CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2021 Maryland

7–⁠6 (3–⁠6 Big Ten), coached by Mike Locksley.

Schedule and results

Maryland in 2021, game by game: won vs. West Virginia 30–24; won vs. Howard 62–0; won at Illinois 20–17; won vs. Kent State 37–16; lost vs. No. 5 Iowa 14–51; lost at No. 7 Ohio State 17–66; lost at Minnesota 16–34; won vs. Indiana 38–35; lost vs. No. 22 Penn State 14–31; lost at No. 8 Michigan State 21–40; lost vs. No. 8 Michigan 18–59; won at Rutgers 40–16; won vs. Virginia Tech 54–10+62−49Won 30–24 vs. West Virginia+6West VirginiaWon 62–0 vs. Howard+62HowardWon 20–17 at Illinois+3IllinoisWon 37–16 vs. Kent State+21Kent StateLost 14–51 vs. No. 5 Iowa-37No. 5 IowaLost 17–66 at No. 7 Ohio State-49No. 7 Ohio StateLost 16–34 at Minnesota-18MinnesotaWon 38–35 vs. Indiana+3IndianaLost 14–31 vs. No. 22 Penn State-17No. 22 Penn StateLost 21–40 at No. 8 Michigan State-19No. 8 Michigan StateLost 18–59 vs. No. 8 Michigan-41No. 8 MichiganWon 40–16 at Rutgers+24RutgersWon 54–10 vs. Virginia Tech+44Virginia Tech
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 4vsWest VirginiaW 30–⁠2446%
Sep 11vsHowardW 62–⁠089%
Sep 17atIllinoisW 20–⁠1751%
Sep 25vsKent StateW 37–⁠1658%
Oct 1vs5IowaL 14–⁠5131%
Oct 9at7Ohio StateL 17–⁠6616%
Oct 23atMinnesotaL 16–⁠3430%
Oct 30vsIndianaW 38–⁠3553%
Nov 6vs22Penn StateL 14–⁠3138%
Nov 13at8Michigan StateL 21–⁠4023%
Nov 20vs8MichiganL 18–⁠5927%
Nov 27atRutgersW 40–⁠1638%
Dec 29Bowls & playoffvsVirginia TechPinstripe BowlW 54–⁠1044%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Virginia Tech 54–⁠10 in the Pinstripe Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; 10th in the Big Ten.

In program history: The 43rd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 120 on file).

Record
7–⁠6
Conference
3–⁠6 10th in Big Ten
AP final
Unranked
Points
381–⁠399
Coach
Mike Locksley
Elo
1518 +65 this season
SP+ rating
6.2 No. 60 of 130; offense No. 25, defense No. 74
SRS
2.7 No. 59 of 130 in FBS
Returning
65% of last season’s EPA, No. 80 of 128
Recruiting class
No. 19 roster talent No. 33 in FBS
Offensive coordinator
Dan Enos
Defensive coordinator
Brian Stewart
Offense
Pro spread
Defense
3–⁠4

How good, play by play

  • Offense67th of 130
  • Defense94th of 130
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted53rd of 130
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted95th of 130
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.1447%1.2067th of 130
Defense0.1945%1.2694th of 130
Opponent-adjusted0.17 off
0.18 def		48% off
44% def		—53rd off
95th def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense3.8own 2814% allowed
Defense3.8own 3114% caused

CORE rating 1.0, 71st of 130 (offense 4.3, defense 3.4).

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. CORE is CollegeFootballData.com’s context- and opponent-adjusted rating (points better than an average team; lower is better on defense). From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsTaulia Tagovailoa QB3,860 yds
Passing touchdownsTaulia Tagovailoa QB26 TD
Rushing yardsTayon Fleet-Davis RB721 yds
Rushing touchdownsTayon Fleet-Davis RB8 TD
Receiving yardsRakim Jarrett WR829 yds
Receiving touchdownsCarlos Carriere WR5 TD
TacklesJordan Mosley DB83 tkl
SacksSam Okuayinonu DL6 sacks
InterceptionsJakorian Bennett DB3 INT

Top recruits in the 2021 class

Terrence Lewis LB★★★★★No. 21
Chop Robinson DE★★★★No. 68
Branden Jennings LB★★★★No. 108
Taizse Johnson DL★★★★No. 269
Tommy Akingbesote DL★★★★No. 277

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2021 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Running backs33.00.849
Receivers53.00.854
Offensive line13.00.812
Defensive line73.40.895
Linebackers34.00.936
Defensive backs23.00.869
Athletes and specialists23.00.833
Whole class233.30.874

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Drafted in 2022

The 2022 draft
Rd 3Nick Cross SIndianapolis Colts
Rd 4Chigoziem Okonkwo TETennessee Titans

Roster 127

The 2021 roster

127 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2021 line; 78 have a stat line. See the roster

Transfers in 1

The 2021 portal
Marcus Fleming WR★★★from Nebraska

Transfers out 15

Chance Campbell LB★★★to Ole Miss
Ayinde Eley ILB★★★to Georgia Tech
Johnny Jordan OC★★★to Virginia Tech
Lance LeGendre QB★★★to Louisiana
Marcus Minor OT★★★to Pittsburgh
Antwaine Richardson S★★★to Kent State
B’Ahmad Miller DL★★★no new school on file
Cortez Andrews LB★★★to Florida State
D.J. Turner WR★★★to Pittsburgh
Erwin Byrd CB★★★to Kennesaw State
Tahj Capehart CB★★★no new school on file
Tyran Hunt OT★★★to Old Dominion

And 3 more, lower-rated or unrated.

2021 Big Ten standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Michigan8–⁠112–⁠23
Ohio State8–⁠111–⁠26
Michigan State7–⁠211–⁠29
Iowa7–⁠210–⁠423
Wisconsin6–⁠39–⁠4
Minnesota6–⁠39–⁠4
Purdue6–⁠39–⁠4
Penn State4–⁠57–⁠6
Illinois4–⁠55–⁠7
Maryland3–⁠67–⁠6
Rutgers2–⁠75–⁠8
Northwestern1–⁠83–⁠9
Nebraska1–⁠83–⁠9
Indiana0–⁠92–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.