Maryland wanted this to be a statement game. Not only did the team fail to win, QB Danny O'Brien broke his arm and is out for the remainder of the season. (Photo Credit: A. Rayman)
After Maryland stunned the ACC by winning its home opener against a less than 100% Miami Hurricanes squad, the remainder of the season has been a complete downward spiral. Last night Maryland faced Notre Dame in its own backyard at FedEx field losing 45-21. Though it was deemed a home game for the Irish, Maryland’s campus is only a short drive away. However, out of the 70,251 in attendance, the Terps representation was almost nonexistent.
The Fighting Irish absolutely annihilated a lesser opponent. QB Tommy Rees picked apart the Terrapins’ inept secondary, completing 30 of 37 passes for 296 yards and two TDs. WR Michael Floyd had a solid performance, snatching nine catches for 89 yards and a TD. As if the aerial attack wasn’t enough, the ground game demoralized Maryland’s defensive line. RB Jonas Gray tallied 136 yards on 21 carried for two TDs. RB Cierre Wood just missed the century mark, scampering for 99 yards on 18 carries and one TD. The Terrapins yielded 508 total yards to the Irish.
Meanwhile, Maryland’s QB Danny O’Brien, last year’s ACC rookie of the year, broke a bone in his left arm during the third quarter, ending his 2011 campaign. Prior to going down, O’Brien was 14 of 21 with one TD but threw his 10th interception of the season. It’s clear that O’Brien does not fit in with Randy Edsall’s no-huddle spread offense. To make matters worse, he has been plagued with bad passes, bad decisions, and dropped balls.
Maryland sported their Pride uniforms last night, but from a fan’s perspective, there is very little pride to cheer about. The Terps are 2-8 with only one conference win. The Terrapins close out the season with trips to Wake Forest and North Carolina State.
This will be a long off-season for Randy Edsall and the Maryland Terrapin nation.
