Maryland is trying to stop its season from sliding any further, but the noise around Mike Locksley keeps getting louder.
The Terrapins head to Nebraska needing to snap a two-game losing streak on the road, and the matchup carries a familiar note: Maryland is looking for its second straight win over the Cornhuskers in Lincoln. The teams last met there in 2023, when Jack Howes drilled a game-winning field goal to secure bowl eligibility. This time around, the backdrop is far different.
Last week’s 54-3 loss to UCLA only intensified the scrutiny on Locksley, whose job security has become a major talking point in College Park. Maryland administration has been involved in trying to steady things over the past two weeks, and Locksley has not shied away from acknowledging the questions surrounding him.
On Wednesday, during an appearance on 106.7 with The Junkies, he was asked directly whether he thought his time at Maryland might have been ending in the middle of that blowout loss to UCLA.
"I've got to tell you that those thoughts never crossed my mind. And I say this with all authenticity -- I'll tell you how.
I've been through a lot. I've had some really tough losses.
I mean I've buried a child before. When you start putting things in perspective and that situation has done that for me and maybe one of the silver linings of it is, you know what, what did I do when I found out?
I got up and I did whatever work I had to do to get myself in a position to do that now. And that's what I did when I took the job over here at Maryland.
And that's what -- I'll do it until they tell me I can't."
Locksley also addressed another issue that has drawn attention online: Maryland’s press conferences. The program has faced criticism from media for not allowing follow-up questions, a policy that was communicated to all media during preseason so every reporter in attendance would at least have a chance to ask a question. Locksley said he had also asked Maryland’s PR staff about the backlash, though he noted that issue sits outside his responsibilities.
"I've answered every tough question that has been posed to me. I've even had to answer statements at times, which is different for me as a coach."
In Other News...
Keith Veneys Return Could Matter For Marylands Basketball Pipeline
Keith Veney is back in Maryland high school basketball, and his new job could have ripple effects beyond one gym in Leonardtown. St. Marys Ryken has hired the former Dallas Mavericks player development coach as its boys basketball head coach, giving the program a seasoned hand with experience in the pros, at the high school level and in player development. He replaces Jamal Hulum and arrives with deep ties to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, a familiar proving ground for some of the regions best prospects.
For Maryland, the move is worth watching because Veneys background gives him instant credibility in a part of the state where college coaches regularly track emerging talent. A former NCAA record-holder and professional player, he has spent years around the game in different roles, and that kind of profile can matter when local pipelines are built on relationships as much as results. What happens next at St. Marys Ryken will help show just how much pull he can still have in the DMV basketball scene. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland's Slow Starts Are Becoming A Serious Problem For Malik Washington
Marylands trip to UCLA turned into another lopsided reminder that the first few possessions keep putting the Terps in a hole they cannot climb out of. In the 54-3 loss, the offense again struggled to find rhythm early, and the running game never gave the passing attack much support as injuries continued to thin the group. Coach Michael Locksley pointed to the need for better efficiency on early downs, a theme that has started to loom larger as Maryland tries to steady itself.
For Malik Washington, the burden has only grown heavier when the offense stalls before it ever settles in. He threw four interceptions in the game, part of a night when the Terps had little margin for error and even less help from the ground game. Maryland is hoping a few injured players can return in the coming week, but the bigger issue remains the same: until the opening drives look cleaner, Washington will keep carrying too much of the load. [Read more 🡒]
Caitlin Clark Got Dragged Into A Viral Hawkeyes Hearing Mix-Up
A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing took an odd turn when Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt tried to cast doubt on special counsel Jack Smith by suggesting he had been at an Atlanta Hawks game. The problem was simple enough, and a little more Iowa-friendly: Smith said he was actually at a University of Iowa womens basketball game against Maryland on Feb. 3, 2024, where Caitlin Clark poured in 38 points in a Hawkeyes win.
The mix-up came from texts that referenced a Hawks game, but the context was the Hawkeyes, not the NBA team. For Maryland, it is a strange footnote to a game that already lived in the spotlight because of Clarks performance, and now it has been dragged into a political back-and-forth over where Smith was and what he was doing there. [Read more 🡒]