Lavon Johnson has already lived a few different versions of college football, but this one feels like the one he wanted all along.
The Maryland defensive lineman spent his first two seasons in College Park before a brief transfer portal detour in Dec. 2024.
He pulled back out about 48 hours later, then changed course again during spring ball and re-entered the portal. That led to a commitment to UNC, a flip to Texas the next day, and then a season with the Longhorns that never really got off the ground.
Johnson said he felt let down by former coaches for “not holding his word on things,” and his 2025 line at Texas ended with just one TFL and five total tackles in seven games.
When he hit the portal again on New Year’s Day, Maryland was the place he already knew he wanted.
“The day I entered, I kind of just knew I wanted to be back here at Maryland. I had different schools reach out to me but I just wanted to play for coach Locks,” Johnson told IBG.
The second portal trip came with its own wrinkle: Johnson did it without an agent. Virginia Tech and USF tried to bring him in, but he knew a reunion in College Park was the move that made the most sense to him.
“My teammates here at Maryland, I just missed being around the guys. I know it’s a different team now, but when I left, we had a tight brotherhood,” Johnson said.
“I had good relationships with my teammates that were here in the [defensive] line room which [were] Jordan Phillips, Tommy Akingbesote, Quashon Fuller. We just had a really good connection.
My main thing was football. I just wanted to be back at Maryland.
It just felt like coming back home was the best situation.”
That sense of comfort has started to build again quickly. Johnson and some of his teammates have already spent time together away from the field this offseason, including a trip to Miami, FL. He also pointed to the kind of bond Messiah Delhomme described last week with the phrase ‘brother’s keeper’ as part of what’s helping this group come together.
“That really helps out the connection that we’re going to need to be successful this season,” Johnson said.
Maryland brought Johnson back as one of four transfer portal additions this offseason, along with Derrick LeBlanc from UCF and the Parker brothers from Washington. It’s part of why head coach Mike Locksley has been upbeat about the depth in the trenches heading toward 2026.
Johnson is also adjusting to a new voice in the defensive meeting room. He previously played under Brian Williams, now at Jacksonville State, and now has Ted Monachino entering his second season as defensive coordinator. From Johnson’s view, the fit is familiar.
“I think they’re both aggressive and that’s what I like about both coordinators. Coach [Brian Williams] was pretty aggressive and coach Monachino, he’s really aggressive with his playcalling.
It’s nothing really much different schematic wise. I just like how aggressive coach Monachino is and he really allows us to get after it,” Johnson said.
That aggression matters because Maryland’s interior group is supposed to carry real weight this season. Johnson said the unit will need to be sturdy if it’s going to become “a dominant defensive line,” especially with the pass rush adjusting to the absence of Zahir Mathis.
Even so, he likes what he has seen from the edge group during fall camp.
“I saw them be dominant in the pass rush and just be dominant at the point of attack. Those guys get after it every day in practice.
I’m very proud of those guys and how they’ve approached fall camp because they’ve been playing with physicality, they’ve been playing with speed, good communication throughout the front seven. And that’s what we need to be successful - great communication even when we’re tired.”
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Marylands Offensive Line Has To Answer One Big Question In 2026
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The bigger question is whether the current depth chart can turn those returning pieces into a cleaner, more consistent unit. Marylands staff has plenty of player grades and last years film to sort through, and that evaluation matters because the answer is not just about who is back, but who is ready to take a step forward. If the Terps want the offense to function with more balance, the line has to do more than hold up in pass protection. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Terrapins, the appeal is not just about landing a highly ranked recruit from Maryland, but about how his skill set could fit into an evolving attack. Early projections have already put Oladotun on the 2027 NBA draft board, a reminder that his ceiling is part of the conversation from day one, even as the real intrigue is how quickly he can translate that promise into meaningful production in College Park. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Could Turn Purdues Best Big Ten Chance Into A Costly Mistake
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The concern for Purdue is the same one that follows teams into these kinds of spots: one bad stretch can undo the whole plan. Sloppy turnovers, missed tackles and another slow start would be especially costly against a Maryland team built to punish mistakes, which is why this one has the feel of a game Purdue cannot afford to get comfortable in. [Read more 🡒]