Maryland football’s offensive coordinator wants to use ‘every blade of grass’

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College and professional football fields are 53 1/3 yards wide and 120 yards long. New Maryland offensive coordinator Clint Trickett wants to play fast and maximize every inch of that space during his time in College Park.

The offensive coordinator at Jacksonville State last season, Trickett takes over a unit that returns 68% of its offensive production, which ranks 17th in the nation, headlined by dynamic sophomore quarterback Malik Washington.

“We want to get more snaps. We have really good skill players,” Trickett said during media day on the first day of fall camp, Wednesday. “So, instead of just getting 50 snaps in the game, let’s try to get 70, 80, 90. We want to play with a sense of tempo and effort, or a sense of urgency.

“With that space, we want to make them defend every blade of grass. That is 100% the mindset. We don’t want to get condensed and make them be able to just play in a 33-yard box. We want them to play all 53 1/3 and put our skilled playmakers in space. That’s how you make missed tackles and create explosive plays.”

As a true freshman, Washington led the Big Ten in pass attempts with 473, 61 more than the next closest quarterback in Oregon’s Dante Moore. Trickett, a former quarterback at Florida State and West Virginia, acknowledged that while he loves to air the ball out, an important emphasis will be placed on the running game and finding balance.

His rushing offense with the Gamecocks ranked fifth in the nation last year, averaging 246.7 yards per game on the ground. The Terps are hoping to create a similar blueprint in College Park as their rushing attack desperately needs to be revitalized after ranking 125th in the country last year.

Meanwhile, in the passing game, some of Washington’s top targets include wide receiver Kaleb Webb as well as tight end Dorian Fleming. Webb, a 6-foot-5 wideout, is expected to play an increased role in his second season after transferring from Tennessee, while Fleming was one of Washington’s top targets last season, totaling 40 receptions for 351 yards and three touchdowns.

With the Gamecocks, Trickett’s offense averaged 70.9 plays per game, while Maryland, comparatively, averaged 66.5. That emphasis on playing with pace is a welcome sign for the Terps’ skill players, including Webb, who is well-versed in playing that up-tempo style from his time in Knoxville.

“I’m a big fan of the tempo because it can also get a defense out of their identity,” Webb said. “If they’re a team that likes to scheme up a lot of blitzes, likes to play with their fronts, it prevents them from doing that and keeps them in the same defense, keeps them honest. They have to be fundamentally sound and make sure they have proper communication, as well as their alignment, to prevent big plays. The tempo can catch defenses off guard, and that’s where the big plays come from.”

However, creating those explosive plays isn’t predicated on tempo alone. It ties back to Trickett’s core offensive philosophy of wanting to spread defenses out and attack them in different ways. Achieving that goal also requires a quarterback with the requisite arm strength to consistently make throws outside the hashes.

“I haven’t had a quarterback like him as a coordinator as far as the ability to throw and talent-wise,” Trickett said of Washington.

Outside of that, pre-snap formation and alignment are pivotal in creating those chunk plays. Trickett intends to keep defenses off-balance by frequently rotating skill players between normal, condensed and wider splits.

Those quick changes often put a defense in conflict and create favorable matchups, which in turn can lead to big plays.

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“Facing an offense like that, it’s really hard because you have to make sure that your eyes are in the right spot, that you’re disciplined and that you’re doing your job,” senior linebacker Daniel Wingate said. “If not, he has little tricks and gadgets that can bite you in the butt for that.”

The Terps’ defense has encountered that challenge in practice throughout the spring and summer, creating a competitive dynamic that brings the best out of both units.

“The moving parts that our offense has presented to us have been great work for us,” Maryland defensive coordinator Ted Monachino said. “We’re forced to see our guys in space. We’re forced to see our guys think under pressure with tempo and with movement. What he is doing is helping us become better. Hopefully what we’re doing is helping them become better because we’re multiple and we do a lot of different things. Hopefully it’s causing them some stress too, and when it does that, it makes both sides better.”

Starting Sept. 5 against Hampton, the Terps’ offense aims to show its pace and space, two defining characteristics of Trickett’s system.

Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Steinberg at jsteinberg@baltsun.com, 443-442-9445 and x.com/jacobstein23. 

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