Much of the talk surrounding the 2016 Maryland football team has centered on the number of points the Terps have scored and the running game they have developed, but flying under the radar a bit has been a Maryland defense that has made significant strides under head coach DJ Durkin's staff.
When the defense had to defend short fields against Purdue Oct. 1, it came up big, not allowing points in either situation. Senior quarterback Perry Hills threw pick during the Terps' first drive, setting up the Boilermakers deep in Maryland territory. The Terps' defense held, and Purdue missed a field goal.
Early in the third quarter, with Maryland up 29, confusion in the backfield led to a Terps fumble deep in their own territory. The Boilermakers recovered the fumble but went backward in their attempt to put their first points on the board. A pass on fourth-and-16 fell harmlessly, and the Terps escaped again.
