Maryland's Next Chapter: Experience, Belief and the Work to Rewrite the Story
7/30/2026
CHICAGO - Michael Locksley sees something different when he looks at his 2026 Maryland football team.
He sees a sophomore quarterback who has already rewritten the freshman record book. Veteran linemen who have grown together through three seasons. A defense loaded with returning playmakers. And a roster that brings back more production than nearly every team in college football.
For the first time in a while, the Terrapins aren't trying to build a foundation. They're trying to build on one.
That's why Locksley's message entering the season isn't about lofty expectations.
"We're going to do a lot more work and a lot less talking."
The Terrapins return 71 percent of last season's production — the second-highest figure in the nation behind only Notre Dame. Seven of the program's 11 All-Big Ten selections are back. Nearly three-fourths of the defense returns, along with a sophomore quarterback who already owns multiple freshman records.
Now, Maryland believes experience can finally turn painful lessons into victories.
Gallery: 2026 Big Ten Football Media Day
The Last Two Seasons
Locksley doesn't lump the past two years together.
"They were just two different types of 4-8 seasons," he said.
Two years ago, he admitted Maryland simply wasn't competitive enough. Last season was different.
The Terrapins led in 11 of their 12 games. Three conference losses — UCLA, Nebraska and Washington — ended on last-minute touchdowns after Maryland held fourth-quarter leads.
Those losses still sting, but Locksley believes they're also the foundation for what's next.
"When you're able to bring these guys back," he said, "my hope and the wisdom I have from being in this league is that you learn from those losses. They now become lessons."
Maryland fielded one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten in 2025. Now many of those freshmen are sophomores, and the first-time starters are veterans.
The expectation isn't that experience automatically translates into wins.
But Locksley believes it gives Maryland a chance to finally finish games it couldn't close a year ago.
"We are in charge of writing our own story."
Year Two For Malik Washington
No player embodies that story more than quarterback Malik Washington.
As a true freshman, Washington wasn't simply asked to play. He was asked to lead.
He responded by completing 273 passes for 2,963 yards and 17 touchdowns while setting Maryland freshman records for completions and passing yards. He topped 200 passing yards in 11 of 12 games, rushed for 164 yards against Rutgers and threw for 459 yards in the season finale against Michigan State — the second-highest passing total in school history.
His production earned Big Ten Rookie of the Week honors twice and placed him among the conference's most promising young quarterbacks.
But Locksley insists the statistics only tell part of the story.
We're going to do a lot more work and a lot less talking.Maryland Head Coach Michael Locksley
Maryland intentionally simplified its offense last season, asking Washington to master protections, identify defensive fronts and learn the mental side of playing quarterback before expanding the playbook.
"We didn't run the system we recruited him to last year," Locksley said. "We wanted to slow the game down."
Now comes the next step.
With new offensive coordinator Clint Trickett taking over, Maryland plans to return to a more aggressive spread attack while also unleashing a dimension Washington barely showcased last fall.
"We didn't ask him to run," Locksley said. "He has the ability. He's a Cam Newton-size athlete."
Washington's ability to threaten defenses with his legs should create lighter boxes for running back DeJuan Williams while opening explosive opportunities downfield.
The sophomore quarterback isn't focused on expectations.
"For me, it's all about minimizing the moment," Washington said. "At the end of the day, it's just first-and-10. I'm just throwing a slant. I've done it a thousand times."
That calm demeanor is one reason Locksley has trusted him since recruiting him as an eighth grader.
Built Up Front
If Maryland is going to take the next step, it starts in the trenches.
"This is a trench league," Locksley said. "You win games by winning the trenches."
Few players represent that better than center Michael Hershey.
Entering his third season as a starter, Hershey anchors an offensive line that finally has both experience and depth.
Last season, the unit excelled in pass protection and allowed the fewest sacks in the Big Ten.
"We led the country in pass protection," Hershey said. "I'm really proud of the guys."
Now comes the next challenge.
Maryland struggled to establish a consistent running game in 2025, making physicality a major emphasis throughout the offseason.
"We've been working hard to be able to run the ball," Hershey said.
Locksley believes Trickett's creative rushing concepts can help unlock that improvement while pairing with Washington's mobility to stress defenses in new ways.
The offensive line's continuity could become one of Maryland's biggest advantages entering conference play.
We led the country in pass protection. I'm really proud of the guys.Michael Hershey
Defense Ready To Lead
The Terrapins return 74 percent of their defensive production, including All-Big Ten performers Daniel Wingate, Zahir Mathis, Sidney Stewart and Jamare Glasker.
Wingate, despite battling injuries throughout last season, still finished among the conference leaders in tackles.
More importantly, he remains the emotional heartbeat of Maryland's defense.
"It makes it so fun," Wingate said of playing in coordinator Ted Monachino's system. "Play fast, don't worry about too much and just play ball."
That aggressive mentality fits the identity Maryland wants to embrace.
Locksley expects dramatic growth from several young defenders, particularly Stewart and Mathis after both were forced into significant roles as true freshmen.
"They were as advertised," Locksley said.
Now stronger, healthier and another year removed from high school, both players are expected to become foundational pieces of a defense that already returns most of its production.
The arrival of elite freshman edge rusher Zion Elee only adds to that excitement.
The five-star recruit became the highest-rated signee in Maryland history, and Locksley expects him to contribute immediately.
"We'll find ways to create matchups for him," Locksley said.
Building For The Future
Maryland's optimism isn't limited to its returning roster.
The Terrapins signed Rivals' No. 22 recruiting class nationally, highlighted by Elee and several highly regarded local prospects.
Locksley continues to emphasize building through high school recruiting rather than relying exclusively on the transfer portal.
"We have to build our team through the high school draft," he said.
The portal still played an important role.
Maryland reinforced its roster with wide receivers Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding, Chris Durr Jr. and Ejani Shakir while adding defensive linemen Lavon Johnson, Derrick LeBlanc, Armon Parker and Jayvon Parker.
New assistant coaches also bring fresh perspectives.
Trickett inherits the offense after coordinating Jacksonville State's productive attack, while former Maryland stars Randy Starks and Kyle Schmitt return to coach their alma mater.
The roster has changed.
The staff has evolved.
But Locksley's philosophy remains centered on development.
The Time For Talking Is Over
One of the biggest offseason victories may have happened away from the field.
Locksley credited new athletic director Jim Smith and deputy athletic director Diana Sabau with helping stabilize the program through increased resources and a record fundraising year.
Those investments helped Maryland retain much of its roster in an era when player movement has become commonplace.
Combined with nine consecutive NFL Drafts featuring at least one Terrapin selection, the program continues building credibility with recruits and current players alike.
Still, none of that guarantees victories.
Locksley knows expectations are built in August but validated in November.
His biggest priority entering preseason camp isn't installing plays.
It's rediscovering the physical identity Maryland believes it lost.
"We're going to do a lot of 11-on-11 this training camp," he said. "To get back to winning, we've got to get back to the physicality that the Big Ten mandates."
For a program that spent last season learning how to compete, the next challenge is learning how to finish.
The pieces appear to be in place — an experienced quarterback, veteran offensive line, proven defensive leaders and one of the nation's most experienced returning rosters.
Now comes the hard part.
As Locksley reminded everyone in Chicago, Maryland won't talk its way into wins.
The Terrapins intend to earn them.
Maryland opens the 2026 season by hosting Hampton on Sept. 5. Season and single-game tickets can be purchased here.
