When discussing the highest large receiver items in school soccer, there are specific groups that come to thoughts: Ohio State, USC and Texas, to call a couple of.
However how about this one…? Maryland.
Dontay Demus Jr., Rakim Jarrett, Jeshaun Jones and Jacob Copeland kind one of many deepest and most gifted large receiver teams not solely within the Huge Ten, however all through the whole nation. That group might be on full show this weekend when the Terrapins journey to Ann Arbor to tackle the No. 4-ranked Michigan Wolverines (12 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities app).
"[Michigan is] going to face a staff this week in Maryland that can strain their secondary," FOX Sports activities school soccer analyst Joel Klatt stated. "Maryland has the most effective cores of receivers in all of school soccer, and it goes very a lot beneath the radar."
Klatt defined why he’s excited to see how the Wolverines cope with adversity of their first true check of the season on the most recent episode of his new podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show."
"You don’t know as a staff what you’re going to be till you face adversity," Klatt stated. "The largest query mark I've for Michigan heading into this recreation is their protection."
Potential Upset... Maryland vs. Michigan
Joel Klatt explains why be believes Michigan's protection might be examined by Maryland's offense on Saturday.
The Wolverines have held opposing offenses to only 17 mixed factors by way of the primary three weeks of the season, however they haven't confronted an opponent with anyplace close to the talent-level of Maryland.
Michigan’s first three opponents of the 2022 season — Colorado State, Hawaii and UConn — are a mixed 1-9 and have been outscored by a complete of 432-132 heading into Week 4.
Maryland, however, is available in sporting an ideal 3-0 mark whereas outscoring opponents by a mean of 21 factors per contest.
Junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has been excellent by way of three video games, main the Huge Ten in completion proportion (77.3%), whereas additionally rating within the top-four within the convention in passing yards (895), touchdowns (six) and effectivity (180.7).
The large receiver quartet of Demus, Jarrett, Jones and Copeland have mixed to haul in 34 catches for 527 yards and 5 scores by way of three video games.
"I firmly consider that [Michigan’s] protection goes to be put right into a place the place they really feel strain and are burdened for the primary time this 12 months, and I can’t wait to see that occur," Klatt stated. "They don’t have the person move rushers that that they had final 12 months."
Michigan misplaced each Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo to the NFL and have been challenged with discovering a core group that may assist make up for that misplaced manufacturing. 5 totally different gamers, together with former five-star standout Eyabi Anoma — who began his collegiate profession at Alabama — have recorded one sack this season, which leads the staff.
Hutchinson, who was the second total decide within the 2022 NFL Draft to the Detroit Lions, totaled 4.5 sacks by way of the staff’s first three video games final season.
Different move rushers who must be on the sphere for the Wolverines on Saturday embody Kris Jenkins, Mason Graham, Mike Morris, Jaylen Harrell and Braiden McGregor.
"They really feel like they've a core that's good and may change the manufacturing," Klatt stated in regards to the Wolverines’ move rushers. "However questions actually stay on the defensive aspect."
A type of questions surrounds Michigan security Mike Sainristil, who has performed simply three video games on protection on the collegiate degree since making the swap from large receiver through the offseason. The senior recorded the staff’s first sack of the season within the opener in opposition to Colorado State and is tied for second on the staff with two tackles for loss. He'll play a big position in how this Michigan protection handles Maryland’s spectacular group of move catchers.
"I can’t wait to see him as a result of that is going to be actual stress and actual strain," Klatt stated of Sainristil.
"For the primary time this season, we're going to see who [Michigan] really are."
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