What To Know About Maryland Terrapins for 2025

Yahoo

04-07-2025

To say that the Maryland Terrapins horrifically underachieved last season was an understatement. Out of 18 teams in the expanded Big Ten, the Terrapins finished 17th, with only one conference victory to their name. This came after the program had made three straight bowl games, seemingly making significant strides under head coach Mike Locksley. However, in a much more competitive conference now, that progress seems to have hit a roadblock for the Terps.
To top it all off, several of Locksley's most important players have departed. Their starting quarterback, Billy Edwards Jr., is now with Wisconsin. Roman Hemby, their leading rusher, is now at Indiana. And their two leading receivers, Tai Felton and Kaden Prather, have departed for the NFL. It seems as if Locksley will have to start over.
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A top-25 recruiting class will have to grow up quickly for the Terps to have any chance of success in the conference. Headlined by four-star in-state QB Malik Washington, this class could prove to be pivotal for the growth of the program and, most importantly, the continuity of the coaching staff.
While 2025 is not projected to be a good year for the Terps, signs of progress could come from this recruiting class should they make significant strides. However, it will be a long time before this Maryland squad competes for titles.
2024 in Review
Nov 23, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins cheerleaders run the state flag over the the student section during the first half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
The Maryland Terrapins certainly did not crown themselves in glory last season at all. With a 4-8 record and an abysmal 1-8 record in the Big Ten, Maryland will be quick to erase last season from their memories. However, there were some highlights to this otherwise dreadful season.
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One of their wins was a 1-point victory over USC at home, where quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. had 373 yards on 50 pass attempts with 2 touchdowns and an interception. However, a very disappointing lowlight came in their final regular season game, where they were trounced by Penn State on the road after scoring the first points of the game 44-7. Whenever it seemed that there were positives to take away, the Terps had to run into a wall first.
What hurts even more is that when you look at the positives for Maryland, they have turned into negatives in the offseason. Roman Hemby surpassed 2,500 all-purpose yards. Now he's a Hoosier. Tai Felton led the Big Ten in receiving yards and receptions. Now he's a Minnesota Viking. Billy Edwards Jr. led the Big Ten in passing yards per game. Now he's a Wisconsin Badger.
Now with a very young team, no matter how talented the incoming class is, Maryland has to pick up the pieces and reset quick,ly or else the rest of the Big Ten will leave them behind.
Head Coach Profile
Oct 19, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley during the second half Southern California Trojans at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
It has been a mixed bag for Mike Locksley in Maryland. Entering his seventh season with the Terps, one can say that he certainly has helped this team progress. In fact, he is very well for his almost instant impact on the team, where in his first two games, the team scored a combined 142 points. Over the years, however, he has not been able to maintain that consistency. It feels like the Terps always take two steps forward and one step back, and Locksley is tasked in a prove-it year to stop the slide.
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One of the saving graces for Locksley is that, despite losing a number of key players to the NFL and the transfer portal, this is a young squad bolstered by his top 25 recruiting class. If several of those prospects, including the aforementioned Malik Washington, pay dividends for coach Locksley, his future in Maryland should be all but secure. However, if the class does not perform to standard, then Locksley may not see another year as head coach.
Long story short, Locksley has to make sure his young team can find a way to grow up quickly...and the time is surely ticking.
Top Offensive Player
Dec 28, 2023; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jalil Farooq (3) runs the ball in the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
If this were last year's squad, I would probably have a wealth of options to pick from. Roman Hemby is ahead of a breakout year. Tai Felton, one of the most underrated wide receivers in the conference. Kaden Prather is a reliable No. 2 option. However, all of these players are gone, and that leaves me with a difficult choice, as there isn't much depth in this offense. Malik Washington, as a top recruit, is still a major question mark, as well as the man he will be battling for the job against, UCLA transfer Justyn Martin, who himself does not have much experience. Running back Nolan Ray looked decent at best in a spot start, and the less we say about the receivers, the better.
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However, if there is one player who could emerge from this ragtag bunch, it is Oklahoma transfer Jalil Farooq. A 36-game starter for the Sooners, he has over 85 receptions and 1,200 receiving yards to his name. He could also be a vital special-teams specialist, as he has over 700 return yards as well. In an offense where there are not a lot of answers, Farooq may just be the most reliable target for whoever emerges from the QB competition.
Top Defensive Player
Dec 30, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Maryland Terrapins defensive back Lavain Scruggs (34) celebrates after intercepting a pass during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Much like the offense, the defense offers nothing much as well. The D-line had only 13.5 sacks, and the secondary struggled mightily as well. Dante Trader Jr., a vital part of that secondary, has departed to the NFL, and either freshmen or redshirt sophomores will be left to paper over any cracks. There is little to no experience to point to in this Terps team, which could see them struggle to generate pressure and turnovers yet again.
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If anything, redshirt junior Lavain Scruggs, if not an elite DB, can offer at the very least experience to a green unit. Only starting 4 games out of Maryland's 12, he recorded 43 tackles(good enough for fifth on the team), 3 pass breakups, and an interception. He is by no means a superstar, especially in a conference loaded with defensive talent, but at this point in the Maryland rebuild, any sense of continuity has to be welcomed as they go to this transitional period. Scruggs may not offer the most hope, but he at least offers something Maryland doesn't necessarily have a lot of.
2025 Schedule Preview
Aug. 30 vs. Florida Atlantic
Sept. 5 (Fri) vs. NIU
Sept. 13 vs. Towson
Sept. 20 at Wisconsin
Oct. 4 vs. Washington
Oct. 11 vs. Nebraska
Oct. 18 at UCLA
Nov. 1 vs. Indiana
Nov. 8 at Rutgers
Nov. 15 at Illinois
Nov. 22 vs. Michigan
Nov. 29 vs. Michigan State
Surprisingly, the Terps escape any significant trouble within the Big Ten and with a tame non-conference slate, have the schedule to be patient with the development of this roster. Florida Atlantic, Northern Illinois, and Towson are not necessarily the most fearsome non-conference opponents to break in a new QB against, so potentially look for a strong start to the season for the Terps, especially if the starting QB has already been established.
The meat of Maryland's schedule, however, comes towards the end of its season. While tough midseason matchups such as Washington and Nebraska at home could be prime slip-up opportunities, Terps fans will be shielding their eyes when they welcome Michigan the second-to-last week of the season. While it could profile to be a battle of former elite QB recruits in Washington and Bryce Underwood, it could also prove to lower the morale of the team should they have lost steam in conference play. Indiana in Week 8 is another daunting matchup. However, by avoiding the conference's big boys, Maryland at the very least has a chance to start anew with an inexperienced roster without facing too many consequences.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: what to know about Maryland Terrapins for 2025