Maryland’s season opener looked less like a tune-up and more like a statement, with the Terps rolling past Hampton 62-0 and flashing a rushing attack that immediately changed the feel of this offense.
The spark came on the first snap of DeJuan Williams’ day. The redshirt sophomore ripped off a 94-yard touchdown run, the second-longest in program history, and from there Maryland kept finding ways to stress Hampton on the ground.
Williams finished with just three carries, yet he still accounted for 23% of the Terps’ scrimmage yards and added two touchdowns. He also logged 16% of his total yards from scrimmage last season in the opener alone.
For a team that entered the year desperate for help in the run game, that was the kind of debut it needed.
Maryland did stumble out of the gate in familiar fashion. Even with Clint Trickett installed as the new offensive coordinator, the Terps opened with a three-and-out, and a couple of wide receiver screen calls looked strikingly similar to former offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s 2025 playbook.
The screen-heavy approach and the option game took pressure off Malik Washington, who didn’t complete his first pass of 10 or more air yards until more than 29 minutes had passed. Chris Durr Jr. also had a chance to deliver a deep-ball touchdown earlier, but he never found the ball on a wide-open fade.
Washington, though, settled in when it mattered. With seconds left in the second quarter, he connected with Durr on a scrambling play and then high-pointed a throw to Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding in the back of the end zone to send Maryland into halftime up 34-0.
The sophomore quarterback looked awkward at times on shorter throws, but he was far better when the play broke down. Early in the third quarter, Washington rolled right and hit Gladding again for a 20-yard gain, setting up an eight-yard touchdown run by Iverson Howard. That score was Howard’s second touchdown of the game and the second of his career.
While the offense piled up points, Maryland’s defense smothered Hampton after a shaky start. Glasker had trouble in coverage early, including a play with 12:40 left in the first quarter when he allowed Jalen Woods to find TK Paisant for a 30-yard gain down the right sideline. After that, the Terps’ front took over.
Ted Monachino’s defensive line rotation produced five sacks, and DD Holmes was especially disruptive on one first-quarter drive, collecting two sacks on the same series - one off the left edge and another from tackle on the next snap. Maryland’s interior also controlled the line of scrimmage, holding Hampton to only 10 rushing yards while blanking an offense that averaged 163 rushing yards per game in 2025.
The secondary got in on the action too, intercepting three passes. Jayden Shipps picked off his first career pass late in the first quarter, and Messiah Delhomme added two interceptions, doubling his 2025 total.
With the game long out of hand, Mike Locksley pulled his offensive starters just five minutes into the second half and turned things over to Sacramento State transfer Cardell Williams. He made the most of the final 25 minutes, throwing for 60 yards and a touchdown while adding 49 more yards on the ground. His best throw came on a 16-yard back-corner touchdown to Jordan Scott, who dragged both feet in with 6:09 left in the third quarter.
Three things to know
- The backfield was everywhere.
Even with DeJuan Williams stealing the spotlight, five other running backs made an impact in Maryland’s blowout. Howard’s two touchdowns, along with scores from Harry Dalton III and converted edge-rusher Jianni Davis, accounted for 39% of the Terps’ points.
Maryland finished with six rushing touchdowns, its highest single-game total since an October 2001 game against Duke.
- Zion Elee barely got on the field.
Maryland’s biggest recruiting win in program history didn’t have much of a role in this one. Elee worked mostly with the second team and finished with one tackle early in the fourth quarter.
- The receivers chipped in.
The ground game carried the night, but Maryland’s new wideout group still did its part. Gladding, Durr and freshman Jayden Kitchens combined for 136 receiving yards and helped keep the offense moving while the Terps kept piling on.
In Other News...
Maryland Has A New Team In The State Top 25
Guilford Park has forced its way into the latest High School On SI Maryland Top 25, giving the state rankings a fresh name after a strong start to the 2026 season. The Panthers opened with a 35-6 win over Frederick, a result that helped them crack the list at No. 25 and added another early-season data point for a rankings race that already features the usual heavyweights near the top.
Saint Frances Academy still sits at No. 1, with DeMatha Catholic, Archbishop Spalding, Our Lady of Good Counsel and McDonogh School rounding out the top five. The rest of the board continues to shift with recent results and a handful of ranked matchups on deck, which means Guilford Park will have to back up its first impression quickly if it wants to stay in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Marylands Opener Eased Two Early Concerns In A Big Way
Marylands 2026 opener did more than put Hampton away in a 62-0 rout, it quickly answered two of the biggest early questions facing the Terrapins. The running game looked as explosive as advertised, with Dejuan Williams and Iverson Howard helping fuel a six-touchdown ground effort, while the defense spent the afternoon living in the backfield and making life miserable for an FCS opponent.
The pass rush was a major reason the game never felt competitive, with Derrick LeBlanc and Trey Reddick among the defenders setting the tone. For Maryland, the larger significance is less about the scoreboard than the way it won, because a dominant opener against a weaker opponent can still tell you plenty about how ready a team is to lean on its front lines once the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Marylands First Road Test Comes With More Questions Than The Spread
Marylands season opener went exactly the way a favorite is supposed to handle a much smaller opponent, with a 62-0 rout of Hampton that offered little beyond a clean start. The first real measuring stick comes on the road against UConn, where the Terps are again expected to be in control, but the setup is more interesting than the spread suggests because the Huskies are under new leadership and already look very different from last year.
Jason Candles arrival from Toledo has brought a familiar backbone with him, and that matters for a Maryland team trying to prove the opener was more than a tune-up. The roster includes several of Candles former players, and the transfers give UConn a level of continuity that can make even a heavily favored trip a little less comfortable, especially this early in the season. [Read more 🡒]