A Man of Many Talents

Corey Dyches can do it all. 

Music, basketball, and, of course, football—Dyches excels at each one. 

He's released multiple songs and music videos with thousands of views. He also could have played college basketball. 

Most importantly for Terp fans, the tight end will play a significant role on an already potent Maryland offense this season.

"He's developed his body, his technique has gotten better, he's gotten stronger, his mental aspect of the game has gotten better," senior linebacker Durell Nchami said. "I'm super proud of him, especially as an older brother looking out for him. If he keeps putting the work in, he's gonna be something great."

Music surrounded the Oxon Hill native from a young age. His mom, Dionne, attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and sang with Dyches' grandfather in the choir. Dyches and his brothers also grew up singing in the choir. 

"That's where we get the singing from, most definitely," Dyches said of his mom.

Dyches started making his own music in high school alongside his brothers. As a junior, he even featured Dionne on a track. He has continued creating music throughout his time as Terp, utilizing the recording studio right in Jones-Hill House. 

He likes listening to music just as much and cites YoungBoy and NoCap as two of his top rappers right now.

And while he looks to those two and others for inspiration, he very much likes to carve his own path. 

"I also have my own flow, everybody's voice is different," Dyches said. "You kinda factor (those others) in and you just grow."

Dyches always tries to have fun with his music and music videos, often bringing along friends and teammates to participate with him. However, he also takes it very seriously and ensures that his work stands out from others.

"Though it is fun, it can get challenging sometimes to think of stuff," Dyches said. "I like to be creative; I don't like to make repetitive stuff so it takes time sometimes. But that's the right thing to do, take time with it. I like to hear it perfectly." 

Dyches hasn't dropped a new song or video since around Christmas last year but plans to release some music during the season at some point after the busy fall camp schedule concludes.

"I honestly just like hearing myself; it's different from listening to other rappers," Dyches said.

When he wasn't making music at Potomac High School, Dyches was excelling equally on the basketball court and football field. As a senior, he earned First Team All-Met honors in both sports. 

Dyches had a big decision to make heading into college with opportunities to play both. After much deliberation, he opted to go with football and the Terps. 

Dyches came into Maryland as a four-star wide receiver with elite athleticism. However, Locksley saw Dyches's potential at tight end and convinced him to make the switch. 

It was another tough decision that has paid off dividends for Dyches. The combination of that same athleticism with his powerful, tight end frame has made him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. 

"I know it makes it harder for defenses not knowing how to cover me," Dyches said. "Usually for a tight end, you wouldn't make certain adjustments, you'd treat it much differently. It makes us a better offense because I can be used anywhere on the field."

The transition wasn't always a smooth one. Dyches was a little hesitant initially and had some initial challenges with the uptick in physicality. 

"When I made that switch, I was a little bit scared," Dyches said. "Now I understand why Coach Locksley made that change. I had the physicality for it; it was just a mindset thing at first."

Dyches' decision to choose football over basketball remains difficult for him to this day, but it has paid off in dividends. In the Terps' bowl-clinching 40-16 win at Rutgers in the final game of last year's regular season, Dyches caught a pair of touchdowns for the most significant performance of his college career.

Dyches found and still finds he can take aspects from basketball to help his football game and vice versa. 

"A lot of things correlate from basketball to football," Dyches said. "I even think now if I went back to playing basketball, a lot of football stuff correlates to basketball, so I'd be even better. They just kinda complement each other."

Dyches is confident that he can still hoop with the best of them. So when asked to pick his starting five from the current football roster, he has no hesitations about his role. 

"I'm (starting) at the point."

With all his other talents, it might be easy to forget just how skilled Dyches is on the football field. 

Last season, he appeared in all 13 games and totaled 19 receptions for 208 yards and four touchdowns. He also made two starts alongside star tight end Chigoziem "Chig" Okonkwo. 

Okonkwo was one of quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa's favorite targets last season, ranking second on the team with 52 receptions for 447 yards and hauling in a team-high tying five receiving touchdowns. However, with Okonkwo, a fourth-round draft pick by the Tennessee Titans, now in the NFL, there's a big hole to fill at tight end. 

Dyches is poised to be one of the guys stepping into that role. 

"(Corey's) on track to be that type of player for us," coach Michael Locksley said.

Okonkwo sings high praises for his former backup. 

"He's a great kid," Okonkwo said. "He's a hard-worker and very talented with his ball skills. I'm very excited to see what happens for him this year. He's gonna take on a bigger role now that I'm gone. It's gonna be his room now to step up and control."

Dyches learned a lot from Okonkwo during their time together as Terps. 

"He really trained my mindset to just go hard every day because you never know when your last day is," Dyches said. "It's living proof that he can do everything right and end up in the NFL, so I know it's possible for me to do the same thing. We worked together and I've grown just watching him over time." 

This year, Dyches is relishing the opportunity to be a leader in his own right to the rest of a young and less experienced tight end room.

"It's really exciting," Dyches said of his new role. "Last year, I was watching the leaders lead and now I'm becoming one of the leaders. It's a big change, but I'm ready for it. I can't wait to help lead my team in any way possible." 

Dyches has also grown to appreciate the dirty work tight ends put in daily.

"Receiver is known as a swaggier position, and I've always been used to that," Dyches said. "But coming to tight end, you're getting down and dirty. It was challenging at first, but now I've realized the benefits of it."

Dyches has spent time with both position groups in workouts over the past year and has impressed his teammates immensely. 

"I love what I've seen out of him," offensive lineman Mason Lunsford said. "He's just a really athletic tight end. He can pretty much do everything. He can run a route better than some receivers I've seen."

The wide receivers are equally happy to claim Dyches as one of their own.

"He's most definitely one of us," Jacob Copeland said. "He's a receiver for sure, he's just at the tight end position. He works smoothly in everything he does. He doesn't look like a tight end."

Dyches' versatility will be critical for the Terps' offense this year. 

"He's a guy that we can use and we can create mismatches for the defense with his athleticism and the way he plays," offensive coordinator Dan Enos said. "He's a niche player. He does things that a lot of guys can't do." 

Dyches cites George Kittle, Kyle Pitts, and Travis Kelce as some of his favorite NFL tight ends to watch and study.

However, just as it's important to him to carve his own path within the music world, Dyches wants to be remembered as his own player too. 

"At the end of the day, I'm Corey Dyches and everybody's gotta do it their own way," he said. 

Dyches is poised to have quite the season if his teammates' impressions are any indication. 

"I feel like he's gonna be one of the top tight ends in the country this year," Copeland said.