Maryland football drove down the field late in the fourth quarter against Virginia, searching for a put-away touchdown . Billy Edwards Jr. snuck past the first down marker to extend the drive on fourth-and-one.
Edwards, during an ensuing timeout, told offensive coordinator Josh Gattis the play he wanted to run. Gattis told Edwards that was exactly what he was thinking. The result was three straight quarterback runs and a touchdown.
Just three games into claiming full-time starter status, Edwards has obtained the complete trust of Maryland’s coaching staff. It’s clear the offense is his.
“It definitely [gives me] all the confidence for me to go out there and play,” Edwards said.
When coach Michael Locksley did his usual bed checks in Charlottesville last Friday, he found Edwards awake. Not watching television or scrolling through his phone, but sitting at the hotel room desk with his earpiece in. Edwards was going over his call sheet and notes.
“This kid has the mindset that we have as coaches,” Locksley said. “Having him on the field now, the confidence we have in him to be able to get us in the right situations … I really like the way the kid’s playing.”
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Edwards’ teammates have noticed the increased trust.
After two years at West Virginia — with two different starting quarterbacks — wide receiver Kaden Prather transferred to Maryland ahead of the 2023 campaign.
Prather caught passes last season from Taulia Tagovailoa, who was in his fourth year as the Terps’ starter. Tagovailoa’s departure meant Prather’s next signal caller would most likely have less command of the offensive playbook to start. But Edwards’ early confidence has allowed the senior to play freely.
“It makes me feel more comfortable,” Prather said. “The coach can tell you this and that, but at the end of the day the coaches aren’t out there calling audibles and making the plays.”
Prather’s touchdown against Virginia showed that.
Going no-huddle, Edwards lined the Terps up at the Cavaliers’ 26-yard line. He slapped his hands together in an attempt to make the defense jump offsides. He reset the offense with an audible, and the resulting play was a score on a hitch-and-go.
[Explosive plays have been a staple for Maryland football under Michael Locksley]
Prather initially stopped on a six-yard curl, with an Edwards pump-fake drawing the cornerback closer to the receiver. Edwards then delivered a perfect back-shoulder pass before Prather even turned around.
Edwards sometimes approaches Gattis in practice to suggest a play or concept he wants to run. A frequent response from Gattis is: “Let’s roll.”
Gattis joined Maryland’s coaching staff ahead of last year, working with the quarterbacks in addition to his offensive coordinator duties. While Edwards only started one game in 2023, he was in constant communication with Gattis. That’s created trust just three weeks into this year.
“When you’re with a coach for a few seasons you kind of get a feel,” Edwards said. “He knows what I like, I know what he likes.”
Edwards wasn’t the surefire starting quarterback entering the year. He split time in the Music City Bowl with redshirt sophomore Cameron Edge and battled with NC State transfer MJ Morris in the offseason.
But Edwards has quickly garnered confidence from the coaching staff and his teammates. He’s completed 71 percent of his passes for 827 yards with six touchdowns to just one interception. He’s already secured a road win over a Power Four school.
“We’re putting a lot on him,” Locksley said. “He’s doing some special things for us.”
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Publish date : 2024-09-20 02:11:00
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