Behind Enemy Lines: Maryland

Pat Donohue: Max Bortenschlager might have started the season third on the depth chart, but he was playing behind some talented signal callers in Tyrrelle Pigrome and Kasim Hill. But now that "Bort" gets the nod because of some unfortunate injuries, he brings to the table a strong arm, pocket presence and familiarity with the offense. He's not a true freshman stepping in while still trying to grasp the playbook and life in college football. He has had reps with the first-team offense in both his seasons in College Park and he now has two career starts under his belt, in which he has three touchdowns and no turnovers combined. To be honest, the only time Bortenschlager performed poorly was when filling in mid-game for Hill once he was injured against UCF a few weeks ago. He doesn't bring the athleticism to the Terps offense that Pigrome or Hill had, but he does have an arm that can make defenses that load the box to stop Maryland's prolific run game pay. He isn't the most accurate quarterback in the world but he'll drop a few dimes per game. What I've always been most impressed with when it comes to Bort is his pocket presence. Even as a true freshman starting at Nebraska last year, Bortenschlager didn't have happy feet in the pocket, remaining poised under pressure and not making arrant throws that could lead to turnovers. His weaknesses are certainly something that will have to be overcome though in order for Maryland to stand a chance. Bortenschlager has shown the ability to pick up first downs with his legs at times, but for the most part, he's a stationary target and that's not a good attribute against Ohio State's defensive line. His overall inexperience, as he continues to get his feet wet as Maryland's full-time starter, will also likely play a factor. Starting at Nebraska and Minnesota is one thing, but this is The Horseshoe. We'll see how he handles the big stage.