Maryland coach Mike Locksley spent Monday looking ahead to UConn, and he made clear the Terrapins aren’t treating this one like a soft landing after Week 1.
The Huskies come to College Park for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday, Sept. 12, and Locksley said the focus has already shifted after the Hampton game. He said Maryland “closed the book on Hampton on Sunday,” used Monday as the players’ day off, then went back through the tape to clean up what needed fixing before turning its attention to the next opponent.
He also took a moment to praise the Maryland student section, saying “10,000 students” showed up at the start of the game and helped carry the momentum into halftime.
Locksley described UConn as a team he respects, pointing to head coach Jason Candle and the staff he has assembled. He said UConn is coming off a big year, with many of those players returning after the program became bowl eligible a year ago. Locksley added that Candle’s success at Toledo matters here, especially because of how he brought several of those same players with him to UConn.
For Locksley, the Huskies’ offense starts at quarterback. He said the quarterback is a dual-threat player who operates the RPO game well, extends plays with his feet and adds value as a runner.
He said Maryland’s defense has to be sharp against UConn quarterback Kalieb Osborne by keeping rush lanes intact and staying disciplined when plays break down. Locksley stressed that the Terps can’t get locked in on the man and lose track of coverage responsibilities once Osborne starts extending plays. In those scramble situations, he said, the defense has to find work and stay in its pass-rush lanes.
On the other side of the ball, Locksley said UConn’s best defensive player is linebacker K’Von Sherman, whom he referred to as “zero.” He called Sherman an older player who started at Hutchinson Community College, moved on to Toledo and then followed Candle to UConn. Locksley said the Huskies use a 4-2-5 look with split-field coverage and that Sherman is dangerous as a blitzer and pass rusher, especially with interior pressures.
Locksley said Maryland’s first road trip with this version of the team will be an important test, especially with the environment at Rentschler Field. He said he has coached there before and expects strong fan support and a tough setting.
The captains for the week are Daniel Owens, Isaiah Wright and Lavain Scruggs.
Locksley also addressed the debut of edge rusher Zion Elee, saying the freshman was “super frustrated” after coming close to a sack and not finishing it. Locksley said he had to remind Elee that he still affected the play even without the takedown. He pointed to the tape, saying Elee drew double teams, forced quick throws and errant throws, and held up well against the run for a young player.
The outside linebacker room drew strong praise too. Locksley said that group has been one of the team’s strengths all summer because of the depth Maryland has built there.
He mentioned Nahsir Taylor, Elee and DD Holmes, who was one of the team’s Players of the Game after recording two sacks and making a major impact when Maryland needed it. Locksley credited Ted Monachino with developing that depth at key spots in the 3-4 system.
On offense, Locksley said the Week 1 balance showed up in the numbers: 15 explosives overall, with eight in the run game and seven in the passing game. He said that compared with a year ago, when Maryland had only nine explosive runs all season, it was encouraging to see both parts of the offense produce. He added that the Terps played a lot of young players early and that by the end of the game they weren’t throwing the ball, but he was pleased with the explosive plays they created.
Locksley also tied the team’s blocking to its broader identity, saying a championship mindset comes from standards, from not watching the scoreboard and from doing the work Monday through Friday to be ready on Saturday.
He finished by singling out Michael Hershey, calling him “Chop wood, carry water.” Locksley said Hershey is a quiet presence whose words carry weight with his teammates. He said the young player has been a starter from day one and that when Hershey speaks, it matters.
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Marylands Ground Game Faces A New Test At UConn
Marylands trip to Storrs brings a little extra edge with it, especially for a ground game that is about to see a different kind of front. The Terrapins are back at UConn for the first time since 2013, and both sides have spent the week sizing up what should be a more demanding matchup than the Huskies last outing. UConn coach Jason Candle has already acknowledged Maryland as a tougher test, while Mike Locksley has singled out linebacker KVon Sherman as one of the names worth watching in the buildup.
The part that could make this game especially interesting is how UConns defense may look once its interior gets a boost. Defensive tackle Esean Carter has been cleared by the NCAA to play this season and could soon be in the mix, giving the Huskies another body to throw at Maryland up front. For a Terps offense trying to establish its run and keep its line steady, that adds one more variable to a matchup that already feels different from the usual early-season tune-up. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Fans Will Be Watching Malik Washington For One Big Reason
Malik Washingtons first start for Maryland came in a lopsided opener against Hampton, and the Terrapins left with a 62-0 win that gave the new quarterback a comfortable backdrop to settle in. Washington completed 19 of 31 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown, with some early misses giving way to a steadier rhythm as the game unfolded. Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding was the busiest target in the passing game and came away encouraged by the chemistry he saw developing with his quarterback.
That connection is going to be a focal point for Maryland fans watching the offense move into bigger tests, especially because Washingtons accuracy was uneven before he found a better groove. If the Terrapins are going to build on a shutout start, they will need their passing game to look more reliable from the outset, and the relationship between Washington and Gladding already feels like one of the clearest places to keep an eye on. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Enters A Bigger Test Than UConn With Distractions Building
Maryland heads into a tricky road trip to UConn with the kind of opponent-focused urgency that comes with a pivotal stretch of the season. The Terrapins know the assignment starts with staying disciplined against dual-threat quarterback Kalieb Osborne, while keeping their own defensive structure intact and leaning on what Michael Locksley sees as strengths, including the outside linebacker group and an offense that has shown more explosiveness.
There is also a quieter layer to the week around personnel matters the program has kept largely in-house, part of the backdrop as Maryland continues to talk about its Championship Mindset. Locksley has made it clear the staff is handling sensitive issues internally while trying to keep the group locked in on the field, which only adds to the sense that this game is about more than a simple Big Ten-to-American matchup. [Read more 🡒]