Maryland football’s strong start at Nebraska turns into another blowout, 48-23, spotlight returns to Locksley

Maryland football had its moments Saturday in Lincoln — a hot start, a revved-up running game, a wide receiver playing at an elite level. Then everything collapsed.

The Terrapins opened the game firing on all cylinders. The running game showed signs of life, the passing attack exploded early and the defense made stops. But as quickly as Maryland It was hot, he collapsed. Nebraska outscored the Terps 34-0 after the first quarter, pulling away for a 48-23 victory at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

It was a different type of humiliation than the previous week, a collapse, not a blowout from the opening whistle. Still a third straight loss and still a troubling referendum on where this program stands under Maryland coach Mike Locksley.

The denouement began with the familiar sight of a pick-6 heading in the other direction. With Maryland leading the way, quarterback Malik Washington threw a floater straight to the Nebraska safety Dwayne McDougle IIIwho returned 81 yards for a touchdown. From there, the Terps couldn’t recover.

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The pick-six crystallized what has become Washington’s most glaring problem. He went the first three games of the season without throwing an interception. Since the start of Big Ten play, his reads have been alarming. Saturday’s game brought his third pick six in two conference games and his sixth total interception of the season. and these are not miscommunications or miscommunications. They were mostly thrown straight at defenders and easy to return.

RELATED: Everything Mike Locksley Said After Another Grueling Blowout

The change from one quarter to the next was brutal. Washington threw for 177 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter with no interceptions. In the second quarter, he struggled mightily, completing no passes and throwing two interceptions. He finished with 77 yards the rest of the game. Maryland did not score in the second half.

The third try was a disaster throughout. The Terps converted on a third-down lead, until the game was already out of reach late in the fourth quarter.

Despite this, Maryland had some real momentum early. The Terps, led by nine players, looked formidable and were powered by two players having good days: the running back DeJuan Williams upon his return to the lineup and wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. doing his best to carry the offense.

Williams was expected to be Maryland’s star guard from the start of the season, but was injured in the opener and missed three games. The running game had suffered without him. Returning to the lineup on Saturday, he took pressure off the substitutes Iverson Howard and gave the offense a dimension it lacked. Williams finished with 78 rushing yards and a touchdown, and Maryland totaled 141 yards on 25 attempts as a team. The first quarter’s success inflated the totals – after that it didn’t work much.

Durr was Maryland’s workhorse. He finished with 149 yards and a touchdown, the score coming on a 65-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter. But it wasn’t enough to top the Cornhuskers. When Washington found Durr, the passing game went well; when he didn’t, things fell apart.

Nebraska Quarterback Anthony Colandréa It wasn’t a problem in the air, but his legs were. Colandrea rushed for 108 yards, including a 51-yard run in the fourth quarter, and tormented a defense that couldn’t get off the field. Much of that success came from Maryland giving the Huskers favorable field position after turnovers and penalties.

Penalties were a big factor in the first half collapse. The Terps and Cornhuskers combined for 18 penalties totaling 161 yards in the first half. Nebraska actually committed more flags, but Maryland’s were situationally abysmal – leading directly to touchdowns.

In theory, Saturday could be considered an improvement. The previous week’s 51-point loss was a more complete demolition. This one was competitive. Until it wasn’t. None of this is likely to save Locksley’s job.

A 25-point road loss, Maryland’s 15th loss in its last 16 Big Ten games, with an eighth-year head coach and a highly touted second-year quarterback? The season is falling apart and Locksley’s job security is the only plot point.

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