Terrapins Defense Suffers Another Major Loss Ahead of 2026 Season
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Maryland football has already sustained two huge casualties ahead of the 2026 season, putting an even greater strain on a team under pressure to perform or be gutted this year.
While the first instance of defensive back Dontay Joyner was due to off-field issues, and ultimately decided by head coach Mike Locksley, this case is simply one of bad luck.
Edge rusher Zahir Mathis, who earned freshman All-American honors for his play last season, will likely miss his entire sophomore campaign with an undisclosed injury.
The news was first reported by Jeff Ermann of 247 Sports and later confirmed by Maryland Athletics.
Injuries have unfortunately been a big part of Mathis's football career. In high school, he had both knee and meniscus injuries, and during his freshman campaign in College Park, he missed one game and played only a single snap in another.
In the 10 games he started, Mathis recorded 35 total tackles (22 solo), including 8.5 for loss with six sacks. In addition to being named an All-American, Mathis was also a national semifinalst for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award.
He was later voted the Male Rookie of the Year across all Terrapins teams.
Zahir's partner on the edge, fellow freshman All-American Sidney Smith, posted his support on Instagram:
Five star rookie Zion Elee - the most likely replacement for Mathis in the starting lineup - also posted about him Instagram, with the caption "Rey hold it down baby, no question" on his story.
Defensive coordinator Ted Monachino was high on his unit during the team's training camp media day, stating "I think we've got everything we need on our side." But that confidence will quickly be put to the test without half of the explosive pair that burst onto the scene last year.
In addition to Elee, who clocks in as the Terps' top rated recruit in the modern era, Maryland also has returning players Nahsir Taylor and D.D. Holmes to shore out the edge group.
Taylor had 19 tackles (eight solo) and a pair of sacks across 11 games, including one start for Marhis, while Holmes made nine tackles in nine appearances, also including one start.
If there is any good news out of camp, it is that Mathis is the only major injury reported so far. Check back with us On SI for up to date info on the state of Maryland's roster, including a projected depth chart next weekend.
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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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