Maryland running back Trey Edmunds (9) carries the ball against Florida International safety Deonte Wilson during the second half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, in Miami.
Advertisement
Maryland led 31-7 at the end of a first half marked by big plays. The play whose had been preceded by a game of chess between Durkin and Florida International Coach Ron Turner, who exchanged timeouts in order to place the ideal personnel on the field. The Terps will return to Florida next Saturday to play UCF for the opportunity to start the season 3-0.
McGough had an interception returned for a touchdown in the second quarter – his fourth pick through two games – and has yet to throw a touchdown this season.
After demolishing Howard, the Terrapins made quick work of Florida International in a 41-14 win.
Hills completed 13-of-18 passes for 210 yards in three quarters. This time, it was freshman running back Lorenzo Harrison breaking off a 40-yard run for a touchdown to help give the Terps a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.
“It’s always going to be a good place for us to recruit”, he said. “That’s the final point – to come out here and have fun”.
A win over Florida International (0-2) – which was blown out by IN at home IN its opener last week – isn’t going to necessarily move the needle IN the college football world, but Friday night’s win was important incremental progress for Maryland, which received a string of brilliant performances from its stars.
“We watched on film (FIU cornerbacks) were going to play soft often so that was something we were going to attack”, Moore said.
Durkin and Maryland’s entire coaching staff waded onto the field, screamed their lungs out and pumped their firsts after the Terrapins’ defense came up with a fourth-and-one stop at its own 37-yard line late in the second quarter. “I thought our guys prepared really well, we traveled well”. By taking on two Big 10 teams at home in their first two games, Coach Ron Turner was hoping to gain at least one win to earn some respect and give his players a boost.
“It’s not easy getting road wins in college football at all”, Durkin said after the game. “The way our guys responded, I’m really excited for them”. Hill tipped the pass right into the waiting arms of linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr., who took it back 15 yards for the touchdown. Alex McGough is completing 50 percent of his passes for 263 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions. “I’m disappointed for them more because we battled and we did a lot of good things defensively and I think they wore our defense down”.
After Florida International answered the Harrison touchdown with a score from running back Alex Gardner, Maryland showed off their up-tempo offense. “Everyone’s back, so it’s frustrating, but the great thing about sports is that we get another chance”.
Advertisement
The Terrapins are now 5-0 in their all-time series against the Panthers. He ran for 56 yards and even caught a 21-yard pass on a reverse during first play of the drive, again capturing the kind of brashness that Maryland (2-0) has promised to play with in the nine months since DJ Durkin took over as head coach.
