Maryland +17 @ University of Texas (week 1)

[Gold_finger]

Line opened Maryland +15.5 and now up to 17.

UT will be in its first year w Tom Herman. Team is getting a lot of hype and ranked in top 25 by the Sporting News despite coming off a 5-7 season. Texas has had a multi-year run of very poor recruiting on the OL and DL. They have some talent at the skill positions on D and O. Its still the same team that lost to Kansas last year but now with Tom Herman as coach. Not sure this is a top 25 team at the end of the year and not completely sold on Herman.

Maryland will be starting year 2 with DJ Durkin who is bringing in Maryland's best recruiting class in many years. He will need some of that young talent to step up and play right away. Durkin is defensive minded vs Herman's reputation as an offensive guru - but this will be Herman's first year without a dual threat QB and as I alluded to above - he has issues on the OL (injuries, lack of talent, lack of depth). Maryland not an overall talented team but at least they are in year 2 under their new coach and his system and should be able to add a few talented freshmen into the mix.

I think the Herman/UT hype has distorted this line by 3-4 points and the play is to take Maryland and the points. Also think DJ may be the better of the two coaches. Any thoughts?

 

[skins85]

terp alum here and gonna have to see it to believe it. unlikley to keep the game interesting, may keep it inside the number though. durkin is a solid coach but these new coaches in their home debut always worry me especially at a place like texas where when the hype is there the crowd is another factor to consider. terps will be improved but they are outmatched against texas imo....but ive watched bad maryland football for some time now

 

[Gold_finger]

thanks for the reply. Don't think you guys are going to be world beaters this year but think you are trending better with Durkin. Texas has been a poor team for years but for a variety of reasons, including a new coach, they seem to be getting more hype than I think is deserved. And I suspect that has inflated the line by a few points. Its going to take time for Herman to turn things around and he is just in year 1 and they have some serious issues from a personnel perspective, IMO.

 

[solrosenberg]

Would NOT touch this game bro. GL

 

[CoachCB]

That's a lot of points for a mediocre football team vs. a P5 school. Durkin is also a Meyer protege, so these coaches will know each other well. Although Texas may have had some down years recruiting, they still have more talent than Maryland. But 17 points? If anyone is playing this, you gotta take Maryland if it stays at 17 or more.

 

[cloverleaf]

Texas will stomp Maryland! Good lord!

Who is Maryland's starting quarterback? Well whoever, he will face 10 returning starters from Texas' defense.

Maryland won 6 games last year and covered 4. Second year coach DJ Durkin is going into Austin with a
new Texas coaching staff starving to get off on the right foot.....mismatch.

My take and I'm sticking to it............................

 

[Gold_finger]

Texas will stomp Maryland! Good lord!

Who is Maryland's starting quarterback? Well whoever, he will face 10 returning starters from Texas' defense.

Maryland won 6 games last year and covered 4. Second year coach DJ Durkin is going into Austin with a
new Texas coaching staff starving to get off on the right foot.....mismatch.

My take and I'm sticking to it............................

nice analysis. thanks for contributing

 

[Shua12]

Gl. Terps could get blasted here

 

[mws]

Thanks for the writeup. This is definitely a game to look into.

 

[doglover]

You make some great points ..... as does cloverleaf. Any team that lost to Kansas has to at least be considered vulnerable to a less than stellar outcome versus the point spread. We all know the "shoulds" don't always prevail in these match-ups. The team that should toy with the dog sometimes struggles. First game of the season and new coach factors also mess with the normal dynamic. I would lean - Maryland. Good luck

 

[jblonghorn]

Texas recruiting has been down? 2015's class finished ranked #3, and last year's class was low but mainly because there were such few #'s. The average star ranking was strong (no pun intended). I'll always be grateful for what Coach Strong came in and did for the program. It didn't show on the field, but after people watch the team this year, they'll see that Strong stocked what was a very very bare cupboard when Mack left. That's not to say Herman shouldn't get credit for what's about to happen. Regarding the spread, I will agree that 3 points might be baked in simply due to the TEXAS name. But Herman's going to have this team ready to breathe fire. Herman has a lot riding on that first game. A lot. He won't back off. Last point; Does Maryland know what 105 degrees (120 degrees on turf without humidity) feels like? It's an 11 a.m. kick in Austin and it will be so uncomfortable. I can see Maryland literally running out of gas.

I like a 2H play on TEXAS a lot. Either way, it's good to have football back my brothers!!!!!

 

[Enfuego]

Texas recruiting has been down? 2015's class finished ranked #3, and last year's class was low but mainly because there were such few #'s. The average star ranking was strong (no pun intended). I'll always be grateful for what Coach Strong came in and did for the program. It didn't show on the field, but after people watch the team this year, they'll see that Strong stocked what was a very very bare cupboard when Mack left. That's not to say Herman shouldn't get credit for what's about to happen. Regarding the spread, I will agree that 3 points might be baked in simply due to the TEXAS name. But Herman's going to have this team ready to breathe fire. Herman has a lot riding on that first game. A lot. He won't back off. Last point; Does Maryland know what 105 degrees (120 degrees on turf without humidity) feels like? It's an 11 a.m. kick in Austin and it will be so uncomfortable. I can see Maryland literally running out of gas.

I like a 2H play on TEXAS a lot. Either way, it's good to have football back my brothers!!!!!

East Coast heat with humidity is way more overwhelming than Texas heat.

 

[Gold_finger]

Texas recruiting has been down? 2015's class finished ranked #3, and last year's class was low but mainly because there were such few #'s. The average star ranking was strong (no pun intended). I'll always be grateful for what Coach Strong came in and did for the program. It didn't show on the field, but after people watch the team this year, they'll see that Strong stocked what was a very very bare cupboard when Mack left. That's not to say Herman shouldn't get credit for what's about to happen. Regarding the spread, I will agree that 3 points might be baked in simply due to the TEXAS name. But Herman's going to have this team ready to breathe fire. Herman has a lot riding on that first game. A lot. He won't back off. Last point; Does Maryland know what 105 degrees (120 degrees on turf without humidity) feels like? It's an 11 a.m. kick in Austin and it will be so uncomfortable. I can see Maryland literally running out of gas.

I like a 2H play on TEXAS a lot. Either way, it's good to have football back my brothers!!!!!

Texas has recruited well in terms of "star" rankings for sure. But recent classes have not been well rounded. OL and DL recruiting classes have been sub-par and recruiting rankings don't take this into account. For example, if you recruited 25 5-star RB and WRs you would have the number one ranked class. But hard to do much with no defense or offensive line. DOn't get me wrong - I think Texas will win at home, but think it will be closer than 17 - maybe more like 10. Part of the reason Texas struggled last year was coaching - i think that has been upgraded with Herman. But part of the reason your Horns were so bad was some pretty big talent voids at key positions. Horns should be more competitive this year within the Big 12 but doubt they will make much noise on a national level

 

[skins85]

I think your exactly right on your analysis of Texas but not of the terps. They will not reach the hype they have been given, just be surprised if this was the game you see it. Your right about he longhorns in my opinion and something to watch throughout the season. Either way I'm on your side. Go terps. good luck.

 

[LonghornMM]

East Coast heat with humidity is way more overwhelming than Texas heat.

You obviously have never been to Texas to experience the heat and humidity. The east coast has nothing on Texas in that regard, especially the northeast coast.

 

[ThaDude]

You guys realize temperature and humidity can be objectively measured right? One of the sillier arguments I've seen in a while, namely because I just came here first time since super bowl.

 

[Enfuego]

You obviously have never been to Texas to experience the heat and humidity. The east coast has nothing on Texas in that regard, especially the northeast coast.

Yep, you're exactly right. Never been to Texas in my life. Everything is the greatest in Texas.

 

[Gold_finger]

ttt. victory lap...maybe a little early but looking good for Terps. Any thoughts on 2H plays for this game?

 

[pathologist]

Lol, same ole sorry ass Longhorns

 

[solrosenberg]

Nice call James Bond hater. May as well spend the money now. Will you get a case of Coors Light for tonight?