Maryland will be without starting cornerback Jeremiah Johnson, the Terps' best defender, for up to eight weeks because of a broken toe.
Johnson was injured in Maryland's opening win over FIU, then didn't play this past Saturday in a rout of Old Dominion. Coach Randy Edsall told reporters Sunday about the extent of Johnson's injury. No surgery is needed, Edsall said.
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Johnson (5-feet-11, 190 pounds), a junior, and senior Dexter McDougle gave the Terps one of the ACC's best cornerback duos. McDougle (5-10, 185) now will be joined at cornerback by senior Isaac Goins (5-11, 190). Goins, who joined Maryland last season as a junior college transfer, had his first career interception in the win over FIU.
Johnson's injury also means more time for true freshman corner Will Likely (5-7, 175). Despite a lack of height, Likely should become a solid corner. He has good speed, is aggressive and tough and possesses excellent instincts.
Johnson will be missed, though. He lacks elite speed, but he has good quickness, tremendous instincts and work ethic and the tenacity to be one of the better cover corners in the ACC.
That the secondary played well against ODU is a positive. Despite its status as a FCS program, ODU possesses a high-powered passing attack and the Terps shut it down. The Terps play Connecticut this week, and the Huskies' popgun passing game should not worry Maryland at all.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
