
Stroud found Wilson again for a 26-yard score to open the second half, the quarterback’s fourth and the receiver’s second of the day, to leave no doubt about the outcome.
“I think he sees the field well,” Day said of Stroud. “But he’s also making some really good throws. His timing has been right.”
Stroud was barely pressured by a Maryland defense that came into the game tied for the conference lead in sacks with 18.
“(Ohio State) did a great job of keeping extra tight ends and backs in,” Locksley said, “and a lot of their stuff was max protection,” adding that Maryland’s inability to stay in coverage didn’t allow the defensive front to do much behind the line of scrimmage. I also think some of it is our ability to stay in coverage which helps you get sacks.
Sophomore receiver Rakim Jarrett, who was expected to see an increased role after the injury to Demus last week, only had one catch — a 43-yard screen pass for a touchdown near the end of the third quarter.
Maryland heads into its lone bye week, which Locksley said “couldn’t have come at a better time” after decisive back-to-back losses to top-ten teams.
“We’re going to have an opportunity to get some guys healthy after six tough weeks,” Locksley said. “I feel very confident still in this team. I like where we are from a culture standpoint.”
“Guys want to play. There’s still effort there.” Okuayinonu added.
“It’s not the same old Maryland, man. We actually want to win.”
• George Gerbo can be reached at ggerbo@washingtontimes.com.
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