Biggest Questions Facing Maryland Entering Fall Camp
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2026 is a critical season for the Maryland Terrapins football program. Despite bringing back star quarterback Malik Washington and many other key contributors from last year, the Terps still face an uphill battle in their quest for a 13th game.
Mike Locksley's squad returns the second most production in the country behind Notre Dame, but there are still a few areas that need to be addressed in fall camp if they want to improve off their 4-8 mark.
Before the Terrapins find out if they are Bowl material or not, they'll first have to answer these three questions:
Who Will Step Up As Wide Receiver 1?
Maryland's receiving corps. is the one position group that was significantly overhauled in the offseason. Washington's top three pass catchers from 2025 are all gone, and the Terps will rely on a combination of transfers and previous depth options to make up for their absence.
The two experienced transfers Locksley's staff brought in, Chris Durr Jr. and Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding, were both the top targets at their previous homes.
However, they're making the jump from G6 programs to a top two football conference. It's not a given that either will automatically pair well with Washington.
Kaleb Webb, who transferred in from Tenessee before last season, is another candidate for the top receiver spot.
Webb had 22 catches for 318 yards and a pair of TDs in his first year wwith the Terps, and he ended the year on a high note with seven grabs for 77 yards at Michigan State. This is his final year of eligibility, so he must have been promised a strong chunk of targets to stick around in College Park.
Aside from the veteran trio, the Terps also have JuCo transfer Ejani Shakir, former FSU commit Jordan Scott, and four-star redshirt freshman Zymear Smith as insurance.
How Can the Ground Game Improve?
While the Terps' pass game was excellent in 2025 - the fourth highest in the Big Ten - their rushing attack was hardly a threat, with only Minnesota having fewer than their 104.3 yards per game on the ground.
Maryland was unable to add a proven RB1 in the portal, with ODU's Trequan Jones backing out of his initial commitment. Instead, DeJuan Williams seems to be staying in that role after rushing for 501 yards as a true freshman.
The Baltimore native was also heavily used as a receiving back, with 45 catches for 426 yards. He should continue to excell in that role, but with No. 2 option Nolan Ray gone to Boston College, there is even more of a hole to dig out of running wise.
The answer could come via a summer addition: Maryland native and former Temple RB Terrez Worthy. After a decent 2024 campaign for the Owls, Worthy stepped away from the program last September due to personal reasons.
But by using his redshirt and keeping a year of eligibility intact, he was then able to join Maryland in May.
The other options are former four-stars Harry Dalton III and Iverson Howard - both redshirt freshmen - and Maryland baseball convert Liam Wilson. In other words, a group lacking in much game experience.
The Terps do have both a new offensive coordinator and running backs coach this season, with Clint Trickett coming in from Jacksonville State and Andre Powell moving from special teams to the RBs. Those changes should contribute to any potential turnaround for a unit that became predictable late in the season.
Can the Pass Defense Hold Up Against the Big Ten's Best?
Maryland has the fourth most returning production nationally on the defensive side of the ball, and they have the potential to be absolutely stacked up front. The question here pertains to their depth in the secondary.
With cornerback Jalen Huskey drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Terps went out and grabbed Amari Jackson from Boston College as his de facto replacement.
On paper, Jackson has the pedigree to be a Big Ten caliber corner. His issue has been staying healthy - after starting all 13 games in 2023, he has played just nine since.
Maryland lost La'khi Roland, Braydon Lee, and Kevyn Humes - all rotational pieces - to the transfer portal, so if Jackson's injury woes return for a third time, there is little experience on the bench to replace him.
That would be reminiscent of the past two campaigns, where early season success was washed away by consecutive 1-8 Big Ten slates.
In both cases, the Terps were severely depleted with young players thrust into higher usage due to injuries, leading to them allowing the third most air yardage in the conference.
Regardless of how it happens, Maryland needs to figure out a way to limit opponents' big play threats. Otherwise, they'll likely be on the outside looking in yet again during November.
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Mike joined Maryland On SI with over four years of sportswriting experience. He started off his career in Syracuse on the Orange football beat, where he was featured on CBS Sports' Cover 3 Podcast and local ESPN sports talk radio. After that, he had a brief stint reporting on Major League Baseball before returning to college sports.
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