No Father's Son

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We Want All the Smoke - Maryland Terrapins 2028 Season Preview

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Marcus Washington // Terpsville • Published: August 26th

The Maryland Terrapins were forced to make wholesale changes to their coaching staff and philosophy this offseason due to the departure of Mike Locksley for Indiana, and one could argue—as I have on many occasions—that the Terrapins are a better football club as a result.

If anything, the attitude is certainly more competitive, as evidenced by Coach Armando Leon's confident declaration during Big Ten media day that the Terrapins aren't 'ducking any smoke.'

"I can't speak to the previous regime's ideology or approach to the game," started Leon when asked about what will be different for his Terrapins in year one, "But the players that are still here have all said the same thing: 'We're preparing like we're going to fight for something, not like we're trying to survive.'

"Their words, not mine," stated Leon, "But that's the attitude we're coming into the season with. I'm not guaranteeing wins or conference championships. But I guarantee this:

"Win or lose, you're going to remember playing the Terrapins this year. From our speed to our physicality to our meticulous attention to detail; we aren't giving away games—you've got to take them from us. We want all the smoke."

Now, whether he stole that line from Remember the Titans, or simply remembered it on his own, is irrelevant. The message was clear: Maryland isn't content to just be in the Big Ten anymore; they want to make waves.

Coach Leon has made his proclamation clear, but now comes the hard part. Backing it up.

I don't think it would be hyperbole to say the season will come down to Malik Washington's improvement as a passer in his senior season.

I think the defense is going to be markedly improved; look at the unit Coach Leon had in Oregon State. Outside of Manu Hasty, an otherworldly talent at linebacker, we are more talented than this former club. Additionally, our secondary is night-and-day better than the Beavers' unit from last year, talent-wise, which should make implementing Coach Leon's aggressive scheme a smooth transition.

But we saw last year with Oregon State; Leon's defensive units can only do so much heavy lifting. The Beavers lost big games and were in close contests with lesser competition because of one thing: suspect offensive play.

If Washington can live up to his talent with the help of Mike Shanahan, who is going to be doing a lot of heavy lifting for the offense as Coach Leon gets up to speed, will be the determining factor of the Terrapins' season.

Washington has talent around him. Former Terrapin HB Zymear Smith's return gives Washington an explosive running mate and should keep defensive coordinators awake at night game planning how to slow down a read-option with the two dynamic athletes. The return of Emanuel Ross, the recruitment of Za'Ron Collins, and the development of Rico Rugamba gives Washington a trio of receivers on the outside who could be difference-makers in space. Tight end JT Taggart is a mismatch at 6'7 with decent speed for his size, giving Washington a safety net in the middle of the field.

Additionally, the offensive line has cohesion returning four of their five starters, with former Hoosier center Evan Parker being the lone addition.

Defensively, the talent is there. Garrison Dobbs is transitioning from a pass-rushing linebacker into a full-time defensive lineman and is the perfect fit for Leon's aggressive, multiple defense with the ability to pass rush with his hand in the dirt, but also aid confusion by dropping into zones off the line as well.

He is arguably the key to the Terrapins' pass rush, as he goes, so does the Terrapins. Isaiah Patterson and defensive tackle Caleb Williams should have plenty of 1v1 opportunities with Dobbs being the focal point, if they can win at least half of those, then the Terps are in great shape.

The linebackers all have great speed, a staple of Leon's scheme, and the secondary has plenty of experience with three seniors atop the depth chart—even if their skillset isn't perfect for the man-coverage-heavy scheme Leon usually employs.

"We'll probably run more zone than I have previously," admitted Leon, who is going to continue calling the defensive plays while DC DeShaun Orlando learns the ropes after spending his career as a linebackers coach, "but that doesn't mean we aren't going to get a little exotic from time to time."

On paper, not factoring in coaching repertoire, this is a team that ranks about middle-of-the-pack in the Big Ten. Obviously, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Michigan, and USC still run the conference. But in that second tier, along with UCLA, Washington, and Wisconsin, the Terrapins have room. And the benefit is, they don't play every Goliath this season.

Maryland eases into the Leon era with a home bout against FCS Towson as the opener of an unusual eight home games. They'll then host the Virginia Tech Hokies, before jumping into the deep end of the Big Ten schedule with a road trip to Ann Arbor and 5th-ranked Michigan.

In fact, all four of the preseason AP ranked Big Ten opponents the Terrapins play this season are in their first five conference games with home bouts against the 20th-ranked Huskies in Week 5 and #12 Ohio State in Week 8, with a road trip to #19 UCLA in Week 7.

Leon will also have a chance to put his money where his mouth is with a road trip to Bloomington to face his predecessor, Indiana head coach Mike Locksley. The Terrapins will wrap up the 2028 season with Senior Day against the Michigan State Spartans.

Optimistically, I can easily see this being a 9-3 season. Ohio State and Michigan we'll pencil in as losses. But I think the Terrapins surprise one of the former Pac-12 teams, more likely UCLA than Washington, and clean up the rest of their schedule. Will 9-3 be enough to win a conference championship? Probably not. But it's a positive debut season for Leon.

Worst-case scenario, I see an 8-4 team. Lose to all four ranked teams, or even worse lose to three of them, and get surprised in another game. Even an 8-4 campaign would be a marked improvement and our highest win total since 2023.

Win or lose, be prepared for an exciting season of Terrapins football.


•••


2028 Maryland Terrapins Roster
81 Overall / 81 Offense / 81 Defense

► Show Spoiler

* Denotes Starter

QB

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Malik Washington	SR	6’5	243	Glen Burnie, MD	87	87	Pure Runner	Impact	99 THP, 89 SPD, 87/85/83 S/M/D ACC
Tobias Hester	JR	6’2	212	Jacksonville, FL	78	78	Dual Threat	Normal	89 THP, 77 AWR, 80/76/69 ACC
Jerry Stoddard	FR	6’5	180	Newark, NJ	74	74	Pocket Passer	Impact	90 THP, 73 AWR, 84/83/77 ACC

HB

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Zymear Smith	SR	6’0	191	Ridgely, MD	89	89	East/West Playmaker	Impact	91 SPD, 94 COD, 86 BCV
Iverson Howard	JR(RS)	5’11	205	Gaithersburg, MD	80	80	Backfield Threat	Impact	96 SPD, 98 ACC, 75 BTK
Paul Colon	FR	5’9	187	Minooka, PA	78	78	North/South Receiver	Normal	87 SPD, 70 AWR, 86 COD
Antoine Avant	FR(RS)	6’0	204	Chesapeake, VA	73	73	North/South Blocker	Normal	87 CAR, 84 BTK, 84 BCV
Amir Dineen	FR(RS)	6’1	181	Edgewood, MD	66	66	East/West Playmaker	Normal	87 SPD, 90 ACC, 74 CAR
Paul Story	SO	5’8	160	Bluefield, VA	61	61	East/West Playmaker	Normal	88 SPD, 88 ACC, 81 COD

WR

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Emanuel Ross	SR(RS)	6’2	208	Jackson, NJ	87	87	Speedster	Impact	89 AWR, 91 SPD, 89 CTH
*Za’Ron Collins	SR(RS)	6’2	191	Miami, FL	82	82	Speedster	Impact	88 SPD, 87 CAT, 86 CIT
Rico Rugamba	SO(RS)	6’1	191	Washington, MD	76	76	Speedster	Normal	86 SPD, 78 AWR, 83 SPC
Bryce Randolph	JR(RS)	5’11	186	Wesley Chapel, FL	75	75	Elusive Route Runner	Normal	89 SPD, 82 AWR, 91 ACC
Maurice Strong	FR(RS)	5’11	184	Upper Marlboro, MD	75	75	Speedster	Normal	86 SPD, 84 CIT, 93 SPC
Deontay Ringo	SO(RS)	6’1	170	Olney, MD	72	72	Speedster	Normal	90 COD, 93 SPC, 80 CTH
Patrick Bonani	SO(RS)	6’2	201	Virginia Beach, VA	67	67	Physical Route Runner	Normal	82 SPD, 89 ACC, 83 SPC

TE

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Kellen McConnel	SR(RS)	6’2	236	KEnsington, MD	79	79	Pure Blocker	Normal	74 IBL, 72 PBF, 71 PBK
JT Taggart	SR	6’7	245	Bowling Green, KY	79	79	Vertical Threat	Impact	81 SPD, 81 CTH, 85 SPC
Eric Drango	SO	6’2	214	Bethesda, MD	73	73	Vertical Threat	Impact	85 SPD, 83 CTH, 83 SPC
Max Perkins	FR	6’4	204	Bel Air, MD	70	70	Physical Route Runner	Impact	82 SPD, 82 CTH, 81 CIT

T

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Lamar Williams	SR(RS)	6’7	297	Midway, FL	85	85	Agile	Impact	91 PBK, 91 PBP, 87 RBK
*Loagan Bennett	SR(RS)	6’6	322	Baltimore, MD	78	78	Pass Pro	Normal	86 RBF, 85 PBK, 86 PBF
Jack Small	SR(RS)	6’6	309	Northvale, NJ	75	75	Pass Pro	Impact	85 RBK, 80 RBP, 81 RBF
Keon Rohe	SR(RS)	6’7	305	Wisbaden, INT	74	74	Pass Pro	Normal	79 PBP, 78 RBF, 82 AWR
Shane Holliday	FR	6’6	320	Roanoake, VA	74	74	Pass Pro	Star	82 RBP, 83 PBK, 85 PBF
Trevor Szymanski	SR(RS)	6’6	294	Timonium, MD	68	68	Pass Pro	Impact	76 RBK, 75 PBK, 73 PBP
Josh Blanko	FR	6’4	314	Greenville, SC	64	64	Agile	Normal	74 RBF, 65 RBK
Gideon Djerri	SO(RS)	6’6	297	Bradenton, FL	63	63	Pass Pro	Normal	79 PBK, 70 PBP

G

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Clarence Montrosse	SR(RS)	6’4	317	Seattle, WA	77	77	Raw Strength	Impact	82 PBP, 79 PBK, 81 RBF
*Bubba Van Martin	JR(RS)	6’4	306	Orange, VA	76	76	Raw Strength	Impact	84 PBF, 81 PBF, 81 PBK
Jayden Mann	JR(RS)	6’4	321	Brooklyn, NY	75	75	Raw Strength	Normal	80 PBP, 82 RBF, 81 RBK
Antony Robsock	SR(RS)	6’7	308	Harrisburg, PA	74	74	Agile	Impact	77 PBK, 77 AWR, 77 RBK
Marco Hamm	FR(RS)	6’2	322	Philadelphia, PA	72	72	Well Rounded	Normal	80 RBK, 79 PBP, 79 PBK
Max Kareem	FR	6’4	282	Bethleham, PA	69	69	Raw Strength	Normal	79 PBP, 79 RBF, 75 RBK
Tommy Conway	JR(RS)	6’2	288	Washington, DE	68	68	Agile	Normal	76 PBK, 70 RBF

C

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Evan Parker	JR(RS)	6’4	317	Carmel, IN	80	80	Raw Strength	Impact	87 PBP, 87 RBP, 83 RBK
Damien Roach	JR	6’2	305	Gaithersburg, MD	73	73	Agile	Normal	80 RBK, 85 RBF, 70 RBP
Theo Speed	FR	6’2	306	Orlando, FL	60	60	Agile	Normal	69 PBK

DE

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Garrison Dobbs	JR	6’2	233	Detroit, MI	87	87	Speed Rusher	Elite	88 STR, 85 BSH, 93 TKL
*Isaiah Patterson	JR(RS)	6’4	242	Vancouver, WA	81	81	Speed Rusher	impact	89 FMV, 81 PMV, 80 AWR
Dante recker	JR(RS)	6’7	253	Pittsburgh, PA	73	73	Speed Rusher	Normal	85 PMV, 88 FMV, 74 BSH
Keion Flowers	SR(RS)	5’11	209	Odenton, MD	72	72	Edge Setter	Normal	88 AWR, 80 STR, 80 TKL
Marcus Cooney	SO(RS)	6’1	220	Cleveland, OH	71	71	Speed Rusher	Normal	83 FMV, 75 HPW, 75 TKL
Sedrick Smith	SR(RS)	6’4	328	Atlanta, GA	72	72	Power Rusher	Normal	84 STR, 78 BSH, 81 PMV
James Yount	SO(RS)	6’3	231	Starksville, MS	70	70	Power Rusher	Normal	82 STR, 79 PMV, 77 FMV
Ronnie Morris	SO(RS)	6’5	233	Washington, MD	67	67	Edge Setter	Impact	83 HPW, 78 BSH, 78 TKL
Sam Kendricks	FR(RS)	6’4	237	Norfolk, VA	65	65	Edge Setter	Impact	81 STR, 79 BSH, 77 TKL

DT

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Caleb Williams	JR(RS)	6’5	297	Chesterfield, VA	80	80	Pure Power	Impact	86 HPW, 91 PMV, 78 BSH
Davin David	JR	6’3	309	Jacksonville, FL	77	77	Power Rusher	Star	88 STR, 87 PMV, 71 BSH
Jackson Cooper	JR(RS)	6’4	318	Tuscaloosa, AL	71	71	Pure Power	Normal	86 STR, 88 PMV, 77 TKL
Raheem Melvin	FR	6’4	293	Jamestown, NC	67	67	Gap Specialist	Star	90 STR, 75 TKL, 81 HPW

SAM

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Dawson Merritt	SR	6’3	238	Kansas City, KS	79	79	Lurker	Impact	89 SPD, 83 TKL, 75 PRC
Tavares Ojabo	FR(RS)	6’1	207	Fort Lauderdale, FL	70	70	Lurker	Normal	77 SPD, 73 TKL, 71 PRC
Josh Heath	FR(RS)	6’1	231	Ashburn, VA	64	64	Signal Caller	Normal	78 TKL

MIKE

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Keyshawn Flowers	SR(RS)	6’2	230	Severn, MD	79	79	Lurker	Impact	85 SPD, 84 TKL, 74 PRC
Travares Daniels II	JR(RS)	6’2	223	Miami, FL	76	76	Signal Caller	Normal	83 SPD, 84 TKL, 78 PRC
Jacques Glennon	SO(RS)	6’2	242	Colonial Heights, VA	76	76	Thumper	Normal	85 SPD, 84 TKL, 71 PRC
Gordon Paul	FR	6’3	222	Lorton, VA	75	75	Signal Caller	Elite	83 SPD, 79 TKL, 72 PRC
Keyari James	SR(RS)	6’3	245	Calgary, Intl	69	69	Signal Caller	Normal	79 SPD, 78 TKL, 72 AWR
Alex Bergman	FR(RS)	6’0	219	Washington, MD	70	70	Signal Caller	Impact	84 SPD, 79 TKL, 70 AWR

WILL

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Jordon Robinson	JR(RS)	6’2	237	Charleston, SC	80	80	Lurker	Impact	88 SPD, 81 PRC, 76 TKL
Deon Cleeland	FR(RS)	6’3	228	Miami, FL	79	79	Signal Caller	Impact	79 SPD, 86 TKL, 77 PRC
Manny Knutson	SO(RS)	6’4	210	Miami, FL	71	71	Signal Caller	Impact	82 SPD, 80 PRC, 82 TKL
Trevor Thomas	FR	6’0	218	Waldorf, MD	66	66	Lurker	Impact	79 SPD, 77 STR, 70 AWR

CB

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Braydon Lee	SR(RS)	6’1	182	Upper Marlboro, MD	83	83	Zone	Impact	97 SPD, 77 PRC, 80 ZCV
*Kevyn Humes	SR(RS)	6’0	192	Bowie, MD	82	82	Bump and Run	Impact	98 SPD, 78 MCV, 78 ZCV
Lloyd Irvin III	SR(RS)	6’3	201	Springdale, MD	82	82	Zone	Impact	95 SPD, 76 PRC, 88 ZCV
Jayden Shipps	JR(RS)	6’1	189	Severn, MD	80	80	Bump and Run	Impact	88 SPD, 78 PRC, 80 ZCV
David Moss	SO(RS)	6’1	175	Tampa, FL	76	76	Bump and Run	Impact	91 SPD, 71 PRC, 73 MCV
Bradley Tavares	FR(RS)	6’0	175	High Point, NC	71	71	Field	Impact	84 SPD, 79 PRC, 80 MCV
Deontae Brown	SO(RS)	6’0	176	Ashburn, VA	70	70	Bump and Run	Normal	85 SPD, 71 PRC, 67 ZCV
Ed Allgeier	FR(RS)	5’11	190	Grand Rapids, MI	66	66	Bump and Run	Normal	83 SPD, 69 PRC, 66 MCV

FS

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Byron Baldwin Jr	SR	6’2	203	Baltimore, MD	82	82	Hybrid	Impact	94 SPD, 74 PRC, 79 PUR
Gavin Edwards	SR(RS)	6’1	197	Lugoff, SC	76	76	Hybrid	Normal	87 SPD, 80 PRC, 83 AWR
Shamar McIntosh	SR(RS)	6’1	204	Washington DC, MD	75	75	Coverage Specialist	Normal	86 SPD, 74 TKL 77 PRC

SS

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*La’Khi Roland	SR(RS)	6’2	199	Conley, GA	87	87	Coverage Specialist	Impact	92 SPD, 83 PRC, 85 ZCV
Judah Jenkins	SR(RS)	5’11	188	Olney, MD	73	73	Coverage Specialist	Normal	90 SPD, 75 PRC, 73 AWR
Mike Money	FR(RS)	6’1	185	Owings Mills, MD	71	71	Coverage Specialist	Normal	86 SPD, 77 PRC, 75 AWR
Randy Turpin	FR(RS)	5’9	182	Virginia Beach, VA	70	70	Hybrid	Impact	87 SPD, 83 PRC, 74 MCV
Dave Talib	SO(RS)	5’11	205	Fort Lauderdale, FL	64	64	Box Specialist	Normal	90 SPD, 71 PRC, 70 PRC

K/P

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Donald Byler	SO	6’2	183	Clemmons, NC	81	81	Power	Star	91 KPW, 86 KAC
*Carter Jula	JR(RS)	6’1	208	Sarasota, FL	74	74	Accurate	Normal	89 KPW, 79 KAC

2028 Maryland Schedule

► Show Spoiler

Sept.  2nd | Towson (FCS)         | N/A
Sept.  9th | Virginia Tech (5-7)  | 76 OVR / 76 OFF / 76 DEF
Sept. 14th | @ #5 Michigan (12-1) | 96 OVR / 96 OFF / 96 DEF
Sept. 21st | BYE                  | 79 OVR / 79 OFF / 81 DEF
Sept. 30th | #20 Washington (10-3)| 89 OVR / 89 OFF / 89 DEF
Oct.   7th | Rutgers (6-6)        | 74 OVR / 74 OFF / 74 DEF
Oct.  14th | @ #19 UCLA (11-2)    | 80 OVR / 85 OFF / 76 DEF
Oct.  21st | #12 Ohio State (10-4)| 97 OVR / 99 OFF / 96 DEF
Oct.  28th | Northwestern (6-7)   | 75 OVR / 76 OFF / 74 DEF
Nov.   4th | @ Indiana (5-7)      | 85 OVR / 86 OFF / 84 DEF
Nov.  11th | Delaware (7-6)       | 61 OVR / 61 OFF / 61 DEF
Nov.  18th | @ Minnesota (6-6)    | 77 OVR / 79 OFF / 76 DEF
Nov.  25th | Michigan State (5-7) | 80 OVR / 81 OFF / 79 DEF

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The Next Turtles - A Preview Of The Maryland 2028 Big Board

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Marcus Washington // Terpsville • Published: August 27th, 2028

The Maryland Terrapins under former coach Mike Locksley were able to secure four four-star prospects in last year's recruiting cycle and new head coach Armando Leon is planning on being as ambitious as his predecessor.

"We're going to try and keep local talent local," stated Leon when asked about the Terps' Big Board, "We've got some stiff competition for recruits in the DMV area, but I think it's worth investing the resources to keep local kids in Maryland red."

The Terrapins have five four-star prospects on their inaugural Big Board, all of whom hail from Maryland or nearby Virginia, with Germantown guard Chad Clement and Hyattsville middle linebacker Percy Harper leading the pack.

Coach Leon faced a tall ask upon taking the Maryland job with 28 total open scholarships after the transfer portal departures and faces a significant challenge once again with 25 scholarship seniors slated to graduate.

"That number doesn't take into account early entrants to the draft or potential additions to the portal," acknowledged Leon when asked about the large number of departures, "And while the idea of replacing that many contributors sounds daunting, we did it already this offseason, in a shorter time frame. I have the utmost confidence in myself, my coaching staff, and our recruiting aides to get the job done."

Winning on the field will certainly help; and with the benefit of eight home games this season, the Terrapins will have plenty of opportunities to have recruits visit College Park to see what the new regime is all about.


•••


Maryland Terrapins 2028 Big Board

Ranking	Position	Name	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Tendency	NAT/STA/POS
	G	Chad Clement	6'2	278	Germantown, MD	Well Rounded	78/2/3
	MLB	Percy Harper	6'1	221	Hyattsville, MD	Signal Caller	172/6/13
	QB	Garrett Duck	6'3	215	Chantilly, VA	Backfield Creator	223/4/20
	ATH	Courtland Lyle	6'1	232	Virginia Beach, VA	Thumper	404/7/28
	ATH	Gage Gesicki	6'0	224	Baltimore, MD	Thumper	507/10/36
	LB	Antwan Keur	6'1	204	Highland Spring, VA	Lurker	534/11/45
	WR	Marcus Bridges	5'11	166	OWings Mills, MD	Speedster	546/12/73
	CB	Donavaughan LeCounte	5'10	178	Quincy, FL	Field	569/77/49
	FS	Paul Rubin	5'10	199	Baltimore, MD	Hybrid	627/13/25
	CB	Johnnie Sowells	6'2	162	Baltimore, MD	Bump and Run	682/14/58
	ATH	Ben Rios	6'1	224	Richmond, VA	Pure Possession	683/13/33
	T	Nick Schmidt	6'7	292	Midlothian, VA	Raw Strength	687/14/47
	SS	Nate Greer	5'10	209	Red Bank, NJ	Box Specialist	737/18/12
	DT	Bradley Strange	6'2	307	Brooklyn, NY	Power Rusher	758/12/40
	T	Alexander Dreisbach	6'5	300	Potomac, MD	Agile	940/22/63

Maryland Terrapins 2028 School Rankings
Championship Contender: D+ 83rd
Program Tradition: C 57th
Campus Lifestyle: C 95th
Stadium Atmosphere: C+ 55th
Pro Potential:

► Show Spoiler

QB: 117th D-
HB: 66th C
WR: 35th B
TE: 102nd D
OL: 59th C
DL: 30th B
LB: 35th B
DB: 52nd C+

Brand Exposure: 47th C+
Academic Prestige: B+ 20th
Conference Prestige: A- 4th
Coach Stability: 54th C+
Coach Prestige: 75th C-
Athletic Facilities: 51st C+
Team Prestige:

2028 Top High School Recruits

► Show Spoiler

Name	Position	Hometown	Top 3
Shawn Wortham	QB	Waukesha, WI	Mich/Clem/tOSU
Dexter Colclough	CB	Tucker, GA	UGA/ND/Mich
Layne Zylstra	DT	Saint Paul, MN	UGA/Duke/ND
Larry Ramsay	DE	Salt Lake City, UT	Clem/Mia/Mich
Jahleel Sweat	DE	Hopkinsville, KY	SMU/Tulane/UGA
Soni Li	DE	Mesquite, TX	TAMU/tOSU/Tex
Klay Leeuwenburg	MLB	The Woodlands, TX	Mizz/BAy/OkSt
Darren Hynoski	LB	Dallas, TX	OU/LSU/Ala
Tim Sami	QB	Clovis, CA	Tenn/USC/UW
Quiincy Phenix	DE	Saint Louis, MO	Iowa/Mia/USC
Mateo Head	DE	Hempstead, TX	UGA/USC/tOSU
Stephen Sandland	MLB	Cleveland, OH	ND/tOSU/UGA
Marcell Burris	ATH	Mobile, AL	UGA/Aub/Ala
George Ekejiuba	WR	Charlotte, NC	Clem/UGA/Duke
Ethan Spiegel	QB	South Jordan, UT	Utah/Tex/TCU
Shaquille Durham	WR	Rockingham, NC	Clem/Duke/Mich
Deon Garvin	CB	Moultrie, GA	UGA/Tex/Aub
Greg Willingham	T	Suffield, CT	PSU/LSU/Mich
Sean Mady	DE	West Linn, OR	Ore/Tulane/tOSU
Manny Ahlers	LB	Fort Lauderdale, FL	UGA/ND/UF
Matt Paschal	MLB	Hartford, CT	Duke/Mich/BC
Glenn Byler	FS	Zebulon, GA	UGA/ND/tOSU
Oscar Traore	CB	Suwanee, GA	UGA/ND/tOSU
Jason Stevens	CB	Fort Valley, GA	UGA/Clem/Au
Earl Malik	QB	Tulsa, OK	Stan/tOSU/KSU

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Chapter Thirty-Four: Pequeño León

The differences between Maryland and Oregon State were vast. From the facilities to the accommodations, to the media attention, the Big Ten slogan didn’t lie. Things are different here.

Nothing drove that point home like Big Ten Media Day in Chicago. It wasn’t my first foray into a media day, having accompanied Jonathan Smith to the 2026 and 2027 iteration for the Pac-12 in Las Vegas, but those paled in comparison to the grandiose event the Big Ten hosted.

The event was a who’s who of college football, with media coverage from around the country as well as the biggest coaches outside the SEC. And somehow, in the middle of it all, was a kid from Havre, Montana. The same kid who became a hot-shot defensive coordinator despite modest beginnings and was now rubbing elbows with Steve Sarkisian, Dan Lanning, and Lincoln Riley.

I’d brought Malik Washington, Garrison Dobbs, and Zymear Smith with me, purposefully choosing two longtime members of the Terrapins program under Mike Locksley in addition to someone who’d left the program under Locksley in Zymear Smith, who I was able to bring back.

The message? These aren’t the same Terrapins. We proved that by convincing Zymear Smith to return with a new regime. And we were going to prove it again by succeeding with the same players Locksley barely succeeded with.

When I received the podium schedule, it was easy to see the Big Ten moderators were looking for headlines. Maryland was slated to take the podium for 15-minutes on Day 1, right before Michigan and Ohio State—two programs we would play in the 2028 season. The real kicker?

Presenting at 12 o’clock sharp was the Indiana Hoosiers and former Maryland coach Mike Locksley.

Locksley spent his fifteen minutes talking about how they were going to carry on the tradition Cignetti had established during his short time with the Hoosiers, highlighting the National Championship run 2025 as the goal, before taking questions specific to the program from the numerous news outlets covering the event.

To that point, Locksley and I had never communicated, let alone met in person. Not before I took the job as his successor at Maryland and certainly not after. Yet, despite that, Locksley didn’t refrain from a quick “Good luck, Montana,” he hissed under his breath as we passed, low enough that not even Malik Washington, who was one step behind me, heard it before he reached in for a quick dap with the man who had recruited him.

I had prepared a small speech for the podium. One that talked about a commitment to excellence, building a standard, then working tirelessly to uphold that standard. And for the most part, I stuck to my script.

But when a reporter for the Big Ten Network asked what the philosophical difference between the program this year and years past, I couldn’t help myself.

"I can't speak to the previous regime's ideology or approach to the game," I began, trying to decide how nuclear I wanted to make the statement.

"But the players that are still here have all said the same thing: 'We're preparing like we're going to fight for something, not like we're trying to survive.’ Their words, not mine.”

“I think that’s a big part of why you see a talented player like Zymear Smith come back to the program after a few years abroad.”

I took a breath, letting the statement stand on its own, taking the time to scan the room. In the back corner, not hiding, more separating himself from the crowd, was Mike Locksley—visibly fuming. We locked eyes across the room, a wordless challenge.

‘Fuck it,’ I thought to myself, still holding Locksley’s stare.

“I’m not going to guarantee wins or conference championships, but I guarantee this: Win or lose, you’re going to remember playing the Terrapins. We aren’t giving away games; you have to take them from us. We want all the smoke.”

My bold proclamation on the podium became the talk of Day 1, with numerous reporters asking for more sound bites, interviews, and anecdotes from Armando “The Lion” Leon—a nickname the media quickly gave me after the speech.

Apparently, the speech exhibited “strong leadership, high self-confidence, and goal oriented approach,” all traits of a lion personality, at least that’s what Jessica explained to me that night when we FaceTimed from the hotel before she started to dig deeper into the impromptu—and now viral—comment.

“You know, I remember going over your speech the night before you left. Maybe I’m misremembering, but I don’t recall that part of your speech,” her tone was casual and teasing, but beneath it she was searching for understanding. It was an unprovoked reaction, in her eyes, and she was trying to figure out why.

“Locksley made an off-hand comment when we passed on my way to the stage-“ I had started to answer, before Jessica sharply cut me off.

“Oh, so it was a pride thing huh?” My silence as I looked away from the camera was answer enough for her.

She let me sit there in uncomfortable silence, judging myself harsher than any other critic could, before finally softening her tone.

“I’m not saying it was the wrong move, Armando. Honestly, I think it’s great, you’re showing more of your genuine side. The confident man who believes in himself and his work ethic. That’s my Flyboy. Just make sure you’re showing that side for the right reasons, not just to prove a point to a rival, okay?”

There was no walking back the comments, not that I intended to, but I made sure to be more diplomatic in my remaining media obligations for the remainder of Media Day, even though AD Jim Smith gave me a ringing endorsement when I ran into him on Day 2.

“That’s why we brought you here! We aren’t content to sit here and survive anymore, I love it. Was the ‘Remember the Titans’ reference intentional, or just spur of the moment?” The AD proclaimed in rapid fire succession. Before I could even answer the Titans question, which honestly wasn’t planned out, he curtly answered for me.

“Don’t answer that. If anyone asks, it wasn’t planned. It adds weight to the moment, without making it seem corny. Just keep this energy, Armando, it’s great for the program. Really helps build momentum.”

So that’s what I did, leaned into the statements without doubling down on them, explaining that it wasn’t intended to be a shot at anyone— a half truth—but more a statement of what I felt this program could accomplish.

By the time I returned to College Park three days later, I was ready to ditch the public persona and get back to what I felt like I did best, win football games.

But life has a way of humbling you when you least expect it.

Sitting in my office at Jones-Hill House, sifting through my mail from the past few days, an inconspicuous letter caught my eye in the middle of the pile of recruiting letters, sponsorship opportunities, and other various mail.

There was nothing special about the letter, which could be why it stuck out in a sea of formal correspondences. No return address, plain white card stock. Aside from the fancy cursive addressed to “Armando Leon” there was nothing else out of the ordinary.

Until I opened the letter.

“Armando, 

What a performance. You have a way with words.

Your father would be proud, pequeño león.

Best of luck this season.”

Suddenly, the world tilted. The noise of the facility faded to silence as I sat staring at the letter in my hand. I could only hear my own breathing and see the letter, everything else had faded into obscurity.

Pequeño León. Little lion. Memories of the nickname my father used to call me from my childhood came rushing back. A name I hadn’t heard since Las Cruces, long before Mom and I took flight across the country.

But, how? My father was dead, the mouth that used to utter those words attached to a severed head, discarded somewhere in Ocotlán. When my Mom died, so did the final person with knowledge of the long forgotten nickname.

Slowly, the world gained color again. With it, clarity.

“The Lion” was the nickname the media gave me after my Big Ten Media Day speech,—a nod to the ‘remember the Terrapins’ line that had taken a viral life of its own. It wouldn’t be a stretch for some heckler to take my Hispanic heritage and use it against me. A quick Google search would tell you how to say little in Spanish. I wasn’t even fluent in Spanish and I knew what it meant.

‘Locksley,” I whispered to myself, searching for an answer to the problem in front of me.

“Has to be,” I said, now outloud, with conviction. “He’s the only one with an axe to grind.”

“Or Jonathan Smith,” I chuckled to myself, my security returning with the joke. “Apparently, I’ve started making a few enemies,” I sighed to the room.

I folded the letter in half, then again into fourths, and slipped it into the top of my desk, intending it to be forgotten.

But the words kept circling in my head. “Pequeño León.”

‘I should tell Jessica, she’ll tell me I’m jumping at shadows,” I rationalized, reaching for my phone before the thought had finished processing. As I pulled up her contact, which featured a picture of her and the kids in the snow filled back yard, I paused.

Why should I bother the life I’ve built, with the shadow of my past? All pequeño león attached me to was a past I was trying to forget. A past that was exactly that, in the past.

“I’ll tell her when there’s something worth telling,”I thought as I put the phone down. Instead of calling Jessica, I picked up the folder labelled “Towson,” and got back to work.

There were games to win.

[redsox907]

---

2028 Week One Preview: Towson (0-0) vs Maryland (0-0)

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Marcus Washington // Terpsville • Published: September 1st, 2028

After a long and eventful offseason, it is officially time to unwrap the 2028 season as the Maryland Terrapins are going to get a warm-up game to kick off the Armando Leon era as they welcome the FCS Towson Tigers to SECU Stadium.

It may be a warm-up game on the schedule, but the Terrapins are all business going into 2028 as Coach Armando Leon will reveal in our new segment "Inside the Shell" where we go one-on-one with the head coach and talk about the offense and defense, among other relevant topics.

Let's take a quick look at the breakdown between the programs, then get right into the inaugural "Inside the Shell."


•••

Maryland Terrapins                     | Description                   | Towson Tigers
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
81 Overall // 81 Offense // 81 Defense | Team Rating                   | 52 Overall // 54 Offense // 49 Defense
Armando Leon (0-0)                     | Head Coach                    | Pete Shinnick 
Spread                                 | Offensive Scheme              | Spread
3-3-5                                  | Defensive Scheme              | 4-2-5

Big Ten Week One Schedule

► Show Spoiler

FCS @ Minnesota
FCS @ Rutgers
Ball State @ #24 Penn State
Western Michigan @ Michigan State
Ohio @ Illinois
FCS @ Purdue
#16 USC @ Appalachian State
Marshall @ Wisconsin
Buffalo @ #12 Ohio State
FCS @ #21 Oregon
FCS @ #20 Washington
#19 UCLA @ #14 Cal
UTEP @ Nebraska
Northwestern @ Eastern Michigan

Notable Week One Matchups

► Show Spoiler

#3 Texas @ #9 Miami
#6 Florida @ #10 Auburn
#8 Duke @ #7 LSU

•••


Inside the Shell

MW: "Loyal readers, I'm pleased to welcome you to the inaugural segment of 'Inside the Shell' where we do exactly as the name implies, get insider info on our Terrapins. Joining us is newly hired head coach Armando Leon. How's the DMV and great PG County been treating you since coming from the Pacific Northwest, Coach?"

AL: "It's been great, Marcus, thank you. I'd never been this far East outside of a few recruiting trips, but the community has made me and my family feel at home. But it's been a long offseason. I'm ready to start putting some wins on the board."

MW: "After the explosive media day declaration, all eyes are on Maryland this season. It's been a fair amount of time since the program has had this type of energy. Does the team feel the need to justify that with an exciting debut against Towson?"

AL: "We recognize it, Marcus, but we can't let outside factors affect what we do on the field. If we're thinking about how the fans or media are going to react to each individual play, we're giving the advantage to Towson. They want to have a big debut to the 2028 season not for the media attention, but for themselves, their teammates, and the name on their jersey."

MW: "Alright, last question before we let you out of here, Coach. With a warm-up game like Towson, what are you looking for from the team to open the season?"

AL: "Execution, Marcus. Offensively, we worked all offseason on establishing the run early, then working off that to get our athletes in space. Defensively, just working on our communication. There's a lot of moving pieces on my defense from play to play, so just making sure we're all on the same page will pay dividends."


•••


This is slated as a warm-up game for a reason and if the Terrapins want to keep backing up the team's, and Coach Leon's, talk this offseason, a big win over Towson goes a long way in doing that.

We've got an experienced quarterback, explosive athletes, and a coach who has proven he can scheme up a dominant defense.

Maryland wins this one in a game that's over by the half. Thanks for making the trip, Towson.

[Soapy]

over on every malik washington stat

[Captain Canada]

I need at least 50 points to start things off.

[redsox907]

over on every malik washington stat

I need at least 50 points to start things off.

ask and you shall receive

[redsox907]

---

Terrapin Time! Maryland Makes Statement To Kickoff Leon Era

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Marcus Washington // Terpsville • Published: September 1st, 2028

It took exactly one game of the Leon Era for the Terrapins to start rewriting record books, with Malik Washington setting a new Terrapin record with six touchdown passes in the 63-17 slaughtering of the Towson Tigers to open the 2028 season.

From the onset, it was clear the Terrapins weren't overlooking their FCS opponent. A quick three-and-out by the Terrapins' defense was followed up by a two-play drive by Washington and Co. with Zymear Smith sprinting 41 yards to break the seal at SECU Stadium.

From there, it quickly escalated. Converted linebacker-turned-defensive end Garrison Dobbs ripped the ball from Brock Ladler on the Tigers' next possession, with Washington finding Smith on a 15-yard out for the first touchdown in his record-setting day.

The day was not without miscues for the Terrapins, however, with a pair of turnovers both leading to touchdowns by the Tigers. Tight end JT Taggart, who led all Terrapins with 5 receptions, tried to hurdle a Towson defender on the 3rd drive for the Terrapins, losing the ball as he came down on a pile of Tigers. Brock Ladler was able to turn that into a 19-yard touchdown, with a later interception by Terps' backup Tobias Hester turning into a 36-yard touchdown sprint by reserve running back Will McKelvin Jr.

Even with the miscues, Coach Leon and the Terrapins' were all smiles after the opening win of the season.


•••


Question One - Aisha Thompson (Terp Magazine): "Coach Leon, in the lead-up to the game you said you wanted your offense to establish the run game and get your athletes in space. Yet, Malik Washington threw a school-record six touchdowns. Is that gamesmanship on your part, or just Mike Shanahan and the offense adjusting on the fly?"

Armando Leon: "First, round of applause for Malik. He made it a goal this year to elevate his play and he led by example today. But if you go back and check the notes, Aisha, I said we want to establish the running game and get our athletes in space. We ran for 235 yards as a team. Of our 278 passing yards, 146 were after the catch. The space just happened to lead to the end zone."

Question Two - Richard Hays (The Towerlight): "In a game everyone expected your team to win, Coach Leon, your defense still gave up 17 points to the Tigers and their triple-option attack. Is that caused by the new scheme, lack of adjustments, or simply the uniqueness of their offense?"

Armando Leon: "The triple-option is one of those things that sound easy to prepare for, until they line up with three running backs and you don't know who is getting the ball. It's a unique scheme that isn't always easy to game-plan for and you don't see it a lot. They stuck to their game plan and credit to them, when we made mistakes of our own they capitalized. But, let's keep this in perspective. We had three turnovers, three sacks, and 15 tackles for loss as a defense. I think we adjusted just fine."

Question Three - Ryan Parker (Big Ten Network): "Last one, Coach. How different did it feel out there as the head coach for the first time in your professional career, not merely a coordinator?"

Armando Leon: "Not going to lie, Ryan, it definitely took a few drives to get used to. But you adapt and grow. I'm still heavily involved with the defense; that hasn't changed. It's just getting used to managing my time across the whole team, not just the defenders. I've got a great group of coordinators and position coaches around me, so it makes stepping back easier when you trust the guys around you."


•••


This was a game we expected to win and executed with that intention. I'm not going to get too rah-rah, we did what was expected. Next week against Virginia Tech is going to be the real measuring stick.

Seeing Washington sling it, seeing the offensive line move bodies, and seeing the defense swarm to the ball are all encouraging things.

Now let's see them execute against some real competition.


•••

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Towson	7	3	0	7	17
Maryland	21	14	21	7	63

Q	Team	Time	Play	Towson	Maryland
1st	Maryland	8:05	Zymear Smith, 41 Yd Run	0	7
1st	Maryland	7:15	Zymear Smith, 15 Yd Pass From Malik Washington	0	14
1st	Towson	3:52	Isaac Sydney, 19 Yd Pass From Brock Ladler	7	14
1st	Maryland	0:08	Emanuel Ross, 19 Yd Pass From Malik Washington	7	21
2nd	Maryland	5:57	Bryce Randolph, 12 Yd Pass From Malik Washington	7	28
2nd	Maryland	1:49	JT Taggart, 4 Yd Pass From Malik Washington	7	35
2nd	Towson	0:04	Andy McFoles, 50 Yd FG	10	35
3rd	Maryland	9:48	Bryce Randolph, Returned Kickoff 95 Yds	10	42
3rd	Maryland	4:38	Emanuel Ross, 27 Yd Pass From Malik Washington	10	49
3rd	Maryland	0:05	Bryce Randolph, 51 Yd Pass From Malik Washington	10	56
4th	Towson	8:29	Will McKelvin Jr, 36 Yd Run	17	56
4th	Maryland	1:10	Iverson Howard, 3 Yd Run	17	63

Towson                                                           Maryland

Passing               | Stats                                    Passing             | Stats
----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------
Brock Ladler          | 7/12, 77 Yds, TD, INT                    Malik Washington    | 18/22, 276 Yds, 6 TD
Matt Millard          | 0/3, INT                                 Tobias Hester       | 1/3, 2 Yds, INT

Rushing               | Stats                                    Rushing             | Stats
----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------
Dorian O'Neal         | 10 Att, 48 Yds                           Zymear Smith        | 14 Att, 83 Yds, TD
Will McKelvin Jr      | 2 Att, 37 Yds, TD                        Iverson Howard      | 12 Att, 78 Yds, TD

Receiving             | Stats                                    Receiving           | Stats
----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------
Jarvis May            | 2 Rec, 47 Yds                            JT Taggart          | 5 Rec, 68 Yds, TD
Isaac Sydney          | 2 Rec, 30 Yds, TD                        Bryce Randolph      | 4 Rec, 88 Yds, 2 TD
Dorial O'Neal         | 2 Rec, -4 Yds                            Emanuel Ross        | 2 Rec, 46 Yds, 2 TD

Defensive             | Stats                                    Defensive           | Stats
----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------
SS Patrick Aberdeen   | 1 Tkl, INT                               DE Garrison Dobbs   | 4 Tkl, 3 TFL, Sack, FF
MLB Victor Yeldon     | 10 Tkl, TFL                              MLB Keyshawn Flowers| 8 Tkl, 3T TFL, Sack, FR
DT Tavares Vann       | 7 Tkl, TFL                               MLB Gordon Paul     | 4 Tkl, TFL, Sack

Big Ten Week One Results
24 FCS @ Minnesota 42
7 FCS @ Rutgers 45
17 Ball State @ Penn State 45
38 Western Michigan @ Michigan State 29
7 Ohio @ Illinois 45
23 #13 USC @ Appalachian State 20
17 Marshall @ Wisconsin 24
10 Buffalo @ #8 Ohio State 37
23 FCS @ #18 Oregon 56
10 FCS @ #17 Washington 52
32 #23 UCLA @ #9 Cal 34
13 UTEP @ Nebraska 55
28 Northwestern @ Eastern Michigan 24

Notable Week One Results
30 #11 Texas @ #3 Miami 38
22 #10 Florida @ #7 Auburn 28
24 #5 Duke @ #15 LSU 16

Additional Media

► Show Spoiler

[redsox907]

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2028 Week Two Preview: Virginia Tech Hokies (2-0) @ Maryland Terrapins (1-0)

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Marcus Washington // Terpsville • Published: September 8th, 2028

After a predictable slaughter over the Towson Tigers, it's time for the Maryland Terrapins to really prove they're tough as they host the Virginia Tech Hokies in Week 2. The Hokies are already 2-0 on the season after a Week 0 shocker over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, previously ranked 10th, that was followed up with an 18-17 win over Liberty.

The win over Notre Dame is impressive, if you ignore the Irish's penchant for dropping early contests against subpar opponents, but the fact that they narrowly beat Liberty the week after is telling. Are the Hokies a legitimate threat to hand Coach Leon his first loss as a head coach, or are they merely an opportunistic team that took advantage of home field?

We'll get Coach Leon's answers on the other side of the stat graphic in another edition of "Inside the Shell."


•••

Maryland Terrapins (1-0)               | Description                   | Virginia Tech Hokies (2-0)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
81 Overall // 81 Offense // 81 Defense | Team Rating                   | 76 Overall // 76 Offense // 76 Defense
Armando Leon (1-0)                     | Head Coach                    | Phillip Montgomery (13-25) 
Spread                                 | Offensive Scheme              | Spread
3-3-5                                  | Defensive Scheme              | 4-2-5

Oregon State Beavers                             Virginia Tech Hokies
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SR Malik Washington (87)                 | QB  | SO(RS) Bradley Goodwin (75)
SR Zymear Smith (89)                     | HB  | SR(RS) Tyler Mason (80)
SR(RS) Emanuel Ross (87)                 | WR  | SR Shamarius Peterkin (88)
SR(RS) Za'Ron Collins (82)               | WR  | JR(RS) Keylen Adams (86)
JR DE Garrison Dobbs (87)                | DEF | SR(RS) LB Gabe Williams (87)
SR(RS) SS La'Khi Roland (87)             | DEF | JR MLB Ryan Slater (81)
JR(RS) DT Caleb Williams (80)            | DEF | JR(RS) LB Colby McClain (83)
SR(RS) CB Brandon Lee (83)               | DEF | SR(RS) DE Makai Byerson (79)

Big Ten Week Two Schedule

► Show Spoiler

FCS @ Wisconsin (1-0)
FCS @ Illinois (1-0)
Eastern Michigan (0-1) @ Indiana (0-0)
UCF (1-0) @ Northwestern (1-0)
#16 Iowa State (1-0) @ Iowa (0-0)
Hawaii (1-0) @ #23 UCLA (0-1)
Purdue (1-0) @ Wake Forest (1-0)
FCS @ Nebraska (1-0)
Bowling Green (0-1) @ Minnesota (1-0)
Nevada (0-1) @ #6 Michigan (1-0)
FCS @ Michigan State (0-1)
Fresno State (1-0) @ #13 USC (1-0)
#20 Penn State (1-0) @ Syracuse (1-0)
#8 Ohio State (1-0) @ #2 Alabama (1-0)
Baylor (1-0) @ #18 Oregon (1-0)

Notable Week Two Matchups

► Show Spoiler

#19 NC State (1-0) @ #1 Clemson (1-0)
#21 Oklahoma (1-0) @ #15 LSU (0-1)
#11 Texas (1-1) @ #22 Notre Dame (1-1)
#25 TCU (0-1) @ #5 Duke (1-0)

•••


Inside the Shell

MW: "Great first win, Coach, even if it was expected. Things take a sharp upturn in Week 2 against a Hokies squad that already has a pair of quality wins. What does the win over Notre Dame in Week 0 look like to you? A Notre Dame team that routinely struggles to open the season under Marcus Freeman, or a team in the Hokies that is going to surprise some people this year?"

AL: "I think both things can be true, Marcus. Notre Dame has historically struggled to open the season, that's not trash talking—that's a fact. But also, the Hokies have talent at the skill positions. Tyler Mason is a bruising tackle, both Peterkin and Adams have talent outside, and they have one of the most veteran offensive lines in the ACC. I think it is a great challenge for our team as we find our identity to start the season and a needed jump in competition before we roll into the Big House to get the real season started."

MW: "Malik Washington looked like an early Heisman contender last week, albeit against Towson. What does he need to do to keep that momentum going?"

AL: "Just keep making the right reads, Marcus. He ran for 47 yards against Towson on top of the 278 passing yards and record-setting touchdown passes. That shows me a guy who isn't pressing and is taking what the defense gives him. So long as he keeps doing that, the train will keep rolling."

MW: "On to the defense, Coach. You guys gave up 17 points to the Tigers and a handful of chunk plays. What does the defense need to do to simply tighten things up, from the run fits to the pass coverage?"

AL: "Just keep communicating. We're all getting to know each other, building trust that we're all going to execute when needed. We're going to give up some big plays, but with an offense now that can score on their own, we aren't as pressed about giving up a few big plays as years previous."


•••


The Hokies may have upset the Fighting Irish, but I chalk that more up to a classic Irish choke job than a Hokies team that shouldn't be anything more than a nuisance to the Terrapins this year.

I expect Malik Washington to continue to shine and for Coach Leon to tighten the screws on defense. The Hokies will get a few big plays; they have too much talent to completely dismiss, but they won't be able to keep up with the Terps scoring attack.

Maryland 42, Virginia Tech 14.

[Captain Canada]

Damn right, you did that shit.

Odds you do it again?