Top 3 questions for Maryland at Big Ten media days

The college football season is just around the corner. Don't believe us? Then turn on your television set and consume all that happens during Big Ten media days this week. It's on the doorstep of your viewing options and with 18 teams now a part of the conference, all of the shenanigans will be stretched out over three days.

The Maryland Terrapins were one of the most surprising teams of the first half of last season but then had a bit of a tumble down the stretch. There are a lot of unknowns as head coach Mike Locksley tries to continue the build in College Park, and we're here to highlight three questions many are wondering entering the 2024 season.

Here are three of the top questions surrounding the Maryland Terrapins as we enter Big Ten media days this week.

3. Can Maryland figure out the Big Ten?

It's becoming a re-run every year it seems. Maryland gets out of the gate like gangbusters in the nonconference then hits a serious speed bump once Big Ten play rolls around. Last year, the Terps made hay a little longer than in previous years but still had that tumble in the conference. Can that change this year? The program needs to figure out what's missing and work to close the gap pronto. Hint: It's the depth of talent.

2. How will it all go under center without Tagovailoa?

He wasn't the best quarterback in the Big Ten, it was close. Taulia Tagovailoa added some explosive ability at quarterback that made matching up on defense hard. The offense was much more dangerous when he was playing at a high level and it's going to be a challenge to replace that production this year. It's still a wide-open race to nail down the starting job and is the one thing that might have the most to say whether Maryland can make a fourth-straight bowl game.

1. Will the Terps benefit from a softer schedule going forward?

The Big Ten East was a murderer's row, and unfortunately for Maryland, it was always swimming upstream against the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. Now, with the elimination of divisions, teams like Maryland and Rutgers should benefit from a softer schedule going forward. It's still a tough conference, but things start this season with Maryland missing both Ohio State and Michigan. Getting a chance to breathe might result in a longer race.