Game-time decision for Terps at QB
‘Nothing definitive’ on Bortenschlager injury or his status as remaining starter
COLLEGE PARK — In what has become a familiar theme to a frustrating season, Maryland coach DJ Durkin was asked Tuesday about the injury status of his starting quarterback. Durkin’s answer about sophomore Max Bortenschlager was predictably vague.
Unlike the season-ending ACL tears suffered by sophomore Tyrrell Pigrome and freshman Kasim Hill in Maryland’s first three games, Bortenschlager’s injury early in the fourth quarter of a 31-24 loss at Rutgers last week is still something of a mystery.
And so is his availability for Saturday’s home game against No. 21 Michigan, or whether he might be replaced by sophomore walk-on Ryan Brand, who despite not taking a previous snap all season nearly led the Terps to a game- tying touchdown in the final minute.
“Max is doing good. He’ll get better and better every day. … Nothing definitive yet, probably a game-time decision,” Durkin said during his weekly news conference. “We’re only Tuesday right now. We’ll continue to evaluate things every day. Nothing we haven’t been through before. [We’ll] keep evaluating every day and figure out what’s obviously best for the young man, No. 1, and what’s best for our team.”
If Brand starts against the Wolverines, he will become the fourth quarterback to start this season for the Terps, who have also used redshirt junior Caleb Henderson in relief when Bortenschlager suffered a concussion at Ohio State.
Maryland and Michigan are the only teams from Power 5 conferences to start at least three quarterbacks.
Durkin appears to have full confidence in Brand, who started his career at Air Force and played last season at the College of San Mateo before signing with Maryland along with his younger brother, freshman line- Saturday, 3:30 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network Radio: 105.7 FM, 980 AM Line: Michigan by 161⁄