Ty Johnson

Who led the NCAA in yards per carry among backs with more than 100 carries last season? If you answered Johnson, you are correct. The sophomore torched opposing defenses for 9.1 YPC and closed out the year with a 159-yard, two-touchdown bowl game against Boston College, allowing him to finish with 1,004 yards and six touchdowns on just 110 carries. But part of Johnson's production was aided by the absence of fellow back Lorenzo Harrison, who served a four-game suspension at the end of the year. The two explosive backs figure to share the backfield in 2017.

Maryland leaned on its more experienced backs for much of the season, letting Brandon Ross and Wes Brown shoulder the load. But in a year where Maryland stumbled its way through a tumultuous 3-9 season, Johnson was a much-needed bright spot down the stretch. In Maryland’s season finale against Rutgers, Johnson helped key a comeback from 21 points down for the victory. He only got two carries in that game, but he made the most of those chances, running both carries in for scores from 43 and 44 yards, respectively. With Brandon Ross now out of the picture, Johnson looks primed to have a significant role in the offense this season. If the 5-10, 184 pound sophomore proves to be capable of carrying the load, he could be a valuable asset in an offense that is unlikely to get much production from its quarterback(s).