PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Kasim Hill is coming off his best performance this season, and his timing couldn’t be better heading into the big Michigan State game. His 265 passing yards and three touchdowns were career highs, and Maryland racked up a season-high 712 yards of total offense. He completed passes to seven different receivers, Matt Canada’s offense at its best. Hill is the triggerman and though he hadn’t been putting up big numbers passing, he made few mistakes as Maryland was ranked among national leaders in turnover margin. That’s how you win five games and get to within one victory of bowl eligibility.
–RB Javon Leake was Big Ten Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Week after his four-TD effort against Illinois. Leake’s 97-yard KO return for a score put Maryland ahead to stay in the first quarter, and then after Ty Johnson left with a calf injury, Leake piled up 140 yards and three scores on just five carries. Somebody needs to carry the mail again this week. Might it be the sophomore who had four just career touchdowns before Saturday?
“(Javon Leake) was not at the top of the list in the running back room as the season began,” said Maryland interim head coach Matt Canada.
“Because why? Well, we have a lot of talent and somebody had to be at the bottom. He continued to practice hard and the last three weeks he (has) practiced so well. To the point where (Friday) in our meeting I complimented him and everybody clapped for him. I said that you’re not getting your touches, but you’re still working hard and practicing hard. That’s what you’re supposed to do.”
–WLB Tre Watson got ejected for targeting for the second time in four games, but this one came late in the first half against Illinois, meaning he just had to sit the second half last Saturday. He did post a season-low three tackles thanks to the early exit, but still leads the Big Ten with 9.8 tackles per game.
–K Joseph Petrino has not missed a kick through eight games. He is 5-for-5 on his modest amount of field goal attempts and 34-for-34 on his PAT attempts. The true freshman has a long field goal of 40 yards this year. He hit a 50-yarder at Richmond Hill (Ga.) High School.
SERIES HISTORY: Michigan State leads the series with Maryland 7-2, but the schools have split the last two meetings. Michigan State won 17-7 last year in East Lansing, the Spartans rushing for 271 yards and holding Maryland to 83 yards on the ground. LJ Scott had 147 yards and a touchdown on 29 rushes. The year before, in College Park, the Terrapins prevailed 28-17, scoring two fourth quarter touchdowns and getting 115 yards rushing from now senior Ty Johnson.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I’ve got a lot of trust in those dudes, and I think that they proved they can go out there and make plays, and they were making them today.” — Redshirt freshman QB Kasim Hill, on his receiving corps after he threw for a career best 265 yards and three touchdowns.