COLLEGE PARK — The offensive line is a unique position group, relying on the cohesion and communication of all five players working together as one. That importance is amplified in the rugged and physical Big Ten Conference.
Maryland football coach Mike Locksley knows the value of developing his line, but acknowledges it takes time. Four Terps offensive linemen were drafted in the past five years, and the program put a key emphasis on fortifying that unit in its latest recruiting class. Maryland brought in seven true freshmen offensive linemen and returned three redshirt freshmen, and Locksley is making a concerted effort to expedite their growth.
“When you see these guys, the length and size, when we come out of the tunnel, we look like a Big Ten team,” Locksley said. “It takes about three years for high school linemen to develop. That’s where the grown men play because it’s like being in a car accident every single play when you’re up front. I call it grown man strength. It takes about three years to develop the grown man strength.”
Some shifts in the offensive coaching staff allowed some new additions to come in to help facilitate that growth. Locksley hired a second full-time offensive line coach to work with Brian Braswell, who’s entering his fourth season coaching the unit. He will be joined by Damian Wroblewski, who brings 25 years of college coaching experience, most recently as James Madison’s offensive line coach.
The Terps will also benefit from an NCAA rule change that allows analysts to be on the field during practices and games. Maryland hired former Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz as a senior offensive assistant and another voice in the offensive line room.
“Now I’ve got two guys that can work with these eight to 10 guys that can expedite their growth,” Locksley said. “When you’ve got one coach for five guys, it’s hard to get the other guys going. And then you throw a third O-line guy in the mix and now those 10 freshmen, they’ll be developing. When they’re preparing the defense for their game, they’re not just looking at a card and running it. They’re actually being coached on how to step with the right step, how to put the hand where it needs to be.”
Maryland also bolstered the offensive line in the transfer portal. Redshirt junior Isaiah Wright, who started 24 games the past two years at Buffalo, will most likely miss the season because of a lower leg injury, according to a team spokesperson. However, three incoming transfers expected to contribute are redshirt senior center Josh Kaltenberger, who played 36 games at Purdue; redshirt sophomore guard Aliou Bah, who made three appearances last season for Georgia; and junior tackle Alan Heron, who started every game the past two seasons at Division II Shorter University.
“When you look at Josh Kaltenberger, he’s a guy that’s played four years in the Big Ten. He understands this league. He knows what it takes to compete in this league,” offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said. “Then you’ve got Alan Heron, who is a guy that’s a massive human being. Strong at the point of attack, he’s the guy you want coming first off the bus. … Aliou Bah, obviously, comes from a very respected program in the University of Georgia. So, those three guys have really made an impact on our offensive line because we’re really young and inexperienced at that position.”
Gov. Wes Moore puts on the pads during visit to Maryland football practice
Of the returners, redshirt senior Marcus Dumervil appeared in six games last season and 16 in three seasons before that at LSU. The unit also brings back redshirt junior Kyle Long, who started six games at right guard, and redshirt senior Conor Fagan, who started three games at right tackle and one at left guard.
Locksley is moving himself into the quarterback room to get a closer look at evaluating and deciding the team’s next signal caller. After four years of stability at quarterback with Big Ten all-time passing leader Taulia Tagovailoa, the Terps’ next starter is up in the air. Redshirt junior Billy Edwards and redshirt sophomore MJ Morris, an NC State transfer, bring the most experience to the competition.
Gattis, who has an established history of developing skill position players, is moving to the wide receiver room. Building chemistry both on and off the field is the No. 1 priority for the offense. While that cohesion can take time to develop, the group can lean on players who have experience in Locksley’s offensive system.
Redshirt junior running back Roman Hemby can be one of those sounding boards. The John Carroll graduate finished with more than 1,000 scrimmage yards each of the past two seasons and figures to be a focal point of the offense. The veteran running back is looking forward to helping the offensive line jell.
“Being a running back, I really take pride in just doing the right things,” Hemby said. “To get them settled in, I can do my part and be in the right place at the right time. Reading things correctly to make their job a little bit easier and just making plays. I feel like if they see me make somebody miss or things like that, it gives them more pride and they work a little bit harder.”
Hemby is not alone in that responsibility. The tight end room is effectively an extension of the offensive line and returns both redshirt sophomore Preston Howard and sophomore Dylan Wade. Both players have built a comfort level in the offense and can assist the offensive line in that acclimation process.
Howard and the other Terps returners consistently preach the importance of helping the newcomers establish a comfort level. That foundational support is one of the first steps in new players building chemistry, the key ingredient to a strong offensive line.
“Everybody gets better together,” Howard said. “We’re only as good as our weakest link. I think that’s something we’ve really taken to heart. We can’t be rude or mean to someone just because they’re younger than us or trying to take our spot. We know, what we signed up for. We know what we’re going into.”
Season opener
UConn at Maryland
Saturday, Aug. 31, noon
TV: FS1
Radio: 105.7 FM
