‘Don’t care what the score was’: Dana Holgorsen, Rob Aurich, players speak to media ahead of Maryland game

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Nebraska football is 4-0, and coming off winning its first Big Ten opener since 2019 in a win over Michigan State 31-13. Now, the page is flipped to Week 5, where the Huskers host Maryland (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) Saturday at 3 p.m.

On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, defensive coordinator Rob Aurich and players met with media at the Hawks Championship Center to recap Saturday’s win and look ahead to facing the Terrapins.

“(Maryland’s) stingy against the run, big linebackers – rangy linebackers – who fill downhill,” Holgorsen said. “They’re doing a good job of mixing coverages on the back end . . . and so not only their pass rush, it’s the whole thing. They gave UCLA fits. I don’t care what the score was, you just watch the silent tape on that.”

Holgorsen is referring to Maryland’s 54-3 home loss to UCLA on Saturday. Wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer – who caught four passes for 101 yards and a touchdown – said Maryland will come in with an extra spark after a loss like that.

“When you get beat that much by a team, you have an edge on yourself like, oh, we coming in next week trying to prove something,” Gilmer said. “So I think Maryland’s going to come out here . . . this weekend and try to prove something. So it’s just, we’ll have to have a mindset like this is trying to be a winning team.”

Maryland quarterback Malik Washington threw four interceptions in its loss to UCLA, but that doesn’t trick Aurich from knowing he’s a dynamic playmaker. Aurich said one tactic of Washington’s play style specifically makes him tough to game plan for.

“Talented kid. Big arm, long. Does not take sacks, his sack avoidance rate i s off the chart,” Aurich said. I know last week wasn’t the showing they were looking for but there’s a ton that he’s done that make you really think about how you attack him.”

Last year, Nebraska faced Maryland in college park, getting the win 34-31. Cornerback Andrew Marshall said Washington is evasive.

“He’s very good at . . . getting out of sticky situations when it comes to rushing him as a quarterback,” Marshall said. “Which means that as the back half of the defense, we have to be good in coverage.”