UConn may be getting a timely boost in the middle just as Maryland arrives in Storrs with a much bigger test in hand.
Defensive tackle Esean Carter is expected back for the Huskies this weekend after the NCAA overturned his ineligible ruling and cleared him for the 2026 season. That opens the door for the sixth-year lineman to make his season debut against a Maryland team that flashed real punch on the ground in its opener.
Carter’s return matters because he brings more than just experience. The Michigan native, who was high school teammates with former Maryland running back Peny Boone, wrapped up his run at Toledo as a third-team All-MAC selection in 2025 after piling up 36 tackles and three sacks. At 6-foot-2 and 292 pounds, he gives UConn a body inside that could immediately complicate things for Maryland’s interior offensive line - even if the Huskies are easing him back carefully.
“He just hadn't been to practice for the last couple weeks. Just to throw that guy in there on Saturday and make him play 12, 15, 20, 30 plays, that's not fair. So he's going to have a good week this week, and hopefully we’ll have him to full strength by Saturday,” Candle said.
That’s the balance for UConn: getting a veteran defender back without asking him to do too much too soon. The Huskies were dominant against Lafayette, allowing only 64 total yards and 2.1 yards per carry, and first-year head coach Jason Candle said this week that Maryland presents a far tougher challenge than the one he saw in Week 1.
“Coach Locksley has done a great job of building a team from the ground up through recruiting, and you know, they look like a Big Ten football team,” Candle said this week. “They have great size.
They got length at every position. They can run.”
Maryland made that clear in its opener, rushing for 365 yards against Hampton - the fifth-most by any FBS team in Week 1 - as first-year offensive coordinator Clint Trickett tries to settle the attack into a rhythm in Week 2. Candle said the Terps have the kind of roster that looks built for the conference they play in, with size, speed and talent all over the field.
“They look like a team that has the resources to build a Big Ten football team. They're big at every position.
They’ve got great speed, team speed. They’ve got playmakers at running back, at receiver.
Exceptional quarterback play through this young man's career so far, he progressively gets better. I think they've done a good job as an offensive staff putting plans around him, especially Saturday where he could have early success,” Candle said.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley singled out linebacker K’Von Sherman after his opener, when Sherman posted five tackles, four solo stops, two tackles for loss and a sack. But with Carter potentially back in the rotation, UConn’s biggest swing piece may be in the trenches, where his presence could shape how the Huskies handle Maryland’s run game from the start.
In Other News...
Locksley Just Made Marylands Biggest UConn Concern Clear
After Marylands first game, Mike Locksley spent time on the practical stuff every coach has to manage early in a season: player health, recovery and how the roster looks as the Terrapins turn their attention to UConn. He also started laying out the scouting report for Saturdays matchup, pointing to quarterback Kalieb Osborne and the Huskies overall defensive shape as the next test for a Maryland team still settling in after its opener.
Locksleys read on UConn makes clear this is not the kind of game Maryland can treat casually, especially with a defense that has a few pieces worth circling before kickoff. He also touched on edge rusher Zion Elees debut and named the captains for the upcoming game, giving the week a more finished feel even as the staff continues sorting out what carried over from the opener and what still needs tightening. [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 🡒]