Dan Murphy, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Maryland spring game: What we learned

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Marcus Leak made it a little bit easier for Maryland to forget it will have to replace its top two receivers in recent history next season. The senior scored at will Saturday, reaching the end zone three times in the Terps' spring game.

All three of Leak's touchdowns came in the first half of a 21-16 game at Byrd Stadium. He's one candidate who could help replace a chunk of the production lost when Stefon Diggs and Deon Long ended their college careers. A handful of other players expected to play big roles for the Terps on both sides of the ball were absent due to minor injuries, but head coach Randy Edsall said the afternoon provided a good finish to a satisfactory spring season.

"I'm happy with spring in terms of how it went and what we were able to get accomplished," Edsall said. "Now it's up to these guys to get the work done on their own throughout May, June and July and be ready to go when we get back here in August."

The chance for a little bit of drama at the end of Saturday's scrimmage disappeared in a hurry. Sophomore quarterback Shane Cockerille had an opportunity to complete a second-half comeback in the two-minute drill, but junior Will Likely sealed a win for the Red team with an interception near midfield in the final minute of the game.

Despite a few important missing pieces, the spring game offered an updated view of Marlyand's team as it continues to evolve for its second season in the Big Ten. Here are five things we learned by watching:

1. Leak might be Maryland's best big-play threat on offense. Leak caught six passes Saturday for a total of 132 yards. His broke at least three tackles on his first score of the day. The third touchdown was a broken play in which Leak looked larger than his 6-foot, 214-pound self while ripping the ball away from an opposing defensive back in the end zone. He got behind the safeties once more in the first half and might have had another long reception if not for a pass interference call.

"You just have to make the best of your opportunity," Leak said. "You don't know when your number is going to be called. When they call you have to make the most of it."

The senior hasn't always seized those opportunities in the past, according to Edsall. He said Leak needed to be more consistent on and off the field in order to make the impact he is capable of making next fall. Maryland is in need of a new receiver to step up with the departure of Diggs and Long, who combined for 113 catches last year. Leak was fourth on the team receptions list last year with 20 catches, most of which came in the first half of the season. Running against the second-string secondary gave him a leg up Saturday, but he showed he has the ability to stretch opposing defenses if he can become a steady threat moving forward.

2. Back-up quarterback remains a question mark. A lack of consistency was a common theme for the Terps this spring. Edsall said that was his biggest concern with quarterbacks Cockerille and Perry Hills during the scrimmage. They each threw an interception and combined to complete 17 of their 44 pass attempts.

At times, Cockerille squeezed passes into small windows with impressive speed, but other attempts sailed high and behind wide open receivers. Hills connected with Leak for the three scores, but also missed some opportunities for big plays. Caleb Rowe, who missed spring practice while recovering from ACL surgery, remains the expected starter for next fall. If his rehab doesn't go as planned or if he suffers another injury, Maryland will have some work to do at the quarterback position.

3. Yannick Ngakoue found a home at defensive end. The junior converted from linebacker to the "bandit" end position this spring as part of Maryland's move to a 4-3 defense. Ngakoue appears to be the biggest beneficiary of the scheme change so far. He sacked Hills three times Saturday and made another athletic play to swat away an attempted screen pass early in the game.

"I like it a lot," he said when asked about the position change. "I like putting my hand in the dirt and being more explosive. It's better than standing up."

The Maryland native played with a hand on the ground during his high school career, but fit better as an outside linebacker in the Terps' 3-4 scheme last fall. He started 11 games, making 25 tackles and six sacks. The move close to the line of scrimmage should help him be more of a force in the backfield in 2015. So should a summer focused on gaining weight and preparing for his new role.

4. Special teams are a mixed bag. Australian native Brad Craddock provided the first half highlight for his White squad by kicking a 50-yard field goal Saturday. The reigning Lou Groza Award winner should be a strong point and a leader for Maryland in his final season of eligible. The rest of the special teams remain up in the air heading into the summer.

Both sides had a short kick attempt blocked. Neither of the two punters currently on campus had a particular inspiring performance Saturday. Multiple punts fell short of 20 yards. Running with his theme for the day, Edsall assessed their day as "inconsistent." Incoming freshman Nick Rubinowicz, an all-state punter in Florida last year, will have a chance to win the starting job when arrives for training camp.

5. Offensive line takes a step forward. After finishing 111th in rushing offense last fall, Maryland's offensive line is rounding into shape this spring thanks to its highly-touted youth. The first-string offense's running backs averaged more than 6 yards per carry Saturday. Redshirt freshman Damian Prince (the No. 3 offensive tackle recruit in the 2014 class) showed his athleticism and power while jumping from one side of the line to the other in some unbalanced sets. Even without fellow redshirt freshman Derwin Gray, who had shoulder surgery earlier this week, the line looked it had the potential to do a better job against the Big Ten's stout defensive fronts in 2015.

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