The first-year athletic director informed the team of the decision today and told ESPN Maryland is focused on improving financially to reach the level of the Big Ten’s top teams.

“We are working to strengthen our NIL support for 2026 and beyond and have already seen success for next year,” Smith told ESPN. “We are prioritizing roster retention, recruiting and competing in the transfer portal.”

The Terps are in the midst of a six-game skid and boast just one win in Big Ten play for the second straight season. The only Big Ten team worse over the past two seasons is Purdue, which hasn’t won any conference games.

[Maryland football fails to score a touchdown in sixth straight loss, 24-6 to Illinois]

Locksley is 16-41 in Big Ten play at Maryland, with his first full season in 2019. He entered the season with the second-lowest winning percentage among active Power Four coaches who have been at a college for at least seven seasons, The Baltimore Sun reported. The Terps are yet to beat a ranked Big Ten opponent under him.

It would have cost more than $13 million to fire Locksley, according to his contract. Smith told The Sun on Tuesday he would evaluate Locksley after the season — calling it “silly” to do now. Instead of waiting, Smith made his biggest decision yet.

[As Maryland football struggles, Malik Washington shoulders more responsibilities]

Locksley took over a program reeling from the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair. He instilled a new culture and guided Maryland to three straight bowl game wins from 2021-2023 — the first time the Terps accomplished the feat.

“To continue building on this foundation, Coach Locksley needs — and deserves — the full support of our department, our university, and all of Terp Nation. We are fully committed to giving him and our student-athletes the resources and investments necessary to succeed. I have worked closely with Coach Locksley to rapidly strengthen our NIL support for 2026 and beyond, with a clear and focused effort on roster retention, recruiting, and being highly competitive in the transfer portal,” Smith added in the letter.

Locksley curated NFL talent and brought in many talented recruits, including freshman Zahir Mathis, Sidney Stewart and four-star quarterback Malik Washington. But considering his results the past two seasons and the fanbase’s growing impatience, it is surprising Smith committed to Locksley before the season concludes.

Terps quarterback Malik Washington has been sacked just twice. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t endured pressure.

Washington leads the Big Ten in passing attempts, has to compensate for a defense allowing nearly 30 points a game in conference play and boasts four rushing touchdowns — matching the rest of the team’s total. The freshman shoulders immense responsibilities for a struggling team.

Washington accounts for about 73.7 percent — or 2,319 — of the Terps’ combined 3,146 passing and rushing yards, the highest proportion among all starting quarterbacks in the Big Ten, according to a Diamondback analysis.

Locksley said it’s not just Washington. The entire offense is beaten up.

“To be quite honest, we haven’t put a lot on Malik,” Locksley said. “First and second down typically he’s under center, turning off, turning around, handing the ball off.”

The early rushes haven’t eased Washington, though. Through six Big Ten games, Maryland is averaging 3.4 yards a carry on nearly 70 runs on first down. Four of those rushes have gone for double-digit yardage, while five have resulted in negative plays. The early-down difficulties have left Washington in many third-and-long situations, where Locksley said a young quarterback is vulnerable.

[ANALYSIS: Maryland football woes could spell the end for Michael Locksley]

The Terps have converted just 10 of 40 attempts in scenarios with third downs on seven or greater yards in conference play. Their highest conversion rate came against UCLA at 50 percent and their lowest was at Rutgers, picking up a first down on one of eight attempts.

While Maryland racked up 403 yards against the Scarlet Knights, more than half its third downs were greater than seven yards — a key reason the Terps scored only three second-half points.

“The area that’s been the toughest has been, obviously, being able to be efficient at running the ball, especially when we need to run the football,” Locksley said. “We’ve been in second-and-10 quite a bit, and when that happens, those downs are advantageous to the defense.”

Washington missed throws throughout the 35-20 loss to Rutgers, tossing for only 98 yards. He previously became one of three Power Conference true freshman quarterbacks this century to throw for at least 200 yards in his first eight games.

Maryland’s receivers, whose 7.2 percent drop rate ranks second-worst in collegiate power conferences, continued their downturn with only 50 yards against the Scarlet Knights.

[Maryland football at the point of ‘playing for pride’ after lowly loss to Rutgers]

Shaleak Knotts, who leads the Terps in receiving yards, ended with 13. In his last five games, the senior made one catch of more than 30 yards and hasn’t found the end zone. He recorded a 30-plus yard reception in all of Maryland’s first four games, scoring in each.

Senior Octavian Smith Jr. went over 100 yards in consecutive games earlier this season, but boasts just 134 across the past five games.

With senior Jalil Farooq third in receiving yards, uncertainty looms on Washington’s targets next season. If the Terps can’t bolster the receiver room, big plays may continue to be sparse. It could keep pressure on Washington to lead methodical drives with a run game that is among the Big Ten’s most inefficient this season.

“When you’re one dimensional, it makes it easy to defend,” Locksley said.

Maryland’s defense has endured its own woes. The Terps have conceded 72 fourth-quarter points through six conference games. That includes allowing UCLA to reach field goal range with a 35-second, 68-yard drive after Washington orchestrated a game-tying touchdown.

A mix of gut-wrenching and blowout losses raises the question of the mental toll on Washington, considering his high school success. He went 33-3 as Archbishop Spalding’s starter with no conference losses.

“In high school, we didn’t lose too much,” Washington said after Maryland’s loss to Indiana on Nov. 1. “Now I just have to learn how to deal with losses and be able to come back from it and come back stronger.”

Saturday marked a prime opportunity for the Terps to snap a four-game skid and record their first win in November since 2023 — which came against the Scarlet Knights.

Instead, they faltered. Maryland lost to Rutgers, 35-20, at SHI Stadium, despite a season-high 305 rushing yards. Quarterback Malik Washington led with 164 yards on the ground, surpassing his total of 99 entering the game.

“This inexperienced team created an expectation with how they played early, [they’re a] little banged up right now and they keep showing up for me,” coach Michael Locksley said. “It’s my job to remain positive — I have no problem with the expectation that we’ve created.”

During the week, Locksley said a victory over the Scarlet Knights would signify progress for the Terps since it makes five wins — one more than last season. While a low number, he said it would demonstrate “slow progress.”

But Maryland boasts just two Big Ten wins over the past two seasons and is now guaranteed to finish below .500 in conference play. The Terps have done that in all seven seasons under Locksley since 2019.

“I’m not going to evaluate us right now,” Locksley said. “Meet me at the end of the season, I’ll have an end-of-season review for you.”

Maryland’s defense allowed quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to throw for 229 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Antwan Raynond added a career-high 240 rushing yards and receivers were often wide open down the field. Cornerback Jamare Glasker surrendered three touchdowns, with Locksley yelling at the redshirt junior on the bench after one.

[Here are 3 takeaways after Maryland football’s lifeless loss to Indiana]

Rutgers made it a two-score game with just under five minutes when Raymond dashed for a five-yard touchdown. The Scarlet Knights converted a pair of third-downs on the drive.

The Terps, who entered sixth in the Big Ten with 23 sacks, notched just one, while Rutgers failed to sack Washington. The freshman missed some key throws, including a wide open DeJuan Williams out of the backfield on fourth down in opposing territory in the third quarter.

Still, Washington bounced back from his first multi-interception outing against Indiana, where he rushed for one yard on three carries. He has repeatedly said he wants to use his legs more and finished with two total touchdowns against the Scarlet Knights.

“[The run game is] something that we talked about earlier in the season, being able to improve on,” Washington said. “Adding myself into that just helps the offense even more.”

That included a 73-yard read-option on the game’s second play, the longest rush by a Terps quarterback since 2015.

Maryland’s previous longest run this season was 28 yards. It also entered last in the Big Ten in rushing yards, rushing yards per game and rushing attempts. No running back recorded a run of more than four yards against the Hoosiers.

[Meet Chuck Douglas, Maryland athletics’ most online fan]

But the backs joined Washington in a season-best performance Saturday.

Williams averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 14 carries. Redshirt sophomore Nolan Ray, who had 13 rushing yards over the past two games, ended with 77 on five carries against Rutgers, which came in allowing the second most rushing yards per game in the Big Ten.

“I thought Malik’s ability in the run game … opened up the natural run game, where our backs started being able to get some positive yardage,” Locksley said. “It was good to see Malik make that point of emphasis go for us.”

Ray notched a season-high 55-yard run in the second quarter to set up a Washington touchdown pass to receiver Kaleb Webb. The Terps were outscored 21-3 the rest of the way, though.

Maryland is now even with Rutgers at the bottom of the Big Ten with 15 conference wins since the start of the 2020 season.

Locksley referenced in the week how the college football landscape is drastically different than when he took over the Terps. He’s repeated how Maryland is no longer a developmental program amid a growing NIL impact, the transfer portal and conference expansions.

Considering his results the past two years, it feels fair to question what type of program Maryland is.

The seventh-year coach said during the week he felt “pretty good” about the Terps’ chances against No. 2 Indiana on Saturday. Locksley cited Maryland’s prior three games, each one-score losses caused by self-inflicted mistakes. He thought they were correctable.

The Terps instead put together their worst performance of the season. Maryland averaged 2.2 yards a rush, allowed nearly 600 yards and held the ball for less than half the time of Indiana.

“I obviously didn’t coach well enough, the players obviously didn’t execute well enough,” Locksley said. “One of the things that I’ll continue to say is that we’re not going to be victims — we’ll get this thing corrected.”

Here are three takeaways from the Terps’ 55-10 loss.

Turnovers cost Maryland 

Maryland entered Saturday with five turnovers committed and an FBS-leading plus-1.57 turnover differential per game.

Cornerback Jamare Glasker recorded the Terps’ Big Ten-leading 15th interception on the Hoosier’s opening possession. Indiana played turnover-free afterward, while Maryland ended with five.

Malik Washington threw interceptions on consecutive second-quarter possessions, each leading to Indiana scores. The first came when the freshman quarterback tossed a pass directly at a linebacker, the next on a deep shot.

[Fans growing restless as Maryland football drops fourth straight, 55-10 to No. 2 Indiana]

“We talk a lot about being able to protect the ball,” Washington said. “Today we tried to force the issue a little bit, I’ll take that on myself.”

Locksley shouldered blame for Washington’s struggles, which included a fumble in the third quarter returned for a touchdown. Senior receiver Octavian Smith Jr. lost a fumble on the Terps’ next possession and Maryland turned it over on downs on the ensuing drive. Locksley said the “wheels kind of fell off” during that stretch.

While Indiana’s second-ranked Big Ten scoring defense didn’t sack Washington, it consistently forced him to make off-balance throws into tight windows. He was also stuck in third-and-long situations for much of the contest, converting just three of 12 third downs.

Lopsided rushing numbers

Indiana finished with 330 more rushing yards than Maryland.

No Terps running back recorded a rush of more than four yards. Freshman Iverson Howard led on the ground with 12 yards. Running back DeJuan Williams paced the team in receiving for a second straight game, but notched only 10 rushing yards. Washington carried only three times after saying he wanted to use his legs more.

Locksley said Maryland needs to alleviate pressure on Washington better when he’s struggling — something a strong run game can do.

But it’s been absent all year. The Terps rank last in the Big Ten in rushing yards, rushing yards a game and rushing attempts, while Washington sits second in the conference in passing attempts.

“If you got a really talented freshman quarterback, the worst thing you can do is have him get beat up,” Locksley said during the week.

Maryland’s defense continued its own downward spiral in the ground game.

Following consecutive games allowing almost 200 rushing yards, the Terps conceded 367 yards and four rushing touchdowns to the Hoosiers. Including three nonconference games, Maryland is surrendering 186.4 rushing yards a game at SECU Stadium.

[Watching film with Maryland football’s Cam Rice: pass rush, preparation and technique]

“That’s a lot of rushing yards,” graduate student Cam Rice said of the team’s run defense Saturday. “Especially as a defensive lineman, you never want to allow a team to rush like that on you.”

Locksley’s Big Ten woes continue 

The loss moved Locksley to 16-39 in conference play in his current Maryland tenure.

It’s tough to fault Locksley for winning only three Big Ten games across his first two seasons since he took over a program in turmoil after DJ Durkin’s abrupt firing. And despite his inability to beat the conference’s elites, Locksley led the Terps to three consecutive bowl game wins from 2021 to 2023.

But 2024 and the first five Big Ten games of this season have been a major step back.

Maryland is 2-12 in conference play since the start of last season — only Purdue, which hasn’t won a Big Ten game since 2023, boasts fewer wins in the span. The Terps lost their last five games of 2024, losing by an average of 22.6 points.

Locksley expressed belief this campaign will be different. He pointed to a strong relationship with the players, in contrast to last season, where he admitted to losing the locker room.

“Not the same old Maryland,” Locksley said.

Maryland will likely need to record two more wins to earn a bowl game berth and at least somewhat prove its coach right.

If the Terps can’t, doubts may heighten about the leadership surrounding this young, talented team — beginning with Locksley.

The Terps typically have two — one in the morning and another at 2 p.m. — in a cycle that repeats three times a week.

But it isn’t enough for Cam Rice.

The graduate student watches more film on a team-issued iPad alone every evening, typically on his couch or in his room. Rice met with The Diamondback to break down several of his plays this season.

Rice transferred from Ohio to Maryland this offseason and ranks second on the team with 14 hurries this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

“If you’re taking a test and you have the answers, you’re obviously going to do better,” Rice said. “That’s basically what film watching is like … it’s like a cheat sheet for the game.”

pic.twitter.com/5ZFmkakn5S

— Jake Kauderer (@jakekaudclips) October 30, 2025

Rice uses more power moves while on the defensive line’s interior since there’s such little space between him and the offensive lineman. On this play, he sees the guard overcommitting inside and swiftly pushes the gap between the guard and tackle. As a game progresses, Rice will track offensive lineman’s tendencies to rush the opposing quarterback.

[Maryland football mailbag: where Michael Locksley stands amid Terps’ struggles]

He went through that gap to record a sack against Washington after recognizing the guard was covering the area between the center and himself for much of the first half.

pic.twitter.com/DaP4IQE6wc

— Jake Kauderer (@jakekaudclips) October 30, 2025

He also pays attention to the offensive lineman’s eyes before snaps, which can reveal blocking assignments. If an opposing lineman is responsible for Rice, they’ll usually be facing him.

He listens to opponents’ communication, too. If they say a word that starts with the letter “R”, it typically means they’re shifting right, while “L” signals left. Other words signify protections, including max, where tight ends and running backs generally block.

“These guys talk so much and they’ll literally tell you what they’re doing — where they’re sliding, where they’re protecting to, and if you can pick up on that, it’s huge,” Rice said.

The in-game adjustments build off preparation. Maryland defensive line coach Corey Liuget sends out pass-rush reports each week with offensive lineman’s habits. Whether an opponent keeps their hands high, low or leave their chest open can dictate the Terps’ rushing strategy.

pic.twitter.com/ouZf0j6C0q

— Jake Kauderer (@jakekaudclips) October 30, 2025

Rice said Washington’s offensive lineman, using high hands, went all out for an “initial punch.” Rice rapidly used a club-swim move to apply pressure through a different gap between the center and guard.

[Zahir Mathis nearly quit football. Now he’s flourishing at Maryland.]

When advancing on opposing signal-callers, the 6’2’, 303-pound lineman’s background playing quarterback in middle and high school helps him. Rice said the experience gives him an extra sense of where a quarterback will scramble. It showed on his first sack of the year against Wisconsin.

pic.twitter.com/VsLjKMB0uY

— Jake Kauderer (@jakekaudclips) October 30, 2025

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— Jake Kauderer (@jakekaudclips) October 30, 2025

Here, Rice is lined up on the edge and tasked with containing the quarterback. He is looking to grab the opposing offensive lineman’s elbow or wrist — a skill he said Maryland frequently practices — so he can manipulate their movement.

Containing the quarterback is a multi-step process. Rice avoids going too far into the backfield and focuses on staying wide.

“I like being versatile, I like to be able to play any position on the line,” Rice said. “You do have a little bit more space to work out [on the edge].”

Rice ranks second on the Terps in quarterback hits in his first season in College Park. Beyond his on-field impact, he has led in the film room for a young defensive line — one that has Maryland atop the Big Ten in sacks.

Rice wasn’t a big film observer growing up, only seriously starting when he began seeing the field more during his sophomore year at West Liberty University, a Division II college. Now, he considers himself an avid watcher and said it helps him steal a couple plays every game.

“It’s kind of like doing homework, but it’s fun,” Rice said.

Even from across the country, it was the same ending for Maryland football. 

The Terps entered the fourth quarter Saturday against UCLA leading for the third straight week, this time losing on a last second field goal after freshman quarterback Malik Washington led a game-tying drive.

Sports editor Michael Howes, deputy photo editor Akash Raghu and I traveled to California to report on the loss and share immediate takeaways. We also tried In-N-Out Burger and visited the Hollywood Sign and the Santa Monica Pier. Seeing the mountains from Rose Bowl Stadium’s press box wasn’t too shabby, either. 

Edge rusher Zahir Mathis, who came in tied for the team lead in sacks, didn’t play due to injury — his first collegiate game missed. I dove into his journey to Maryland, including a tumultuous recruitment process and injuries that left him questioning if he wanted to keep playing football.

Our Pick of the Week

Zahir Mathis couldn’t feel his neck supporting his body.

The defensive lineman knocked helmets with a linebacker in his sophomore year. He briefly fell unconscious, and awoke panicked to coaches and players by his side.

The collision left him partially paralyzed. Mathis considered quitting football, but after a high school journey filled with injuries and recruiting uncertainty, he found a home at Maryland.

“It was pretty amazing for me just to see it and go through all the ups and downs and all the hardships, and be able to understand that you never want to quit in the game that you love the most,” Mathis said.

Mathis, then at Imhotep Institute Charter High School, was treated for swollen ligaments on his spinal cord and a sprained neck. In his lengthy hospital stay, Mathis needed to relearn how to walk.

“Dad, I don’t know if I’m going to get to do this,” Mathis recalled telling his father.

“You got to dig deep to figure out, how can you get past that point?” His father replied.

Mathis persevered through the injury and ultimately became a Terp after originally committing to Ohio State. Reflecting on the journey, Mathis said he would “never take it back.”

The Highlight Reel

• Ever wondered what it’s like for a college athlete to redshirt? General assignment writer Jillian Hartman spoke with a trio of Maryland redshirt players — who shared distinct insights into the process. 
• Faith Luckey didn’t play in her first two seasons for Maryland women’s soccer, but is now enjoying a breakout campaign.  
• Basketball returns! Maryland women’s basketball scrimmaged against its scout team on Saturday, providing some noteworthy takeaways on a largely new roster. 
• Maryland field hockey dropped consecutive home contests for the first time this season, primarily due to offensive struggles.  
• Olympic gold medalist Quincy Wilson — the youngest American male track and field athlete in Olympic history — visited Maryland on Oct. 11 and chatted with recruiting writer Trevor Gomes.Coach Michael Locksley speaks at the post game news conference after Maryland’s 20-17 loss against UCLA on Oct. 18, 2025. (Akash Raghu/The Diamondback)

Quote of the week

“I’m not gonna ask why. Why is a victim question — I’m not a victim,” coach Michael Locksley said after Maryland football’s loss to UCLA. “I’m going to ask what we need to do, what I need to do to get us to be able to finish these games.”

He repeated “victim” five times in his postgame press conference, emphasizing both his and his players’ need to determine what they can do better — rather than letting the losses define the season.

Up next

• Football is on a bye before hosting No. 2 Indiana on Nov. 1, in danger of falling to .500 for the first time this season.
• No. 4 men’s soccer looks to stay undefeated in a crucial Big Ten matchup with No. 14 Indiana on Friday.
• No. 21 field hockey hits the road hoping to snap its two-game skid against No. 17 Rutgers on Friday.

The freshman quarterback orchestrated a touchdown drive to tie the game with less than a minute remaining.

It didn’t matter.

The Terps’ defense allowed the Bruins to drive 68 yards in 33 seconds as Maryland lost on a game-winning field goal to UCLA, 20-17, at Rose Bowl Stadium. The Terps’ defense has now conceded 44 points across the last three fourth quarters — with three consecutive losses after leading into the fourth.

“Our defense gave us a chance to win the game today, and I thought the other two phases … did not do their parts in order to complement the way we played good defense,” coach Michael Locksley said. “Our lack of offense in the first half and three quarters, it’s disappointing.”

Maryland recorded only 112 passing yards in the second half against a defense that entered without an interception, last in the Big Ten in sacks and third-worst in opponents points per game.

[Zahir Mathis nearly quit football. Now he’s flourishing at Maryland.]

Washington finished with a season-low 210 passing yards and missed throws throughout the contest — including a pass behind receiver Kaleb Webb resulting in a fourth-quarter interception.

Maryland’s (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten) offense scored only three points until Washington’s late drive, including stalling on a few red zone trips. The Terps, who entered averaging the fewest rushing yards in the Big Ten, struggled establishing any ground game.

Running back DeJuan Williams finished with 47 rushing yards on 3.4 yards per carry, though the redshirt freshman did add a team-high 86 receiving yards.

The running woes came after Maryland rushed for nearly five yards per carry against Nebraska in what Locksley said was the team’s best rushing performance this season.

Against the Bruins, Washington led with 67 rushing yards, including 39 on Maryland’s final drive. Locksley said it was by far the best he’d seen the quarterback identify coverage drops and quickly check down or scramble.

“We just got to figure out a way to put it all together,” Washington said. “The past two weeks, we couldn’t get that last drive. This week, we got it, but we needed something earlier in the game.”

Before Maryland’s final drive, the Terps’ sole touchdown came defensively — their fourth of the season and second in two weeks.

[Penalties have been a recurring issue for Maryland football under Michael Locksley]

Cornerback Jamare Glasker intercepted UCLA (3-4, 3-1 Big Ten) quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the third quarter and returned it eight yards for a score. Maryland picked off the sophomore twice and boasts 14 interceptions this season after snagging only nine last year. The Terps’ plus-11 turnover differential ranks atop FBS schools.

But Maryland’s defense, playing shorthanded, allowed 196 yards in the fourth quarter.

Freshman edge rusher Zahir Mathis, who tied for the team’s most sacks across its first six games, missed the contest due to injury. The defensive line was thinned further when edge rusher Trey Reddick was ejected in the first half for targeting.

Leading tackler Daniel Wingate suffered an injury in the second half and safety Jalen Huskey, who notched an interception, was also ejected for targeting. Huskey will miss the first half of the Terps’ next game, while Reddick will not.

“It’s hard, because these are our playmakers, these are our guys who can make a play,” junior defensive lineman Dillan Fontus said.

The conversation three weeks ago revolved around whether Locksley could win after the bye week — which he is now 0-10 after at Maryland after the Washington loss. Recently, it’s shifted more towards the team’s inability to close games, which Locksley said was on him after the loss to Nebraska.

Now, conversations about both will heighten with Maryland on another bye before hosting No. 3 Indiana.

The defensive lineman knocked helmets with a linebacker in his sophomore year. He briefly fell unconscious, and awoke panicked to coaches and players by his side.

The collision left him partially paralyzed. Mathis considered quitting football, but after a high school journey filled with injuries and recruiting uncertainty, he found a home at Maryland.

“It was pretty amazing for me just to see it and go through all the ups and downs and all the hardships, and be able to understand that you never want to quit in the game that you love the most,” Mathis said.

Mathis, then at Imhotep Institute Charter High School, was treated for swollen ligaments on his spinal cord and a sprained neck. In his lengthy hospital stay, Mathis needed to relearn how to walk.

“Dad, I don’t know if I’m going to get to do this,” Mathis recalled telling his father.

“You got to dig deep to figure out, how can you get past that point?” His father replied.

It took the defensive lineman about 15 minutes to take his first step as he started using a walker. Mathis practiced each step for about a month, leading him to light jogging and eventually running before he came back to football.

He alternated running with and without pads throughout the week. Mathis played in his first game about two months later — playing a few snaps in Imhotep’s city championship.

His junior year was supposed to be his breakout. Instead, Mathis missed most of the season with a dislocated knee and torn meniscus.

“I was just thinking, ‘How many times am I going to be putting my life, putting my body, putting my pride — everything on the line for this program,’” Mathis said.

Mathis’ doctor warned that he may be unable to play football again. Undeterred, he focused on rehab and returned toward the end of the season.

[Penalties have been a recurring issue for Maryland football under Michael Locksley]

He played in Imhotep’s final regular season game again before coach Devon Johnson called him out afterward for a lack of focus. The team knelt together — still dressed in white uniforms and red helmets — alongside families, coaches and media members.

There, Johnson told him that his coaches and team expected more from him.

“I just had to look myself in the mirror and really have a man-to-man conversation to figure out, ‘How can Zahir Mathis be the man that everybody expects him to be,’” Mathis said.

Mathis watched practice clips and every game he played in that season. He realized his lack of focus and questioned his love for football.

He barely spoke with coaches and teammates during Imhotep’s playoff run that year, recording multiple sacks a game and leading Imhotep’s title push.

“That was the best football that I ever got out of [Mathis],” said Bruce Carson, Imhotep’s defensive line coach and Mathis’ from a young age. “He was unstoppable.”

Mathis was voted a senior captain the next year, where he typically faced double teams. He said the season was rough because he felt distracted from recruitment speculation.

Coaches from programs including Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State traveled to Imhotep to speak with the four-star. Mathis prepared questions beyond football — looking to attend a college that would help grow his family, business and interpersonal skills.

He formed a close bond with Buckeyes’ defensive line coach Larry Johnson and verbally committed to Ohio State in January 2024. With Mathis deciding only a few weeks after his dominant playoff run, Carson said it was a “starstruck” decision.

Mathis dreamed of attending Ohio State growing up, and visited the college in October 2024. While the team’s facilities were impressive, other conditions didn’t suit him.

He felt players weren’t welcoming, and he never developed a close relationship with coach Ryan Day, who he said didn’t go in depth with answering personal questions in their few conversations.

[Maryland football concedes late score for second straight week, falls 34-31 to Nebraska]

“I wasn’t in a comfortable setting,” Mathis said. “When I got in that position, it automatically, 100 percent, made me believe that that environment wasn’t the home environment that I thought that it would be.”

Mathis decommitted less than a month later. There was still a school that showed consistent interest over the years — Maryland.

Mathis played in the Under Armour All-American game in early January alongside Terps quarterback Malik Washington, who he played with in middle school. On a bus ride during the showcase, Washington described Maryland’s familial bond to Mathis and emphasized how the pair could thrive in the Big Ten.

Coach Michael Locksley said Washington played a “huge factor” in bringing the defensive lineman to Maryland, including telling him that Mathis wanted to visit shortly after their conversation.

Mathis spoke with Locksley before he committed to Ohio State, though Maryland wasn’t on his top-five list at the time. One of Locksley’s lines from their conversation stood out.

“He was going to teach me how to fish,” Mathis said.

That meant Locksley would always be in Mathis’ corner. Devon Johnson said players’ chats with Locksley felt like “talking to an uncle.”

Mathis toured Maryland in January 2025 in what he called one of the best visits he ever had. Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Eyan Thomas guided Mathis over a weekend, showing him food spots, scooter routes and the billiards room in Stamp Student Union. The Terps also rostered many players Mathis already competed with or against.

Mathis’ grandmother visited with him and helped realize Maryland was the right fit on the second day.

“She opened my eyes to see this is the happiest that I’ve been in a long, long time,” Mathis said. “This environment, this program, is something that’s actually going to build me for the real world.”

Mathis committed Feb. 5, becoming Maryland’s top-ranked recruit of the 2025 cycle. He is now tied for the team lead in sacks.

The freshman finds beauty in how the challenges shaped his success.

“It was a lovely journey to go through and throughout the process, it was a lot of stepping stones that I had to fight and face on my own,” Mathis said. “But I would never take it back.”

The Terps ranked in the Big Ten’s bottom three in penalty yards allowed per game in each of the past five seasons, leading the league twice. The struggles have continued this year, peaking in Maryland’s eight-penalty, 100-yard outing during its 34-31 loss to Nebraska on Saturday

“It’s something that is drilled into us,” safety Jalen Huskey said. “If you want to win games, it has to be on the players — we’re on the field, the coaches aren’t out there making the penalties.”

Locksley said avoiding penalties is a learning process for players, comparing it to parents teaching their kids. He pushed back on calling his team undisciplined after conceding 100 yards on penalties in the season opener — instead labeling it a “focus issue.”

But the Terps’ 100-yard mark Saturday included three unsportsmanlike conduct infractions within the span of four minutes in the second quarter, making it difficult to ignore discipline issues.

Each violation had no impact on the respective plays.

[Maryland football concedes late score for second straight week, falls 34-31 to Nebraska]

Freshman Nahsir Taylor committed the first on a kickoff touchback, when he shoved a player well after the whistle blew. Locksley and defensive coordinator Ted Monachino immediately spoke with him on the sideline.

“Those after-the-play penalties are critical,” Locksley said. “We can’t rely on officials, and we can’t obviously do things that allow us to give things away.”

Maryland proceeded to go three-and-out and committed kick-catch interference on the ensuing punt. The infraction set Nebraska up in opposing territory, leading to a quick touchdown.

The Cornhuskers regained possession soon after. Redshirt sophomore Eyan Thomas drew another unsportsmanlike conduct call when he slammed a Cornhusker while he was already on the ground. During an interception two plays later, graduate student Cam Rice was flagged for decking quarterback Dylan Raiola late near the sideline.

[Behind Maryland football’s early-season success is a dynamic freshman class]

The Terps trailed at halftime for the first time this season. Still, Maryland committed fewer penalties in the second half — just two.

One proved costly, though. With under a minute remaining in the game and the Terps driving near midfield, freshman quarterback Malik Washington was flagged for intentional grounding while just inside the tackle box.

The Terps were penalized 15 yards on the play and failed to secure another first down. They dropped their second consecutive one-score contest at home, despite winning the turnover battle, 3-0.

Maryland boasts the most interceptions in the Big Ten, but also ranks bottom-three in penalties per game. On Saturday, the issue limited the Terps from building a multiple-possession lead at any point.

Cutting penalties in the final six games could provide Maryland with an edge it hasn’t had under Locksley.

“Penalties happen when players play beyond the whistle,” Locksley said. “[Players] don’t always do exactly what you say when you tell them. But at some point, they’ll learn, and we’ll continue to make the necessary changes.”

They force them to sit with a different group each time and encourage them to share stories and reflect on deep questions, sometimes invoking cries and hugs in the process.

The bonding method that started over the offseason is important for a youthful roster. Maryland’s freshmen have fueled its early success this season — helping usher in coach Michael Locksley’s new win-now standard.

“[This year] feels a little bit different because of the levels in which [freshman] have been able to come in … more ready than most of the freshmen that we’ve had to play over the years,” Locksley said.

The three true freshman starters — Malik Washington, Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis — are the Terps’ most since Locksley became coach in 2019. Washington has already broken multiple true-freshman quarterback records through five games, while Stewart and Mathis lead the team in sacks.

Locksley stressed a developmental approach with young players in past seasons. But with name, image and likeness now playing a key role in roster building, he said freshmen are expected to immediately contribute.

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“When you pay people to do a job, people have a different expectation,” Locksley said. “Even the freshmen, you can’t negotiate that standard.”

Still, Locksley made adjustments for a young offense.

Maryland plays with less pace, rarely going no-huddle, and simplified verbiage. Locksley said new players not memorizing as many signals helps them see the field quicker.

Washington, who arrived in College Park last spring, leads the new offense. The Archbishop Spalding product ranks second in the Big Ten in completions, seventh in passing yards and has thrown only two interceptions.

“Since the day that he came up and stepped in the doors at Maryland, he’s just always been a professional,” guard Isaiah Wright said. “Doesn’t seem like a nervous guy at all. He shows up and he’s comfortable.”

Washington suffered his first collegiate loss and first overall in more than 700 days in his latest game against the Huskies. But his impact stretches beyond the field — including his ability to attract recruits.

Washington played alongside Mathis in middle school for the Maryland Heat travel team. Early this year, he helped Maryland recruit Mathis, who re-opened his recruitment after decommitting from Ohio State. Washington promoted the familial sense the program provides.

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“[Washington] is just inspirational,” Mathis said. “He knew my situation, and he knew the position I was in and he didn’t have to think twice to help me at all. He took it upon himself to help me in the process of finding a home.”

Mathis already blocked a kick and is tied for fifth in the Big Ten in sacks, helping Maryland lead the conference with 19 this season after it recorded a Big Ten-low 14 last year.

Stewart is the other major difference in Maryland’s pass-rush.

The defensive lineman leads true freshmen nationally with more than four sacks, also pacing the Terps with seven tackles-for-loss. He admitted he felt a “little bit of pressure” when he first arrived on campus in the spring, but said he now feels comfortable.

Stewart noted many programs disregard freshmen regardless of how they perform, and he appreciates the Terps’ immediate trust. He, Mathis and Washington have arguably been Maryland’s most impactful players.

“I really like this team, like I said, they’re just young and dumb and don’t know what they don’t know,” Locksley said. “They don’t play cautious, they don’t play fearful, they don’t play as if they’ve already experienced bad things.”