Iowa turns the page to October with a perfect 4-0 record and a top-five ranking for the third week in a row. Big Ten play officially kicks off for the Hawks this weekend in a prime-time Friday night game on the East Coast. The Hawkeyes travel to Maryland to take on the undefeated Terrapins in an intriguing Friday Night Lights showdown. Taulia Tagovailoa enters Friday as one of the nation’s top passers for the Terps. He’ll have his toughest test of the season against a Hawkeye football team that ranks third nationally in overall defense.
Maryland was projected to be a middle-third team in the Big Ten this season under third-year head coach Mike Locksley. The football team has a lot of young guys on offense and there were some questions if this year would be their break-through season. So far, the Terrapins have been outperforming their projections. Maryland is 4-0 and Tagovailoa has taken a major stride since his freshman campaign.
Taulia Tagovailoa
Maryland has their guy at quarterback. Tagovailoa has exploded into the 2021 season. Through just four games, he has totaled over 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 75.2% of his passes. He showed his talent sporadically last season but wasn’t consistently passing as efficiently as he has so far this year. Tagovailoa is averaging nine yards per attempt and has been able to string together an undefeated start to the season. The former Alabama third-string transferred to the Terps in 2020 after Locksley took over the program in 2019. Locksley was the Alabama offensive coordinator in 2018 and knew the Tagovailoa family well. Maryland has proven to be the best fit for the young quarterback.
Tagovailoa’s pass game begins with his protection. The Terrapins offensive line is sixth in the country in overall pass-blocking efficiency. The line is giving their quarterback plenty of time to make decisions and get the ball to their playmakers. It’s been working flawlessly this season so far. Tagovailoa has just one interception and is climbing the quarterback rating charts.
In a year where there’s been some quarterback volatility, Tagovailoa is making a very strong case for himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, if not in the country. He has been very accurate with the football and has only turned it over once. According to Pro Football Focus, he is the best quarterback in the conference, and third in the nation in terms of an overall passing grade. His completion percentage is number one in the Big Ten, and he is tied with Payton Thorne in touchdowns thrown. Iowa will have their toughest quarterback matchup of the season with Tagovailoa on the other end. The Hawkeyes have shown they can shut down other solid quarterbacks, but this guy under the Friday night lights will be a test.
The One-on-One’s
Demus Jr. vs. Hankins/Moss
After the performances by the other quarterbacks Iowa has faced this year, it’s very apparent that Tagovailoa is the best the Hawkeyes have seen. Part of what makes him effective is the guys that surround him on offense. Dontay Demus Jr. has been his top target so far this season hauling in 24 receptions for 446 yards. Demus alone has accounted for 34% of all of Tagovailoa’s passing yards this season. He has been a threat for the deep ball all season and has multiple 40-plus yard touchdown receptions. Demus’ breakaway ability has allowed Tagovailoa to find him often, and they’ll want to get him going early on Friday.
On the other side of the ball, Iowa’s secondary has two of the best cornerbacks in the nation. At the left corner, Matt Hankins is third nationally in overall pass coverage rating and has two interceptions on the year. He’s given up just 42 receiving yards this season when lining up in coverage snaps. Riley Moss plays on the other side of the defense. He has two interception returns for touchdowns this year and four pass break-ups. Moss excels at closing in on the receiver and forcing tight windows. This Hawkeye secondary is very talented and has routinely limited opponent passing games all season. When Demus lines up outside against either of these two, he’ll have his toughest test of the season.
Fleet-Davis vs. Campbell
One of Maryland’s other weapons is in the backfield. Tayon Fleet-Davis has become the Terps’ go-to back. He broke onto the scene in Maryland’s first game of the season against West Virginia where he had 135 yards on 19 attempts. He failed to score, but since then, Fleet-Davis has scored at least once in the last three games and is averaging 7.5 yards per carry. The Maryland backfield has been very productive this year and it is largely due to Fleet-Davis and the push from the offensive line. Maryland is 25th overall in rush blocking efficiency according to Pro Football Focus. Not as superior as their pass blocking, but it is getting the job done and Fleet-Davis has been the beneficiary.
Like Demus Jr., Fleet-Davis will have one of his toughest tasks of the season on Friday. The Hawkeye defensive front gets great penetration and ranks 12th in rush defense. But the guy to look for in slowing down the run game is Iowa linebacker, Jack Campbell. He was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Nagurski Trophy National Player of the Week following his 18-tackle performance against Colorado State. This season, Campbell has forced a fumble and has two fumble recoveries, with one for a touchdown. His presence in the middle of the defense has been huge for Iowa this season. He can drop back into coverage and will also fill the holes getting to the running back as he showed last week.
In an interview this week with Chad Leistikow of Hawk Central, Campbell said, “This team [Maryland] can kind of hurt you in all aspects, so if you can somehow find a way to get them uncomfortable, that’s going to be important.”
It’s evident that the Terps passing game is solid, and they have a running back who can back it up. Since Campbell is involved in both of those defensive schemes, his role will be imperative to a successful football game for the Hawks. He understands the importance of the task at hand.
Friday Night Lights
This matchup under the lights on the East Coast is one of the most high-profile Big Ten games of the weekend. Maryland has been playing excellent football lately, and Tagovailoa is dishing it. Not only can he throw the football, but the run game has been a very effective balance. Their matchup with Iowa’s defense will be fascinating.
Iowa has forced three solid quarterbacks to the bench and has limited explosive plays all season. Maryland is a team that will want to get things going through the air early and often. They are passing on nearly 60% of their snaps and Tagovailoa has been very accurate. But the Hawkeyes only give up 11 points per game and have guys like Hankins in the secondary who can close in on the football with incredible quickness. This Friday night lights matchup will likely come down to who can bend, but not break.
