Goosebumps
for the opening weekend in college football; the Michael Locksley era exploded
Saturday afternoon when the Maryland Terrapins put down the Howard University
Bison on Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium 79-0.
The matchup featured the debut head coaches Locksley (Maryland) and
Ron Price (Howard). This game is the second time these schools have played,
with Maryland winning the previous matchup 52-13. Maryland Stadium seats over
50,000; so, the question is, where was everyone?
The
Terrapins performance was spotless. Transfer quarterback Josh Jackson completed
15 of 24 for 245 yards with four touchdowns. Stud running back Anthony
McFarland scored twice on only six carries. The dismantling Maryland put on
Howard was the second-largest margin of victory in school history since
defeating Maryland College 80-0 in 1927. Maryland’s offense outgained Howard by
nearly tenfold with 623 yards with 648 returns yards on top. However, the question
remains, where was everyone?
The
Terrapin defense mobbed Howard quarterback Caylin Newton, 2018 Mid-Eastern
Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, stymied to 3 of 11 for 23
Yards, sacked him five times with negative 13 yards rushing. Howard only
accumulated 67 yards on offense and only one-yard rushing. Where was everyone?
The
Bison’s football team was physically there, their acclaimed marching band put
on a show, and the dance squad and cheerleaders brought passion. Howard fans
did not commute the seven miles from Georgia Avenue to support their team — the
Bison play at Greene Stadium that seats just over 7,000. If Howard brought
every fan that would fill there stadium, there would still be thousands of
seats empty at Maryland Stadium. Where was everyone?
It
Is Labor Day weekend, the last official weekend of summer. The students do not
have to be back for class until Tuesday. The weather was near perfect for an
afternoon football game. In all of the parking lots, there was a limited number
of the student and non-student body tailgating. Where was everyone?
Maryland
hired Locksley, the former offensive coordinator from Alabama, praised for his
recruiting. The university is investing in its football program. Maryland wants
to play big boy football but only has two-thirds of the formula. The most
significant piece missing is the fan. Maryland wants to play big boy football
with the likes of Ohio State and Michigan? Two programs that compete for
national titles and prominent bowl games; that fill much larger stadiums
effortlessly every Saturday.
Red,
black, and gold in the seats mean you are playing big boy football. Maryland’s
will not be a legit football presence until those bleachers are full. The
luxury boxes must sell out and not permit the opposing team’s fans buying unsold
tickets. That is how it is in playing college football on an elite level.
Maryland has taken its first few steps, but fans need to take their first steps
as well. Where is everyone?
