ESPN Radio’s Wes McElroy breaks down how the Cavs can add to their six-game win streak in this week’s Wes’ Ways to Win.
Limit Lance, Keon and “Napoleon”
Part A
Easy as it is to see the resemblance between Maryland quarterback Chris Turner and Napoleon Dynamite, it is as clear to see the affect on the Terrapins offense since the back up reached the field.
Following Turner’s relief appearance for an injured Jordan Steffy against Rutgers, Maryland’s offense has opened up to generate 62 points and 404 yards passing in their past six quarters of football. Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen appears to let Turner play as loose as his California native’s laid back personality.
After Steffy threw just eight times in the first quarter and a half against Rutgers, Turner went to the skies 14 of 20 times for 149 yards in the second half, finding deep threat Darrius Hayward-Bey five times for 61 yards, and six different receivers in the final 30 minutes.
“(Darrius) Hayward-Bey is one of the best vertical receivers in the conference,” said Al Groh. “Most people can remember how he started the Miami game for Maryland last year with two scoring plays within the first four or five plays of the game. He is a significant threat and a concern on every play in the game.”
A week later Turner wasn’t afraid to go deep to other targets, finding Jason Goode early on a 78 yard strike against Georgia Tech.
With or without Chris Cook , Heyward-Bey will provide the single biggest vertical threat Virginia has faced all year.
Part B
Maryland’s two back arsenal deserves the same credit. Despite Maryland’s new found ability to go to the air, the Terps have not abandoned the run.
“They’re two very good backs. They’ve got size. They’ve got elusiveness. They’ve got speed,” said Groh.
This presence in the air immediately helped the two backs in Turner’s first appearance against Rutgers, when Keon Lattimore rushed 34 times for 124 yards, complimented by Lance Ball’s 90 yards and two touchdowns.
Seven days later, with Georgia Tech limiting reliable Keon Lattimore , Lance Ball ignited the rushing game 16 times for 86 yards and three touchdowns as Turner and Heyward-Bey connected on the day four times at the tune of 109 yards.
“In Keon and Lance, you have two players, who when they finish their careers, will be amongst the most productive backs in Maryland football history,” praised Al Groh. “Any time that can be said, it distinguishes them both amongst their current contemporaries and ones that have preceded them.”
The two backs have combined for 15 (8 Lattimore, 7 Ball) rushing touchdowns and are on pace to post over 1,800 yards, led by Lattimore’s four 100-yard games this season.
The Battle of the Athleticism vs. Size
If you want to accomplish the above, then Virginia has to win where it all begins.
Clearly in a match-up where there is a vertical threat combined with a solid running game, the responsibility falls on the defensive front three or four to initiate back field pressure and a pass rush.
Led by Chris Long , Virginia’s defensive front will be challenged by a larger offensive line then what they’ve met all year.
Maryland’s offensive line will be missing a key element in All-American candidate Andrew Crummey, who is lost for the year (broken leg).
“I think our young linemen are pretty good,” Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said to the Baltimore Sun last week. “But how we survive without Andrew Crummey, I don’t know.” Friedgen also added Tuesday that he worries about the scenarios in which Long will line up over first time starter Bruce Campbell .
With Crummey’s loss, Maryland may not know how where they stand but, they still know how large they stand.
Even without their Outland Trophy candidate, the Terps’ size looms large, averaging 320 lbs and 6 foot 3lbs across the line.
“By far the largest group we’ve played against,” said Groh. “There’ll be some match ups where there’s a 50 to 60 lbs. difference between our defensive player who’s matched up on them.”
A prime example being Allen Billyk , who along with Nate Collins will give up 51 and 46 pounds respectively to Maryland center Edwin Williams when lined up head to head.
The task is tall, but not insurmountable. Maryland has given up 22 sacks, the third most this season in the ACC. Ironically the exact amount totaled by Virginia’s defense, including Long’s eight and Fitzgerald’s four sacks.
Reverse That
The battle between Virginia’s D line and Maryland’s O-line will be a drag out fight Saturday, but so will the opposite. Maryland’s defense is no slouch.
“Inside they have two of the blockiest, thickest guys to put on our guards and center that we’ve played against this year. Each one is the stoutest player that we’ve played against in there. If he was in there by himself, but they’re side by side in (Dre) Moore and (Carlos) Feliciano, they’re the two stoutest guys together that we’ve played against in there,” said Groh. “Those kind of guys always create issues as far as getting movement inside as it dictates and if you can’t get movement on those guys, the linebackers get to run free. Those guys are very good there. They’ve got two veteran guys outside in (Trey) Covington and (Jeremy) Navarre who’ve played very well against us in the past.”
Dave Philistin leads the team with 56 tackles. Erin Henderson, who will be a game time decision Saturday night, has as many in one less game, with 6 tackles for loss, while Navarre totals two tackles in the backfield with just as many sacks.
The Big boys upfront, Dre Moore and Carlos Feliciano have combined for 49 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one force fumble.
Sewell and Andrew Pearman must work the outside while Keith Payne punishes the middle, as Virginia will have to set up the run for the pass. (please read “The Hawk’s Nest this week… excellent.) The front five needs to control the line of scrimmage in order for the tight ends to serve as more then just extra protection, where in which you hope Mr. Payne worked on his pass blocking this week.
Win the 2nd Half… and Not Just the Third Quarter Either!
First of all, do I need to remind anyone out there the importance of the second half in this match up? “20-0 halftime lead” sound familiar?????
This year the shakiness remains in seven games, with UVA being outscored 34-3 in the third quarter, and adding insult to ineptitude, the Cavaliers haven’t sniffed the end zone since Game 8 of last season.
Then somehow, someway, in the past two weeks, Sewell channels the ghost of John Elway on Virginia’s final drive.
Maryland on the other hand isn’t inept, but rather erratic in the second half.
In week 2, the Terps put up 16 early against Florida International, then lollygagged until the fourth quarter.
The past three games they managed to blow a 24-3 first half lead in the overtime game at Wake Forest, rally around the backup quarterback for a 20-7 second half romp in Piscataway, and then hang on as Georgia Tech scored nine unanswered in the fourth quarter in a 28-26 win at home.
Both teams are known to shoot out of the barrel. Maryland has outscored opponents in the first quarter 50-16, while Virginia opens up 86-25.
Unfortunately for Virginia, Maryland has scored almost as many third quarter points (34) as Virginia has in the entire second half (46).
While we ponder if Virginia can provide some offense in the second half, the anxiety grows awaiting what the Terps do or do not do after half time.
Prediction: Virginia 24, Maryland 22
Wes McElroy is a sports talkshow host for ESPN 840 AM in Charlottesville. The Final Round with Wes McElroy airs week days from 4 to 6 p.m. Listen live on the Web site.
