COLLEGE PARK — Maryland wrapped up its first spring practice under coach DJ Durkin with Saturday's Red-White spring game, which showcased what's possible for the Terps along with where they still have "a ways to go," as Durkin has said over the past few weeks.
But there are some takeaways from the spring session. There's plenty of uncertainty on the depth chart — Durkin said he's OK with competitions from spring stretching through the summer and into preseason camp — but there are a few positions where players seem to have staked a claim to a starting job this fall.
So here's a position-by-position breakdown at what Maryland's starting offense could look like when the Terps take the field against Howard on Sept. 3.
Quarterback
Durkin is letting the competition between redshirt seniors Perry Hills and Caleb Rowe and redshirt freshman Gage Shaffer stretch into fall camp to give incoming freshmen Tyrrell Pigrome and Max Bortenschlager, a pair of three-star recruits, a chance at the job.
But of the three who participated in spring practice, Hills appears to have a slight lead. His athleticism and ability to run lend themselves to offensive coordinator Walt Bell's system, and he can get the ball to Maryland's playmakers. Rowe has the better arm and big play potential — Rowe averaged 10.1 yards per attempt to Hills' 4.1 in the spring game — but he had suspect decision-making last season.
This position race won't be decided until August.
Running back
This was one of Maryland's shallowest positions at the end of last season, and through recruiting and the transfer market, the Terps could wind up being pretty rich here. Senior Wes Brown was suspended indefinitely in November, but he's been running strong in practice and was the first running back on the field Saturday. Sophomore Ty Johnson had a monster day with 11 carries for 167 yards and a 64-yard touchdown run, and his speed could be a significant boost to the offense.
Virginia Tech grad transfer Trey Edmunds and early enrollee Jake Funk struggled at times during the spring game, but both have been impressive and earned praise this spring. This summer, Maryland will add three-star recruits LaDerrien Wilson and Lorenzo Harrison.
This is another position battle that likely won't be decided until the fall, but the Terps have collected a variety of talents to complement one another, so they should be ready for nearly any situation after an inconsistent season on the ground in 2015.
Wide receiver
Like running back, wide receiver can be such a situational position with players rotating through different roles, so it's hard to project the position. But sophomore D.J. Moore made some tough catches and big plays this spring, and he's added a substantial amount of muscle to his frame. He should be a force this fall, and he's had good chemistry with Hills in practice.
Junior Taivon Jacobs and senior Malcolm Culmer were the first wide receivers on the field next to Moore on Saturday, and both add different dimensions to the offense. Culmer has a great rapport with Hills, and he caught a 40-yard touchdown from him in the spring game, while Jacobs has sprinter's speed and can get behind defenses.
There's depth behind them, too. Senior Levern Jacobs had 112 yards and two touchdowns against second-team defensive backs in the spring game, and he was Maryland's leading receiver last season. Senior DeAndre Lane had some big catches in limited time last season, while sophomore Jahrvis Davenport had one of the unit's best receiving games in the season finale at Rutgers.
The Terps will add four-star Tino Ellis and three-star D.J. Turner to the fold this summer. The corps is deep, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Moore, Taivon Jacobs and Culmer were the first three receivers on the field in September.
Tight end
Maryland rotated redshirt junior Andrew Isaacs and junior Derrick Hayward along with sophomore Avery Edwards on Saturday. Isaacs sat out last season while recovering from a knee injury, while Hayward worked as a blocker and Edwards emerged as a reliable receiving threat. The starting tight end likely will depend on the matchups and game plan for that specific opponent, but Maryland has a nice group of players who could contribute.
Offensive line
Maryland kept shifting the offensive line around this spring in an attempt to increase the versatility of the unit. At one point, Durkin said every offensive lineman had practiced at least two positions. And after six weeks of practicing, the two relative certainties seem to be that sophomore Damian Prince will start at right tackle and sophomore Brendan Moore will start at center. The rest seems up in the air.
Senior Maurice Shelton and junior JaJuan Dulaney each got some first-team reps at guard, but redshirt freshman Quarvez Boulware and sophomore Sean Christie saw time as well. The offensive line battle seems poised to stretch into fall practice, especially at left tackle, where senior Michael Dunn and sophomore Derwin Gray split reps.
It's hard to prognosticate this unit, given the amount of shuffling that went on. But Moore and Prince appear to have made an impression at their respective positions.
Check back Tuesday for projections on the defensive side of the ball.
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