Maryland's 31-10 loss to Minnesota in College Park, Md., Oct. 15 didn't feature much in the way of positives. However, immediately after the game, head coach DJ Durkin was mostly pleased with how his defense played, considering the tough spots in which the Terps' struggling offense put the defense and the kind of running game the Golden Gophers possess.
The star of the Terps' defensive effort was senior defensive lineman Azubuike Ukandu, who got the start at defensive tackle for the first time this year and made a team-high 12 tackles. Ukandu has been a productive part of Maryland's defensive line rotation, recording 24 tackles through the Terps' first six games. He also had a sack against Purdue Oct. 1.
Ukandu, who graduated from Towson High in 2012, redshirted during the Terps' 2013 season, didn't play in 2014 and played scant snaps in 2015. When he got his chance to play last year, he took advantage. Making eight starts in 2015, Ukandu recorded 6.5 tackles for a loss, which included 2.5 sacks. This year, he's taken another step forward -- his 24 tackles already match his 2015 total.
