By: Eli Davis – Media Relations Student Assistant

DJ Durkin welcomed four freshmen to campus this past spring semester as early enrollees. On the surface they are bound by similarities – newcomers to the team navigating their way through campus and the complex lifestyle of a student-athlete.

However, that is where their resemblances end. Each has taken a unique, yet arduous path, which has resulted in their fortunes of becoming a Maryland Terrapin.   

While two hail from the state of Maryland, one was a highly regarded defensive lineman prospect out of Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, garnering attention from many of the blue bloods of college football before pledging to the Terps, but a string of injuries has derailed his initial start time.

His counterpart was often overlooked despite earning Maryland State Gatorade Player of the Year acknowledgment while racing to a record seven touchdown performance in the state title game – a 55-14 victory for his Damascus Swarmin' Hornets.   

The third, a soft-spoken defensive back who has hopped on board the newfound recruiting pipeline from Florida to College Park, turned down a bevy of other Big Ten offers to compete under the defensive philosophies of Durkin.

The final rookie is where things take a very interesting turn in the form of a 27-year-old Australian punter. Among the more uncommon journeys to land on Route 1, he competed semi-professionally for many years in his native country while training at the highly regarded Prokick Australia, which has produced a number of college and NFL punters and kickers.

Despite their differences, Adam McLean, Jake Funk, Antwaine Richardson and Wade Lees now have more in common than anyone ever thought possible.   

McLean and Richardson have formed a bond centered on their recoveries from respective knee injuries. Both used their time during spring practice to literally and figuratively get their legs under them.

“It was the first time being back out there since my injury, trying to get in the rhythm of things,” McLean said. “I felt like I did really well and my knee responded really well.”

Richardson echoed a similar sentiment, praising the training staff in helping him build strength and confidence as he makes his way back onto the field.

Funk, the phenom running back, is used to finding holes in the offensive line and attempting to burst through a McLean tackle as the two squared off on numerous occasions in high school.

Now, as a small group of freshmen, the unit is constantly lending support and enjoys bearing witness to each other's success.

“Jake Funk, he hit the ground running and he had a blast,” McLean can now happily say of his new teammate. “I knew he was going to come in here and do his thing. Some guys just have it and you know they do. And that is Jake's deal.”

Many have taken notice of his deal, too. Funk is appreciative of the encouragement he has already received from the coaching staff and fans, noting seeing familiar faces from his Damascus days cheering him on at the Terps' annual Red-White spring game.

“Coach Durkin told me I could contribute as a freshman and enrolling early would definitely help me get to that level of contributing,” he said. “I got a whole lot of support from my community and a lot of people in this state. To have that support continue from high school into college is great.”

The non-Marylanders of the bunch, Lees and Richardson have been able to commiserate over one detail in particular – the weather. Transitioning to the multiple feet of snow that blanketed College Park at the start of the spring semester was not easy for the Melbourne and Delray Beach natives.

But if the weather proves to be the most difficult part of adjusting to life as a college football player, Durkin will be pleased with his first crop of freshman.

As they continue to bloom and remain eager to welcome the rest of their class for summer practices, the diverse foursome have an ever-growing chemistry.

“They keep me young,” Lees joked. “Everyone is learning. Practice 15 was a lot better than practice one. Everyone is getting on board and trusting the process.”

While their differences define who they are, it is now their newfound commonalities that unite them.     

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