Sep 14, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) talks with Terrapins head coach Michael Locksley (R) during a timeout against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half at Scott Stadium. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Billy Edwards Jr.'s last head coach lost his locker room before QB left for Wisconsin

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 6:29 AM ET

It's becoming more and more clear why Billy Edwards Jr. wanted to get out of Maryland and transfer to the Wisconsin Badgers.

The redshirt senior quarterback had a tough finish to the season with the Terrapins, but head coach Mike Locksley admitted things were even worse behind the scenes.

At Big Ten media days, the coach revealed that he lost the locker room.

"I own the fact that I lost my locker room," Locksley said, via ESPN. "I had to choose between paying young players who were coming in or reward the older players that have been through the fire, three bowl wins, and I tried to do both with limited resources. And that's what you get: a locker room with the haves and have-nots."

Hell of an admission from Maryland coach Mike Locksley: "I lost my locker room last season." Says he'll put his desk in the middle of the room this season if he has to.
— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) July 22, 2025

Locksley didn't specify which older players were included in the group that had been through the fire and didn't get rewarded. It's hard not to wonder if that was a factor in Edwards' departure.

Maryland had signed one of the highest-rated quarterback recruits in the country in Malik Washington, who could have been one of those young players getting paid more.

Edwards had been with the Terrapins for three years, taking over as the full time starter in 2024.

The locker room division certainly would have made it tougher to stick around, but Maryland's loss proved to be Wisconsin's gain.

It will be up to Luke Fickell to do a better job of managing his team's resources than Locksley and prevent any type of similar locker room dynamic from developing in Madison.