Sep 21, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley pictured before a game against the Villanova Wildcats at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Maryland HC Mike Locksley, players discuss 'Weird Feeling' in locker room last season

Originally posted on Maryland Terrapins on SI
By Brandon Walker | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 4:37 PM ET

Maryland is coming off a 4-8 season featuring a 1-8 conference record that, with a roster that featured six players who were selected in last April’s draft, is disappointing to say the least. Players were squabbling over playing time, NIL money, and anything that contributes to losing football games. At Maryland’s Team Media Day on Wednesday, linebacker Daniel Wingate discussed the “weird feeling” that took place in the locker room as the season progressed, and the losses piled up.

"Once the losing started going on, there was a lot of bickering going back and forth, a lot of 'This guy shouldn't be playing; this guy shouldn't be doing that,'" Wingate said at the media day session. "It was a mess."

Daniel Wingate said there was a lot of “weird tension” in Maryland football’s locker room last year.

“Once the losing started going on, there was a lot of bickering going back and forth, a lot of ‘This guy shouldn’t be playing, this guy shouldn’t be doing that. It was a mess.” pic.twitter.com/UjyVcXKwkQ
— Harrison Rich (@harrisonrich_) July 30, 2025

Safety Jalen Huskey confirmed as much—that the root of the issues was NIL and the jealousy that came along with it—during his Media Day session on Wednesday.

"Jealousy with the new approach to the money thing." Huskey said.

Maryland head coach Mike Locksley says now that the team has a “strong foundation,” and those problems should not arise in the locker room this season. Equipped with a more harmonious locker room and a better understanding of NIL deals, the team should be more unified when it faces adversity. Locksley would like to keep last year’s issues in the past with a vastly different-looking squad with two new coordinators in offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and defensive coordinator Ted Monachino.

"Our message has been simple: as we entered into our team meeting yesterday, anything and everything that took place a year ago we ripped off the rearview mirror," Locksley said. "That's the key for this group of young, hungry, talented players, as well as a veteran group of players that knows what it takes to get this program back where we all want it to be.”

Maryland will kick off against Florida Atlantic on Saturday, August 31, at noon on the Big Ten Network.

This article first appeared on Maryland Terrapins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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