Maryland fans got their first peek at new offensive coordinator Walt Bell's fast-paced spread offense during the Terps' 52-13 win against Howard Sept. 3 and saw a clean game with no turnovers, few penalties and an increased emphasis on getting into advantageous down and distances.
Howard went 1-10 last year as part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, and the Terps' next two games in Florida (Sept. 9 at Florida International; Sept. 17 at Central Florida) will provide more realistic preparation for Big Ten play. Regardless, after going 3-9 last year and turning the ball over at an unseemly rate, the win against Howard marked a solid start to the Terps' season.
No one needed a clean game more than senior quarterback Perry Hills, who threw 13 interceptions last year as part of a rotating cast of characters at the position. Hills was 14-of-19 for 126 yards against the Bison. He had one rush for 5 yards, choosing to pitch to a running back on several option plays.
