Maryland’s placement in the Big Ten Media Poll doesn’t exactly shout contender, but it does say plenty about where Buzz Williams’ program stands heading into 2026-27. The Terps were picked 11th, a number that reflects last season’s 12-21 record, the 4-16 mark in conference play, and the fact that Maryland finished without a postseason berth. It also leaves room for the possibility that this group is about to make a much louder move than the ranking suggests.
That’s the part the rest of the conference has to watch. Williams has built a reputation for reviving programs quickly, and Year 2 usually brings the leap.
At Virginia Tech, he went from 11-22 to 20 wins in one season. At Texas A&M, his first two years totaled a 24-24 record before the Aggies broke through with a 27-13 campaign in his third season.
Maryland is now trying to follow that same script.
The formula has been pretty clear wherever he’s coached: physicality, relentlessness, and a hard edge on the possession battle. Last year’s roster didn’t fully match that approach, but this one looks much better suited to it. Bigger, deeper and more experienced, Maryland now has the kind of team that can actually play the way Williams wants.
One of the most telling additions is Tomislav Buljan, whose presence changes the way Maryland can attack the glass. Offensive rebounding has been a calling card for Williams’ best teams, and the numbers back it up.
During his final three seasons at Texas A&M, the Aggies finished fifth, first and first nationally in offensive rebounding rate. Maryland finished 73rd last season, which is solid, but not close to the standard Williams has traditionally demanded.
Buljan fits that need perfectly. He was the fifth-best offensive rebounder in college basketball last year, and he brings the kind of interior force that can change possessions in a hurry.
His value isn’t just in the stats column, either. He gives the Terps a real paint presence, creates second chances and adds a physical tone that was missing a year ago.
For a team that struggled to score consistently, that kind of edge matters.
The other major area of concern from last season was turnovers, or more specifically, Maryland’s inability to force them. Williams’ teams have usually been disruptive and aggressive, the kind of defenses that force mistakes and turn them into easy offense.
Maryland didn’t do that nearly enough, finishing with a turnover rate forced on just 14.9 percent of defensive possessions, which ranked 296th nationally. Too often, the Terps were reacting instead of dictating.
That’s where Bishop Boswell and DJ Wagner come in. The two guards add size and strength to the backcourt, along with the ability to pressure the ball, navigate screens and create offense off defense. Their arrival should give Maryland a much higher defensive ceiling and bring the kind of pressure Williams has leaned on throughout his coaching career.
The roster alignment goes beyond those additions, though. Maryland’s group now looks more like a Williams team than the one he inherited, and that’s why the No. 11 projection feels more like a temporary label than a permanent ceiling.
The Terps are stronger, more athletic and better equipped to play the bruising, possession-heavy style that has worked for him before. Add in the returning core, and the pieces are there for a real jump.
Preseason All-Big Ten pick Pharrel Payne is part of that picture after missing time last season, and Williams had a simple way of describing him: "He’s one of the better human beings I’ve ever coached."
Maryland has also revealed its 2026-27 conference schedule, adding another layer to a season that already feels loaded with possibility. The Terps may not be viewed as a Big Ten heavyweight yet, but the ingredients for a fast climb are in place. Williams has done this before, and this roster looks built to follow the same path.
In Other News...
Maryland Finally Got Tight End Production And It Still Wasn't Enough
Marylands tight end room gave the offense a lift in the first half of its homecoming game, which is the kind of development the Terrapins had been searching for as conference play kept grinding on. Preston Howard came up with a 25-yard catch, Damon Hall Jr. found the end zone for the first time in his career, and Dorian Fleming was again a steady presence in the passing game as Maryland tried to keep pace at home.
Fleming finished with two touchdown catches and extended his consecutive-catch streak to 16 games, a reminder that the position has become one of the more reliable parts of the offense. Even with that boost, Maryland still came up short in a 37-30 loss, a defeat that stretched its conference losing streak to 12 games and left the team looking for answers despite finally getting the production it wanted from tight end. [Read more 🡒]
Marylands New-Look Offense Just Raised A Bigger Question
Marylands exhibition win over West Virginia offered an early glimpse of how much this new-look offense can change the feel of a game. Pharrel Payne and Andre Mills drove the scoring with big nights, and the Terps got something else out of the matchup too: a chance to work through a variety of game situations before the results start counting for real. Even in a game that required a comeback, the tempo and shot creation suggested this group has more options than last seasons version.
The bigger question, though, is how cleanly Maryland can sustain that style once the competition tightens and the turnovers start to matter even more. The Terps have already shown some early issues in that area, and an exhibition that tested their composure from start to finish should give the staff plenty to sort through. For a team trying to build around new pieces, the talent is obvious. The challenge now is turning those flashes into something steadier. [Read more 🡒]