As the 2014 Maryland football program embarked on its first season in the Big Ten Conference, few pundits believed the Terrapins would be able to hold their own against the perennial powers of the East Division.

 

After claiming four conference victories, including wins against Penn State, Michigan and Iowa, and finishing third in the Big Ten East, Maryland quickly proved itself as newcomers to be reckoned with.

 

“It was a great experience for us in our first year in the Big Ten Conference,” said head coach Randy Edsall. “It was a different conference with different venues and I thought our kids handled it well. We overcame challenges due to the leadership and will of our players.”

 

The Terrapins’ leadership pushed the program to a 7-6 record in 2014, with an exceptional 5-1 mark on the road. The successful regular season propelled Maryland to its second consecutive postseason berth as it faced Stanford in the Foster Farms Bowl in San Francisco.

 

The new opponents and quality on-field action resulted in a dramatic surge in attendance, as Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium bore witness to a 14 percent attendance increase. It was the second-largest increase among power five schools trailing only Texas A&M, which expanded its stadium in 2014.

 

Maryland averaged 46,981 fans for six home dates in 2014 and a total of 281,884 fans passed through the stadium turnstiles – the highest total attendance number for a six-game home schedule in seven seasons.

 

On the field, Maryland was led by veteran quarterback C.J. Brown, who started all 13 games and passed for 2288 yards and 13 touchdowns. His 539 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground led the team, as he finished his career as one of the most decorated rushing quarterbacks in Maryland history.

 

The dynamic Stefon Diggs had an impressive season at wideout, catching 62 passes for 792 yards and five touchdowns. Diggs was later selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.

 

Sophomore William Likely carried momentum from a standout rookie season to supplant himself as one of the top cornerbacks and return specialists in the Big Ten Conference. Likely picked off six passes and led the Big Ten with 170 interception return yards, while also returning a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns. His most memorable return came in the Foster Farms Bowl, when he returned a kickoff 100 yards for the score.

 

Maryland’s most extraordinary 2014 performance came from Australian kicker Brad Craddock, who received the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s most outstanding kicker.

 

Craddock converted 18 of his 19 field goal attempts and made 11 field goals from 40-plus yards including a school-record 57-yard field goal against eventual national champion Ohio State. He set a single-season school record for kicking percentage (81.7 %), and also set a school record and tied the Big Ten record with 24 consecutive field goals made.

 

“It was a fantastic honor for Brad to be the recipient of the Lou Groza Award,” Edsall said. “His work ethic and competitiveness are unmatched and personify what all of our student-athletes should strive to achieve. To see him arrive at Maryland having never played football and transforming himself into the best kicker in the nation is something that is very special. This is a great honor and very well-deserved.”