‘We’re a team everyone in the conference is looking at’: Towson Football takes on UMD in season opener
By Courtney Ott, Sports Editor
Towson football’s season opener will be a battle in College Park against the Terps and a significant game for both head coaches. Maryland head coach Mike Locksley played for Towson from 1988-1991 as a safety and was a defensive captain. Towson’s new head coach, Pete Shinnick, wants to start strong in his first game with the Tigers.
“I feel great. I love our guys, and I love how they are preparing and what they’re doing. Obviously, Maryland is a huge task for game number one, but I love where our guys are at, and I’m looking forward to going out and seeing what we can do,” said Shinnick.
Towson finished the 2022 season with a winning record, 6-5, but stood in seventh in the Coastal Athletic Conference (CAA) rankings with a 4-4 record in conference play. The Tigers clawed their way back into last season to win four in a row after going on a rocky five-game losing streak.
“I have high expectations for the season. I think we have a really good senior class…I want to honor them by putting the best product out there week in and week out,” said Shinnick. “My expectations are we continue to get better, we continue to grow, and we’re a team everyone in the conference is looking at saying, ‘What’s going on over there, what are they doing?’”
Running back D’Ago Hunter was named All-CAA Second team punt returner, All-CAA First team kick returner, CAA Special Teams Player of the Year and STATS Perform All-American Third team punt returner in 2022. He is eager for the season to start and to play against Maryland.
“I think we will be really successful this year,” said Hunter. “Our motto is to play how we play, and it’s not about the other team…What better way to start off our season at College Park.”
Linebacker Mason Woods was a significant factor in Towson’s defense in 2022. Woods was named to the 2022 HERO Sports FCS Freshman All-American linebacker, STATS Perform FCS Freshman All-American linebacker and was a Jerry Rice Award Finalist. Woods is determined to put up a good fight in College Park.
“I expect it to be a fight. I don’t expect them to roll over and give an FCS team a win…I feel like it’s going to come down to who wants it more, so that’s my attitude going into it,” said Woods. “I’m not going to give them anything. They are going to have to work for every yard, work for every point, so it’s going to be a dog fight.”
In 2022, Towson’s quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome led the Tiger’s offense in the 11 games he played in. Pigrome held a 56% completion rate. The redshirt senior decided to enter the 2023 NFL Draft after the season.
Since then, Towson’s quarterback position has been in the air for Saturday’s game, as Shinnick has not confirmed who the starter will be.
“When the guy who goes out there for the first snap at Maryland, that will be our starting quarterback,” said Shinnick.
Maryland (8-5 overall in 2022), who just came off their best season since 2010 and won back-to-back bowl games, won’t make it easy for Towson in the season opener. The Terps’ fast-paced offense, led by quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and their eighth-ranked defense in the Big 10 in 2022, pose a threat to the rebuilding Tigers.
“We’ve been working all summer long and all spring, and we have been perfecting our craft. I feel really confident with everything we got going into this game,” said Woods. “Right now, our goal for the defense is to be a Swiss army knife and prepare for every situation.”
Towson will face UMD on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 3:30 p.m. in College Park, Maryland.
