Maryland WR Dontay Demus Jr. out for season with knee injury

The Maryland Terrapins fell to the unbeaten Iowa Hawkeyes 51-14 Friday and were handed a different kind of loss in the second quarter of that matchup. 

Per Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, Maryland coach Mike Locksley told reporters Tuesday that star wide receiver Dontay Demus Jr. will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury that will require him to have surgery later this week. Demus suffered the setback returning a kickoff and was carted off the field but vowed to return. 

That return was not, however, meant to be. 

As Rittenberg explained, Demus was Maryland's leading receiver across the previous two campaigns and began the first full week of October leading the team with 28 catches, 507 receiving yards and 18.1 yards per reception for 2021. He'll finish his year with three receiving touchdowns. 

Rakim Jarrett, meanwhile, leads Maryland with four touchdown catches this season and has also contributed 21 receptions for 276 yards. Chigoziem Okonkwo has 11 receptions for 89 yards and three touchdowns and initially took Demus' spot on the depth chart ahead of Saturday's contest at the No. 7-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.