Some observations compiled while watching the Terps’ 20-17 win against No. 20 Clemson on television…
-Tremendous win for the Terps. They were seriously outplayed in the first half, but figured things out and were clearly the better team after halftime. Holding the Tigers’ offense scoreless for the entire second half is a big accomplishment. The Terps now have a serious case for a spot in the Top 25.
-The Tigers’ defense played with tremendous intensity, and was especially good in the first half. The Terps had a lot of trouble getting anything going in their running game. True freshman defensive end Da’Quan Bowers is a monster.
-Somebody needs to be able to throw a deep ball to Darrius Heyward-Bey. You could overthrow him by about 20 yards, and with his speed, he’d still find a way to get under it. Underthrowing him, as Turner so often does, is unacceptable. Turner wasn’t very good on several shorter throws, too.
-It took a little longer than usual, but Heyward-Bey made his standard huge play with a 76-yard run on a reverse to get the Terps back in it in the third quarter. This was the turning point in the game. He is unbelievable.
-Andrew Schmitt’s recovery of a muffed punt late in the first quarter had to be among the top three moments in the senior long snapper’s life. The Terps needed to get more than a field goal each off that play and Adrian Moten’s heads-up fumble recovery in the second quarter, and are lucky that failing to score touchdowns on those plays didn’t come back to haunt them.
-Chris Turner has completed every pass he’s ever thrown that deflected off Torrey Smith’s back toward Ronnie Tyler.
-It’s suprising none of the Clemson players got hurt when they ran down the hill before the game. It’s a pretty cool tradition, but if one 300-pounder slips at the top of the hill, he could take out half the team.
-I wonder why the Terps haven’t updated their media guide player photos that Raycom showed on its graphics of the Terp starters. When I talked to Dave Philistin this week, he had pretty long dreadlocks. He has a buzz cut in his picture.
-Clemson is apparently a long way from Middle Tennessee…
I have to admit, coach Cosh’s adjustments at halftime is obviously what made this comeback possible. Going with a 3 down lineman in the first half just got torn up by Clemson’s O-line, see: 2 running backs for 100 yards each. Our D-line stepped up when they had four down lineman and Turner came through when we needed him most.
Things to add to your first impressions:
- The halftime defensive adjustments were unbelievable. Tigers had just under 200 going into halftime and only 31 in the second half?! Granted, Spiller had a couple minor injuries to deal with, but the defense certainly stepped up.
- In all my four years here at Maryland, the home team has never won.
- This didn’t happen during the game, but apparently “ESPN’s College Football Final” didn’t get the memo about Turner’s nickname, Sunshine, because they just called him Napoleon Dynamite.
- Second top-25 win this year… put us in the polls!
The terps brought it back together after the bad first half. Personally I dont know if it was more of the coachs adjustments or the players wanting not to lose. It seems that they showed more heart and wanted it more than clemson.