Maryland’s plan Saturday was to give two series to Nick Klemm at left tackle, then switch and give a series to freshman Mike Madaras.
It worked early. But then …
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“We put it on him that every third series he was supposed to go in and then all the sudden he didn’t show up in the second half, but we’ll get that corrected,” coach Randy Edsall said. “We want to play him. We’re trying to develop some depth. We want to bring along some guys and we just made a decision going into that first game — and we’re going to continue that —- to play him.”
Madaras played two series, or roughly eight plays out of the Terrapins’ 57 snaps in the 7-6 defeat of William & Mary. He was the only second-string offensive lineman to get into the game.
That he did so in his first game as a true freshman perhaps meant as much, if not more, than entirely how he fared.
“I think he played pretty good,” right tackle Justin Gilbert said. “Mike’s going to be a good football player. He has some experience. I’m sure coach Brattan is going to give him more each week. It helps with giving guys blows. You always want to have a good, solid second team.”
It wasn’t needed Saturday, but eventually the Terps will probably need to use some of their backups. Madaras is the only second-string offensive lineman (an all-freshman contingent on this week’s depth chart) with any game experience.
“I thought he did OK,” Edsall said. “He got his feet wet. … Now I think he’ll get better every time he plays.”
—- Patrick Stevens
