After back-to-back 4-8 seasons, the pressure is mounting in College Park. Michael Locksley enters what feels like a pivotal year at the helm of Maryland football, and he’s not standing pat.
The Terps have brought in 31 new players-20 freshmen and 11 transfers-as they look to patch up some glaring holes from last season. And while there were issues on both sides of the ball, two problem areas stood out like a busted coverage on third-and-long: a sputtering run game and a defense that just couldn’t get off the field.
The Offensive Problem: No Push, No Punch
Let’s start with the run game-or, more accurately, the lack of one. Maryland averaged just 101.3 rushing yards per game last season, ranking 124th nationally and second-worst in the Big Ten. That’s a tough number to swallow in a conference built on trench warfare.
The Terps have struggled to establish a consistent ground game for years, often getting overpowered by bigger, more physical defensive fronts. Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton tried just about everything last fall.
Early in the year, he went old-school, using multiple tight ends and even a fullback with Malik Washington under center. When that didn’t move the needle, he pivoted to spread formations-Washington in the shotgun, three or more wideouts on the field.
Zone runs, gap schemes, inside, outside-it didn’t matter. The Terps just couldn’t find daylight.
The Offensive Fix: Rebuilding the Foundation
To address the issue, Maryland is shaking up the offensive line. Two starters from last season-Aliou Bah and Alan Herron-are gone.
In their place, the Terps added Texas State transfer Tellek Lockette, who’s expected to slide into a starting role on the interior. Jaylen Gilchrist, a former four-star prospect who missed most of last year with an injury, is back in the mix and could be a key piece if he’s healthy.
Returning linemen Michael Hershey, Rahtrel Perry, and Isaiah Wright are likely to anchor the rest of the unit.
In the backfield, DeJuan Williams returns as the lead back. He flashed as a receiver last year but rarely had room to operate on the ground.
With better blocking up front, he could finally show what he can do between the tackles. The Terps also added USC transfer Harry Dalton III and will get Bud Coombs back after he missed last season with a preseason injury.
With Malik Washington at quarterback, Maryland doesn’t need to lead the conference in rushing. But they do need to stay on schedule-get four yards on first down, avoid second-and-long, and keep defenses honest.
Too often last year, the offense was stuck behind the sticks, forced into obvious passing downs. That’s a recipe for stalled drives and frustrated fans.
The Defensive Problem: Can’t Get Off the Field
On the other side of the ball, the issue was just as frustrating-third downs. Maryland allowed opponents to convert 45.22% of their third-down attempts, ranking 119th in the country and second-worst in the Big Ten. That’s not just a stat; it’s a symptom of a defense that struggled to control the line of scrimmage.
Defensive coordinator Ted Monachino’s unit did some things well. They generated sacks and takeaways at a respectable clip.
But none of that matters if you can’t get stops when it counts. And the root of the problem was the run defense.
The Terps gave up 186.9 rushing yards per game-107th nationally. Opponents stayed ahead of the chains, setting up manageable third downs and keeping the Maryland defense on the field far too long.
The Defensive Fix: Reinforcements in the Trenches
To fix it, Maryland is overhauling the interior of its defensive line. Four contributors from last season-Dillan Fontus, Dimitry Nicolas, Cam Rice, and Sedrick Smith-are gone.
In their place, the Terps hit the transfer portal hard, bringing in Lavon Johnson, Derrick LeBlanc, Armon Parker, and Jayvon Parker. They also added two freshmen-Cam Brickle II and Jamarcus Whyce-who could factor into the rotation.
That group will join returnees Bryce Jenkins, Joel Starlings, and Eyan Thomas in what has to be a more physical and disciplined front. If Maryland wants to improve on third down, it starts with first and second-stuffing the run, forcing second-and-long, and making offenses one-dimensional.
The silver lining? The Terps might have one of the most exciting young pass-rushing groups in the country.
Zahir Mathis and Sidney Stewart return, and they’ll be joined by five-star freshman Zion Elee, who brings serious juice off the edge. But even the best pass rushers can’t tee off if the offense is sitting pretty on 3rd-and-2.
The Bottom Line
Maryland doesn’t need to be perfect in 2026, but they do need to be better in the trenches-on both sides of the ball. If the offensive line can open up just enough running lanes to keep the offense balanced, and the defensive front can start winning early downs, the Terps have a shot to turn things around.
This is a team with talent. But talent only gets you so far if you’re losing the battle up front. In what could be a make-or-break season for Locksley, Maryland’s identity in the trenches may determine how far they go-and whether they’re still playing meaningful football come November.