MM 7.28: Maryland football kicker Chad Ryland named to Lou Groza Award Watch List

This is the Maryland Minute, a short story followed by a roundup of Terps-related news.

Chad Ryland, Maryland’s new senior kicker, was named to the 2022 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Watch List on Wednesday, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced. He’s one of just 30 Division I kickers to be named to the list.

This list is curated by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission before each season by a panel of head coaches, sportscasters and former Groza Award winners. He joins Ohio State’s Noah Ruggles, Michigan’s Jake Moody and Purdue’s Mitchell Fineran as the only Big Ten kickers to make the list. The last Maryland kicker to be named to this list was Brad Craddock in 2015, after he had won the award the previous season.

Ryland is not the only Maryland player to get recognition this preseason. Junior wide receiver Rakim Jarrett was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, and redshirt junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa was named to the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award Watch Lists.

Ryland is a fresh face for the special teams unit in College Park, coming over as a graduate transfer from Eastern Michigan University in the spring. During his time in an Eagles uniform, he captured the program record for most PATs made with 141 and is second in field goals made with 56.

While these numbers are impressive, Ryland was even more impressive with his efficiency. In his last two seasons, he had an 85.5% field goal percentage. In 2021, he was a perfect 47-for-47 from the spot on extra point attempts.

Last season, Maryland struggled to score from spot kicks; starting kicker Joseph Petrino had a 65% field goal percentage on 20 attempts and went 39-44 on PATs.

Ryland will look to help bring the Terps some of the kicking consistency they lacked last year when they kick off their season against Buffalo on Sept. 3.

In other news

Maryland field hockey released its 2022 schedule.

Former Maryland cornerback Tino Ellis signed with the Miami Dolphins.

Former Maryland men’s basketball guard Melo Trimble shot around in Xfinity Center during a visit with the current team.

Maryland women’s lacrosse had a strong showing in the classroom this past school year, earning a spot on the IWLCA Academic Honor Squad and landing 10 players on the ILWCA Academic Honor Roll.

Maryland men’s lacrosse’s John Tillman was named Maryland’s Men’s Team Coach of the Year after leading the Terps to a national championship.

Maryland women’s lacrosse Cathy Reese was named Maryland’s Women’s Team Coach of the Year after another run to the Final Four.

Maryland football highlighted their time at Big Ten Media Day.