Maryland Football Preview 2026: Can the Terps Finally Get Noticed?

It's a wonderful world-class institution, but football-wise, it still feels very ACCey.

It hasn't made a whole lot of noise since joining the conference in 2014, it last won a conference title in a fun 2001 ACC season, and it hasn't enjoyed a ten-win season since 2003.

However, things seemed to be rising under Mike Locksley with two straight eight-win seasons in 2022 and 2023.

Instead of taking another big step forward, the Terps had two straight four-win seasons - going 1-14 after September - but the experience is there to turn this around fast.

Locksley and the Terps have built for this.

Maryland Quick Hits

• Head Coach: Mike Locksley (9th year at Maryland, 37-49; 12th year overall, 39-75)
• Best Case / Worst Case: A decent bowl game/Third straight losing season
• Key Player: Daniel Wingate, LB Sr.
• 2025 Record: 4-8
• Biggest Question: Can all of the experience turn the young, talented team into a winner?

Maryland Key 2025 Stats

• Fourth Quarter Scoring: Opponents 102, Maryland 34
• Fumbles: Maryland 7 (lost 5), Opponents 4 (lost 2)
• Sacks: Maryland 27 for 185 yards, Opponents 9 for 79 yards

Offense

There's a whole lot to like.

The offense stalled a bit too often over the second half of the season, and the attack couldn't get its mojo back, but there's too much experience and talent returning not to do a lot more under new coordinator Clint Trickett.

What’s Working

When Malik Washington and the passing game are on, look out. Washington took his lumps through an up-and-down first season, but he got his at-bats - he led the Big Ten with 473 attempts - and should be ready to crank up the attack even more.

Landing receivers Chris Durr (Wyoming) and Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding (Old Dominion) matters, and 40-catch tight end Dorian Fleming returns.

The ground game was along for the ride, but the backs are in place to do a whole lot more. Leading rusher DeJuan Williams was a fantastic receiver, too, catching 45 passes, and in comes Harry Dalton III (USC) to add another quick rusher to the mix.

It was partly because of the quick-hitting passing style, but there wasn't anyone better in the Big Ten in pass protection. The Terps allowed just nine sacks on close to 500 passes, and three stars are back.

Tackle Rahtrel Perry and guard Isaiah Wright are back on the left side around center Michael Hershey. Starting right guard Aliou Bah left for LSU, and in comes Tellek Lockette from Texas State to take over.

What Needs Work

Working the running game more. Trickett will change this up a little bit. Last year, it was too easy to let Washington throw, but he wasn't accurate enough, the defense gave up points too fast, and the ground attack rarely found a groove.

The Terps only ran more than 30 times twice.

Completing passes. It all tied together. There wasn't much of a running game to count on, Washington wasn't accurate enough - hitting just under 58% of his throws - the offense didn't keep the ball.

The time of possession battle was a disaster, with control for just 27 minutes a game. Move the chains a little more and watch how things flip.

Scoring. It's hard to win when you don't score points, and at the very least, the offense has to do a better job of keeping pace. The Terps scored 20 points or fewer seven times, and the only win was against a woeful Northern Illinois team.

Player to Watch

Malik Washington, QB Soph.
How much does he progress from Year One to his sophomore campaign? There wasn't any consistency whatsoever to his game, but that will change.

He's got the tools, and now he and the offense have to open it up a bit more down the field.

Defense

The defense was a problem.

There was a pass rush, but not enough key stops. There were a few giant plays for scores, but nothing was happening against the run.

The Terps were 16th in the Big Ten in both total and scoring defense, but this year, they're full of veterans and upside.

What’s Working

Here come the pass rushers. There was some pressure last season, but not enough. However, the top two guys are back, with Sidney Stewart and Zahin Mathis combining for 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss.

There's depth on the outside, starting with Nahsir Taylor, and on the way is super-recruit Zion Elee, a 6-4, 220-pound Baltimore native who was, arguably, the best pass rushing prospect in the recruiting cycle.

Good things happened when the pass defense wasn't miserable. It was never a brick wall - at least against the Big Ten teams - but the Terps either won or made it a fight when allowing opposing passers to complete fewer than 65% of their throws.

The linebacking corps has playmakers. Daniel Wingate has good all-around skills in the middle, leading the way with 102 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and a pick six. Trey Reddick knows what he's doing on the outside, and Carlton Smith was third on the team with 64 tackles.

What Needs Work

The defense has to get off the field. It's not a coincidence that the 2022 and 2023 Maryland teams each allowed fewer than 40% third down conversion rate in their respective seasons, and each won eight games.

The 2024 team allowed over 40% and won four games, and last year's version gave up 43% on the season - and 35% or fewer in the four wins.

Again, about the pass defense. It wasn't just about the completion percentage allowed, which tied into the third down issues. It was about consistently getting hit hard through the air.

Only Illinois - it was too busy running the ball at will - and Northern Illinois managed fewer than 215 yards through the air.

Forcing fumbles. Few teams were better at coming up with interceptions - for all of the problems, the 21 interceptions, six in the opener over Florida Atlantic, were impressive. But there wasn't a ton of big hitting happening, coming up with a nation-low two fumble recoveries.

Player to Watch

Sidney Stewart, EDGE Soph.
The 6-2, 255-pound sophomore is built more like a smallish end than a true edge rusher, but he quickly established himself as one of the team's top playmakers in the backfield and steadiest defenders with 32 tackles, seven sacks, and 10.5 tackles for loss.

Keys to the Season

Basically, the team of last year that took its lumps needs to have matured.

This is still a very, very young team overall, and this will still be a stepping-stone season, but everything has to be sharper. Experience isn't an excuse - there's as much returning production as anyone in America.

There's more depth, more talent with a few nice transfers coming in, and there's rising star power. Now it all has to come together.

Player Who Needs To Shine

Eyan Thomas, DT Jr.
The edge rushers are there, and the linebackers will be good. Now it's up to the interior of the defense to do more, and it starts with the 6-3, 328-pound Thomas, with help coming from Texas transfer Lavon Johnson.

Biggest Concern

Third downs
To keep harping on this, Maryland has to be better in big moments. It had an impossible time getting control of games as the season went on, and then it all fell apart.

There's a reason the good teams are the good teams - Indiana and Michigan converted third downs at will - but Rutgers and UCLA were able to move the chains, too.

On the other side, the offense struggled late in the year just to convert more than 30% of their chances.

Biggest Game

at Nebraska, October 3
For this to be a terrific season, the Terps have to hold their own in College Park. That means beating Virginia Tech and UCLA on the way to a 4-0 start.

They have to sneak away a Big Ten road win from somewhere, and with a date at Ohio State next, beating Nebraska in Lincoln is the moment when they show whether or not they'll matter in conference play. The Huskers are 3-1 in the series.

Transfer Portal

Maryland has a bit of an old school thing happening - it's building from within. Where it's all working, though, is with the ability to keep around most of the young talent.

There were a few big losses, but quarterback Malik Washington is still around, most of the rising prospects are locked in, and it's more about finding pieces than dealing with wholesale changes.

Best Signing

Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding, WR (Old Dominion)
Wide receiver is the one area that needed a little bit of a boost. Getting Chris Durr from Wyoming - 76 catches in two seasons with a team that didn't throw particularly well - and Gladding will be a boost.

Last year, Gladding caught 51 passes for 667 yards and six touchdowns as a big-play performer for the Monarchs.

Biggest Loss

Aliou Bah, OG (LSU)
The Maryland line will be okay with decent experience and depth, but the 6-6, 327-pound Bah is growing into a solid pro prospect at right guard. Lane Kiffin went and got him for the Tiger front five.

Other Names to Know

• Lavon Johnson, DT (Texas)
• Derrick LeBlank, DT (UCF)
• Amari Jackson, CB (Boston College)

CFN Season Prediction

Maryland might be better, and there's a lot to like on both sides of the ball with all the veterans, depth, and promising talent amassed, but ...

The Big Ten might Big Ten on the Terps.

This should be a much better team than the last two versions. It should be more explosive on both sides of the ball, but there can't be the slightest hiccup anywhere.

The schedule should help, but a lot depends on the improvement - or not - of a few other teams due to have stronger years.

CFN Prediction: 6-6

Maryland missed Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Iowa, and Minnesota - that's not bad. However, forget about road games at Ohio State and USC, and dealing with Penn State at home will be a fight. Other than that, everything else is winnable.

Can the Terps take home games against Illinois and against an improved Wisconsin? How about not biffing on the road against Nebraska or Purdue?

Hampton, Rutgers, at UConn - those have to be wins, or else. UCLA and Virginia Tech are home games, throw in something like the date at Purdue, or an upset somewhere, and six wins and a bowl game are a must.

But after the last two years, with this schedule, Maryland has a chance to be noticed if everything comes together.