Mike Locksley Outlines Plans for 2026 Maryland Football Spring Camp
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Maryland football spring camp is officially underway, as head coach Mike Locksley and his squad have begun their 15 allotted practice sessions. The Terps will practice every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday now until April 25th.
Looking ahead to next season, Locksley is excited about all the returning production on his latest roster.
"We retained the majority of our core," Locksley said during his preseason media day press conference. "I think a lot of credit can be given to the staff and the job they did, but also to the players who see the value of being here at Maryland."
Chief among those retained is quarterback Malik Washington. After breaking freshmen records for completions (273) and passing yards (2,963), Washington quickly chose to return to the program for his sophomore season.
Every @malikw2025 TD from 2025 🧑🍳🎯
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) March 10, 2026
Watch him live next season: https://t.co/rNM873GH6i pic.twitter.com/XQC2gpBqT8
Freshmen All-Americans Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis are also returning on the edge, as is the bulk of the Terrapins defense. Overall, only Notre Dame has more returning production among all FBS teams.
"We got a group of guys that know the system, know how we do things, and the expectation is with that much returning production going into year two, I know we'll see some of the fruits of that work of these young players."
That doesn't mean there won't be a few early battles taking place this spring.
Washington will have at least two new receivers to throw towards, as well as two new blockers on his right side. The defensive line's interior will also have some new faces competing for starting snaps.
In total, 14 transfers are joining the Terps' returning cast of 70 players and 18 incoming freshmen - though not all of them are on campus yet.
"I'm really excited about the competition we'll have at a number of spots," Locksley said. "I can tell you spring ball won't be the traditional spring ball. It'll be a lot more of what we call 'developmental practices' for our players to get better at running, blocking, tackling, catching, and throwing."
There's also our first look at five-star edge prospect Zion Elee, who chose the in-state Terrapins over many other Power 4 offers. Elee is one of seven all-time five-star Maryland recruits and the first since linebacker Terrence Lewis in 2021.
"We all know the skillset of what Zion Elee brings to the table," Locksley said. "Number one player in the country staying home. Great story, but now he's got to show up and earn his stripes the way most freshmen do."
While most practices are closed to the public, Maryland's annual Spring Showcase Game will give fans a chance to see Elee and the rest of the Terps. The scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday, April 25th, with a 1pm kickoff time and free admission to SECU Stadium.
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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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