COLLEGE PARK, Md. — For the first time since 1978-1980 the University of Maryland football team has started 3-0 in three straight seasons. But everything so far this year is just a tune-up for the Terps as things start to get real this weekend.
Saturday brings game one of their Big Ten schedule when they travel to Michigan State (2-1). The Terrapins jump into conference play rolling, coming off that 42-14 blowout over former ACC rival Virginia.
A perfect none-conference schedule, check. Now it is time to put that in the past and start fresh when it matters more.
"It’s really time to turn up the notch," said running back Colby McDonald. "We did really good in these non-conference games. But, we know the conference games is the start of the journey."
And to start the start of that journey the Terps know they have to start better. Maryland has fallen behind 14-0 in each of the past two games only to rattle off 38 straight points in a win over Charlotte and 42 straight points in beating U.V.A.
Head coach Mike Locksley is changing up his practice plan this week. He is reinstituting the No. 1 offense against the No. 1 defense or “good-on-good” team drills. That is something he hasn’t done over the past couple of weeks.
"Us going back to getting the good-on-good periods back in our practice hopefully will give us the speed that we need to be able to start fast and not have that adjustment period. I hope," he said.
"I love going good-on-good," added quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. "I feel like our defense is the best defense in the Big Ten. They always give us good looks and it’s full speed reps."
An unknown in this contest is how the Spartans will respond after Michigan State on Monday announced its plans to fire suspended head coach Mel Tucker.
"I would expect that they will do a tremendous job of coming together," said Locksley. "We have seen that here in our program before when a team comes together and they take on that ‘us against the world’ mentality. So, we expect to get their best on Saturday."
The Terps are looking to go to 4-0 for the second time in three years when kickoff arrives Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
