Opponent Q&A: Maryland Terrapins

Ahead of a big road game for the Huskies in which they’ll rack up plenty of miles, I got the chance to talk to Testudo Times, SB Nation’s Maryland blog, about the Terps!

MS: This is year 7 for Terps coach Mike Locksley, and he’s off to a 4-0 start. What do you make of the start to the 2025 season, and Locksley’s tenure at large?

TT: This has been a far better start to the season than I anticipated. I think a substantial portion of the team’s success can be attributed to the team’s youth movement. This is the first year I’ve covered the team where a significant portion of the previous year’s recruiting class has made such a difference — Locksley has also allowed true freshmen to speak to the media, which has typically not been allowed during his tenure. As for Locksley himself, he’s had an up-and-down coaching career at Maryland record-wise. Still, he has led the Terps to three bowl games, and has always been a great recruiter — he’s currently looking to lock down 2026 five-star local commit Zion Elee in December.

MS: For this season, Maryland hired Pep Hamilton to serve as their OC. Hamilton is widely known around coaching circles for being something of a quarterback whisperer, having coached at several stops both in college and in the NFL. He seems to have another good quarterback in Malik Washington, who is only a freshman. Who are the other playmakers on that side of the ball and what does Hamilton do schematically to get them involved?

TT: Unlike last season, in which wide receiver Tai Felton took the conference by storm and was undoubtedly Maryland’s premier playmaker, no one player has separated themselves from the pack. The Terps have three solid receivers: Shaleak Knotts, Jalil Farooq and Octavian Smith. Hamilton has used Farooq, the Oklahoma transfer, primarily in the slot. It’s given him a chance to go over the middle and utilize his after-the-catch ability to his advantage. Knotts is a sizable boundary receiver in the mold Maryland has enjoyed over the past few seasons, and is a frequent red zone target of Malik Washington. Smith has put up back-to-back games of over 100 yards receiving, and his speed allows him to take the top off a defense.

MS: Coordinating the defense is Ted Monachino, who has also spent considerable time in the NFL. Who are the major weapons on that side of the ball and what does the scheme look like?

TT: Maryland is big on running a 3-4 defensive front, and it perfectly accommodates the top talents on that side of the ball. Freshmen edge rushers Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis have been game wreckers, and were ranked by ESPN as a tandem for the fifth-best true freshmen in college football. But the defense is undoubtedly led in the middle by linebacker Daniel Wingate — a prototypical tall, fluid linebacker with sideline-to-sideline ability and great tackling ability to boot. He’s playing himself into draft conversations.

MS: What does the schedule look like for Maryland going forward? How do you see the season going for the Terrapins?

TT: Originally, I had the Terps slotted at 4-8 on the season, winning just one conference game. And while that still technically could be the case, it’s a far cry given what they’ve showcased over their first four matches. Suddenly, games against UCLA and Rutgers seem extremely winnable, with Nebraska and Michigan State contests projected to be competitive. At least for me, the sentiment should be that if Maryland fails to make a bowl game, the season should be considered a substantial failure.

MS: It’s time for a score prediction! What will the score be for this clash in Maryland on Saturday afternoon?

TT: This will be a tight one. Washington had a solid showing against the top team in the nation and otherwise dominated the first month of the season, much like the Terps. This has the opportunity to be one of the most well-attended contests at SECU Stadium in some time, and with a chance for Maryland to go 5-0 for the just the second time since 2001, the fan atmosphere should be sensational. At the same time, the Terps have had a tendency over the past few years to drop games that they had been favored in. This will be a close one — I lean Maryland, 28-24.

My thanks to Testudo Times for their answers! And if you want to see my answers to their questions, be sure to head over to Testudo Times for more!