COLLEGE PARK, MD – Nov. 1, 2023 – University of Maryland and Legends, a data-intelligence fueled global premium experiences company, announced a long-term partnership centered around reimagining the Maryland Athletics fan and alumni experience.

The comprehensive partnership includes the debut of a premier hospitality club overlooking Gary Williams Court at XFINITY Center. This space will also serve as a membership club open 365 days a year with a premium culinary and beverage hospitality. The new 400-person event day hospitality club and membership club will be part of a renovation project at XFINITY Center designed to reflect the Terps spirit and offering a culinary experience with bold, local flavors.

The membership club will offer a tailored benefit and amenity program including access to members-only events, the ability to rent the club for private events, reserved meeting space, and more.

“Maryland Athletics is focused on building premier experiences, amenities and spaces for our Terps fans,” said Colleen Sorem, Maryland Deputy Athletics Director. “We are thrilled to be working with Legends, a worldwide leader in premium hospitality, sales and service. This represents a major investment in the overall fan experience and we can’t wait to bring these enhancements to our loyal fanbase and we are thrilled to be Legends’ first collegiate partner in the hospitality and membership club space.”

Legends research arm, CSL, has conducted a comprehensive market research and feasibility study providing analysis on the best approach and sales opportunity for the new premium spaces. The company’s industry-leading hospitality team will oversee operations and the culinary and beverage program for the membership club and event day hospitality club. In addition, as part of the overarching agreement, Legends will manage sales for the membership club and ticket sales and premium seating, marketing and business intelligence for men’s and women’s basketball and football.

“Legends is proud to continue to align with marquee universities and athletics programs like University of Maryland to serve as a trusted partner in evaluating complex problems and finding innovative solutions to reimagine the fan experience,” said Michael Behan, Chief Operating Officer, Collegiate Partnerships, Legends. “We are excited to work alongside the team at Maryland to develop a first-of-its-kind premium hospitality experience providing a unique opportunity for the university to create a deeper connection with fans and alumni.”

Legends has vast experience operating membership clubs and premium hospitality in professional, collegiate, and international venues, including at SoFi Stadium, AT&T Stadium, BMO Stadium, Cowboys Club at The Star, Spurs Club at The Rock at La Cantera, Doak Campbell Stadium (Florida State), Etihad Stadium, Santiago Bernabéu, and Yankee Stadium. As well, Legends’ is the leader in advising university athletic departments on identifying opportunities to enhance fan experiences and optimize revenue streams on new and renovated facility projects, having partnered on Northwestern, University of Kansas, University of Notre Dame, University of Oklahoma, University of Southern California, University of Utah, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Villanova University, and San Diego State University, amongst others.

The Rivals network publishers got together and we did a preseason basketball poll similar to the halfway football poll we did a couple weeks ago. I was a bit surprised to see Illinois picked to finish ahead of Maryland.

The All-B1G team was pretty much a no-brainer. Those five guys are easily the five best in the league, IMO.

STORY

Here's how I ranked the teams 1-14 and my All-B1G team:

1. Purdue
2. Michigan State
3. Maryland
4. Wisconsin
5. Illinois
6. Indiana
7. Ohio State
8. Rutgers
9. Iowa
10. Northwestern
11. Michigan
12. Penn State
13. Nebraska
14. Minnesota

All-Big Ten
Zach Edey
Jahmir Young
Terrence Shannon Jr.
Boo Buie
Tyson Walker

Good stuff here from Marty Leap of the PSU site. I did find it funny that he says you can just throw out the 2020 game. (shocker) More at the link below.

STORY

It all starts in the trenches. While the Terps have similar talent at the skill positions, looking at the starters in the trenches as recruits and on paper it looks like a complete mismatch.

PSU with 4 four-stars along the O-line, including two in the top 100. And their center is an Ivy League transfer with experience.

On defense, PSU again has 3 four-stars along the D-line, two of which are top 250 guys.

Throw in the fact that they start two highly rated tight ends and have a big, talented RB and they are built to play Big Ten, smash mouth football. More at the link.

STORY

It appears that the 1st Amendment is dead, as in dead on the InsideMDsports 24/7 Sports site. I have been banned from posting/responding with no explanation. This site is the lesser of the sites I lurk and appears to be a younger newer crowd.

UMd is not a football school. We will never be really competitive with Michigan and Ohio State. Just not in our DNA.
On another site, I just read that Willard is breaking his ass trying to raise NIL money.
Give all NIL donations to basketball and let's recruit the best and be national champs.

50 Weird and Stupid US Laws

Hey guys! Rich Schnyderite here, publisher of Happy Valley Insider aka the Penn State-Rivals site. Just wanted to drop by and post our video from Penn State head coach James Franklin's press conference today.

There is only a couple of Maryland questions / answers in there, so ENJOY!
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FIU transfer and Baltimore native Tyrese Chambers has been removed from the team's roster and is no longer with the program, a Maryland spokesperson told the Baltimore Banner's Varun Shankar this morning.

He had some lingering injury issues in recent weeks and wasn't really seeing the field prior to that. The plan is to get fully healthy and prepare for the NFL Draft.

Seemed like a good kid that really wanted to be here the couple of times I spoke with him. But really have to question why he just left the team. Hearing some conflicting stuff, but don't like seeing a kid just leave like that.

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One thing that really sticks out to me when looking at the WR stats is the fact that Felton leads the team in targets, but has the lowest reception% of the starting wideouts (54.7%). He has a team leading 53 targets but is just third on the team in catches with 29.

Jeshaun Jones, who leads the team in receptions, is at 72.8% and Kaden Prather, who is second in catches, is at 60%.

Here are your snap counts and PFF grades from Saturday's loss at Northwestern.

After a few days of not thinking about this one and coming at it with a clear head, it seems like the Terps did enough to win this game most of the time, with nearly 400 yards of total offense. They also had more first downs, better 3rd down conversion rate and less penalties (although penalty yards were equal).

The two turnovers were absolutely killer.

STORY

Rankings came out today. There are 5 power 5 teams never to be ranked in the playoff top 25 (different from AP or coaches poll)

MD is 1 of the 5, can you name the other 4?

Watch Locksley look back on last Saturday's loss, the departure of Tyrese Chambers and look ahead to Saturday's game versus border rival PSU in the video linked below.

STORY

Seeing he left the team. Had not much production.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS -- Maryland football quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has been selected to the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2023, it was announced Tuesday. Tagovailoa is one of 35 quarterbacks that are now an official candidate to win the 2023 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.

Tagovailoa currently leads the Big Ten and stands top-20 in the country in passing yards (2,200), passing touchdowns (19) and points responsible for (140). He leads the Big Ten and stands top-30 in the nation in total offense (285.5).

The redshirt junior has helped ascend the Terps' passing game to new heights during his four-year career. The quarterback has set Maryland career records for passing yards (10,079), passing touchdowns (70), total touchdowns (82), completions (854), completion percentage (66.6), 300-yard passing games (14), passing efficiency (145.8) and total offense (10,351).

His current career completion percentage (.666) is the sixth-best of any Big Ten quarterback all-time, he stands seventh all-time on the career Big Ten passing yards list with 10,079 and he is tied for ninth in career passing touchdowns in Big Ten history with 70 in his Maryland career.

Last week, Tagovailoa became the first Terp since Jonathan Claiborne in 1977 to be named a finalist for the prestigious Campbell Trophy, known as the "Academic Heisman", given annually to the premier scholar-athlete that is the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. One of just 16 finalists in the nation and three in the Big Ten, Tagovailoa has a 3.61 GPA in the classroom, graduating last December, earning a degree in Family Science. He is currently working towards his master's degree in African American studies.

The next step in the process will be to select the award's 16 semifinalists from the 35 quarterbacks. The semifinalists will be chosen based on voting from the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee as well as bonus ballots awarded from the first round of the Davey O'Brien Fan Vote.

For the fourth straight year, the Fan Vote will take place on the award's three social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X)—and the top five vote getters on each platform will receive bonus committee member ballots which will be added to the votes cast by the National Selection Committee.

To participate in the Fan Vote, fans must like the original Davey O'Brien Award post highlighting their quarterback. The first round is open now until Friday, Nov. 10 at noon (CT). The semifinalists will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 14.Looking ahead, the three finalists will be tabbed on Tuesday, Nov. 28, while the winner will be announced live on Friday, Dec. 8, on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

The Davey O'Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O'Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.3 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.

In 1938, O'Brien, who was a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.

The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 47th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Big road game today, as the Terps are two-touchdown favorites with a chance to become bowl eligible for the third straight year for the first time since the Fridge era.

Good news is that 4 of the 5 starters that missed Illinois should be in the lineup today. Although it does seem like there’s a very good chance Still will be out again this week.

I guess Duke does it again. Is this kid the real deal next Larry Bird ?

Brian Williams worst day as a DC.

Terp football still mired in mediocrity, but with chances still to show some growth this year. 🤷‍♂️

I’m not impressed with the last 3 weeks, and parts of the first few. Nobody’s perfect but the Terps are very good at politely giving momentum away, quickly. After 8 games, still not a solid, complete game. Coaches and players.

Another additional week to plan for a middling team on the road. Bad plan. 🤷‍♂️

Be better, y’all, damn, you have the tools.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland-Nebraska football game, set to be played at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on November 11, will kickoff at Noon EST and be broadcast on Peacock, it was announced on Monday.

This will mark Maryland’s first ever game on Peacock, NBCUniversal's direct-to-consumer streaming service. The Peacock streaming platform is available across a variety of devices, including internet web browsers, mobile phones, tablets and connected TVs, game consoles and streaming devices.

To subscribe, download the Peacock application to your device and for more information, visit www.PeacockTV.com. Click here for a detailed list of supported devices. There are also discounts available for Maryland alumni and current students.

Maryland (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) is set to host Penn State this Saturday at SECU Stadium. Nebraska (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten), winners of three straight games, travels to Michigan State this Saturday.

Talked to a few sources about the UVA scrimmage and it sounds like it was pretty similar to last year's scrimmage with the Hoos.

Like last year, UVA won, although this time it was by 3 points instead of 6. It also sounds like, once again, JuJu Reese pretty much dominated the game while he was on the floor. It seems UVAs bigs simply don't match up well with Reese.

Noah Bachelor, Caleum Swanton-Rodger and Jahari Long are all expected to play this season but all sat out the scrimmage due to injury.

One player who did play is Mady Traore. Sounds like he played some at the five with CSR out of the lineup. I'll still be pretty surprised if he plays much once the regular season starts. This was his first time seeing the floor in a game-like setting after not playing in the team's trip to Italy or their first scrimmage versus Cinci.

I'll just add, that while it seems Jaime Kaiser didn't get the start in the scrimmage, he continues to impress and will almost certainly be the starting three at some point early in the season. But it seems Donta Scott is also going to get some minutes at the three this year. I think we'll ultimately see Kaiser start on the wing with Scott at the four and Geronimo the first off the bench to spell one of those two. But Kaiser's ability to defend the wing and make threes both spotting up and in catch and shoot situations make him a perfect fit and almost certainly a major contributor.

Bottom line, I'm reading about as much into this outcome as I did last year. This team is going to be good, Young and Reese are stars while DHS and Kaiser are two of the best freshmen in the country. They are going to win a lot of games. It was a scrimmage, so meant to work on some things and tweak some things before the season officially starts next week.

Mid-season COY

Love these! Straight 🔥. At some point, they gotta bring back the 2002 unis. I've heard the talk that they can't because of Nike or some such stuff, but the fact there's a company reproducing the 2002 shorts with a license makes me think that isn't the case. Can you imagine a top 5 Maryland team playing some blue blood at home wearing the 2002 unis? They might blow the roof off of Xfinity!

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