Maryland HC Mike Locksley assesses offensive Line and new offensive system

"Pep was brought here very intentionally by me because [of] his background in being able to create the running game," Locksley said. "Everybody knows that we can put the ball in the air, and we've had great success with skill players on the perimeter. But to win in the Big Ten and to elevate like we've been talking about, it's going to take being able to run the football."

Maryland has finished third from the bottom in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game. This is due to poor play along the offensive line, injuries to veteran transfer Isaiah Wright, players like Alan Herron adjusting to facing tougher competition, and Aliou Jah and other new starters playing in their first time. Locksley and his offensive coaching staff are slow to set high expectations for the group due to their lack of expe rience in general, and especially in playing together as a cohesive unit.

"I like the way the offensive line has responded," Locksley said. "Again, not a really deep unit, but what we're doing is finding who the best eight or nine are and putting them in the best positions to go do some great things for us. And it starts with the mentality and the physicality that I know Pep, [tackles and tight ends coach] Hal [Hunter] and [offensive line coach ] want to get out of that group, because as they go, we'll go on offense."

Jah is penciled in at left guard. On the right side of the offensive line, Wright returns as a starter at right guard, and Herron, entering his second year as a starter, will remain at right tackle. At center, sophomore Michael Hershey is expected to succeed Josh Kaltenberger, who is now with the Los Angeles Chargers. Hershey only played 161 snaps last season. Rathrel Perry, a transfer from Central Connecticut State, is expected to start at left tackle. Perry, who played in the Northeast Conference, will face a major step up in competition, similar to what Herron experienced last year.

If either player is up to the task of playing tackle in the Big Ten, Jaylen Gilchrest, a four-star freshman out of Virginia Beach, Virginia, would be pushed into action. Herron told reporters earlier this week that he has shown at practice that he is fully capable of contributing on the offensive line right away.

"Gilchrist, man, he's a tough guy, tough player," Herron said. "You don't see [many] freshmen come in and play the way he's playing right now. So, I feel like Gilchrist is gonna be a great addition to the o-line this year."