Postcards From Nashville: Day 1

This is the first of three installations of Postcards From Nashville. Each day umterps.com will have daily updates on the team’s journey in Nashville ahead of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl against Auburn at 2 pm EST on Saturday, Dec. 30 on ABC.

Maryland football has officially touched down in the Country Music Capital of the World!

Yesterday, the Terps began their five-day, four-night stay in Music City yesterday to kick off the program’s third-straight bowl week. 

“This is my first bowl game ever so I’m just excited to be here and to experience all the cool perks and experiences that come with it,” Saint Francis (PA) transfer Donnell Brown said. “Normally at this time I’m just sitting at my house and working out. It’s cool to still be playing and to get to experience a new city.” 

The Terps landed in Nashville at approximately 4:40 pm CST yesterday and then headed to home base for the week, the beautiful and impressive Gaylord Opryland Hotel—the largest non-casino hotel in all of the United States. And despite its massive size, the Opryland already feels like home to the Terps and their fans with Terpsville signs and banners decked out across the Magnolia section of the hotel. 

“Boy, I got lost like five times yesterday trying to find my room,” said sophomore wideout Octavian Smith Jr. “It’s such a big and beautiful resort. It’s definitely one I could see myself wanting to book a room there if me and my family ever came back to Nashville.”

Once the team arrived, they met for a team meeting before heading in for a rolling buffet featuring favorite foods, including mac and cheese, prime rib, and an ice cream station.

After that, the players had free time to explore Music City at night as the players took in the grand ole’ sights and sounds of Nashville. For many of the players, it was their first time in Nashville ever—and the city certainly did not disappoint.

“I’ve never been here before and I’m not a big country guy, but last night we did some exploring to see what everything was like,” Brown said. “The nightlife looked really cool, and it’s funny that it’s all country everywhere you look. I’m happy that I got to see something different and new.” 

“My first impressions of Nashville…it really is NashVegas,” Smith added. “It’s very cool.” 

This morning marked the team’s first full day and featured offensive, defensive and special teams meetings before the group departed for practice at Ensworth High School. To the player’s excitement, practice was intense and competitive as the team continued to prepare for a match-up against the Tigers, with highlight plays including two consecutive Tai Felton touchdowns, a great adjusting, over-the-shoulder grab from freshman Braeden Wisloski, and a slick juke move from Jeshuan Jones. 

“Practice today was great,” Smith said. “We’re all working hard to complete the ultimate goal which is to come out of here with a win, to continue to develop, and to try to send our seniors off with a bang.”

“It’s technically our last padded practice of the year which is kinda weird,” Brown added. “But I think we’re just trying to enjoy it all, stay in the moment and execute what we need to execute.”

The day isn’t over for the Terps, however. 

Tonight will feature the first official bowl event: a Welcome Party for both teams at the Wildhorse Saloon on the world-famous Broadway Street. The party is expected to include barbeque food, music, and—most excitingly—a hot chicken wing eating contest between select players from the two schools. 

“I’m just excited to see my boy Kaden Prather eat all those chicken wings,” Smith said. “He’s going to represent us Freaks (the wide receiver group).” 

Follow along at umterps.com for more daily updates as the team progresses through the week!