The Terps have landed commitments from Alijah and Asaiah Hammond. The Calvert Hall duo are twins and both play defense one a LB and the other DL. They have been heavy Terp leans since their official visit over the summer but the big win Saturday put the Terps over the top.

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Horrible. I can’t wrap my head around this 3 week span.

We’re a couple minutes away from kickoff between the Terps and Gophers. Beautiful day for some football out in the Midwest.

Can Billy stay hot? Can the secondary continue to show improvement? And can the Terps finally get off to a hot start on the road?

STORY

Big news today is that Colby McDonald is done for the year. Starting safeties Glen Miller and Dante Trader both listed as questionable. So too is starting EDGE Kellan Wyatt.

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They kept plugging. Going for 2 was brilliant in hindsight. Hey Bubba, just relaying a message from Mike, 🖕!

But now up to 3.5. Vegas doesn't have the renewed enthusiasm of most Maryland fans...

FanDuel has the O/U at 46.5

Forecast has shifted however, couple of days ago it was forecast to be in the low 70's, now Partly to Mostly Cloudy. High 66. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.

I don't know if anyone else heard this and if maybe someone else has a link they could post, but heard a funny story this morning from Springsteen about playing with Chuck Berry at UMD. Springsteen said he played with Berry at Cole Field House in 1973 (Jerry Lee Lewis also performed) and that he went to ask what songs they were going to play so the E Street Band could rehearse a bit and Berry just said, 'we're gonna play some of my songs,' and walked off. lol Pretty crazy, though, to imagine those three all playing the same show in College Park.

Anyone here attend that show?

I am a diehard Terp fan and was delighted with the gutsy win on Saturday. However, I was totally embarassed by the placement of the USC band in the third deck, corner of the stadium visitor's side. This was a deviation from past practice and left the band in the dark for the whole game. I think it was an insult visited upon a group that came 3,000 miles for our football game. I would go so far as to say I wish we could have seen them perform at halftime. I can just imagine where our band would be in the Coliseum when we go there to play the Trojans. It was insulting and we should be ashamed.

Five-star edge Zion Elee says Maryland interest 'heavy' after visit​

Zion Elee, who is the No. 2 player in the 2026 class, goes in-depth about his Maryland visit.​

A change in five-star Zion Elee's visit schedule two weekends ago had big ramifications for Maryland last weekend.

The coveted class of 2026 Baltimore St. France's standout visited Tennessee a week earlier instead of for the game against Alabama,
which allowed him to be at SECU Stadium for Maryland's homecoming win against USC.

And according to the 6-foot-3 1/2, 220-pound Elee, it elevated the Terps in his recruitment.

"This visit, in general, changed my view of Maryland," said Elee, who is the No. 2 player in his class. "From the coaches, the events, and the game, I now have heavy interest in Maryland and it's one of my top schools."

Elee, who also visited Oregon this season and he is slated to be at Auburn on Nov. 2, received priority treatment.

He met with members of the coaching staff, including coach Mike Locksley before the game, and felt a connection to the program.

"He really talked about how he wanted me to stay home," Elee said. "How they are trying to build something with the local guys."

The Terps rallied from a 14-point deficit with 13 minutes left for the win, and it made an impact on Elee.

"The atmosphere of Maryland was so intense," he said. "It was such a great game. Stadium was packed out and it was really a battle till the end."

The way the Terps use their edge rushers appealed to him.

"I like how the defense I play is similar to Maryland's so it wouldn't be much new," Elee said.

Maryland Basketball Recruiting: Top target gets a familiar feeling during visit​

The Terps made an impression on one of their top targets.​

As Maryland basketball begins to shift its recruiting focus towards the 2026 class, it'll be focusing on a few prospects in hopes of building momentum and strong foundational relationships that pay off in the long run. One prospect they're high on was on campus Friday for an unofficial visit.


"The visit was really good," OTE and Team Melo guard Parker Robinson told IMS. "Everyone was really friendly. When I first got there, I went right to their practice and it was great to watch some of the other local guys from the area that I know. I saw DeShawn Harris-Smith, who I played against when I was at Good Counsel. It was good seeing Malachi Palmer and guys like that. It just gave me a chance to envision myself playing with those guys for a place that I'm familiar with."

Taking in practice was a chance for Robinson to see the other side of the staff.

"Practice was intense and high energy. I was really impressed with Coach Manning and Coach Willard especially. The way they were so involved in everything and not just letting guys get away with things."


Following practice, they took Robinson around campus to show the perspective of student life.


"The campus is beautiful. They definitely went out of their way to show me around and treat me very well when we were driving around. The fans there are passionate and I'm sure they're the same when it comes to basketball games."

Robinson's style of play is what appeals most to the staff. How he gets his shots within the flow was on full display over the summer, specifically when he played in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in May where he finished third in scoring at 20.7 points per game with scorching efficiency. It's also noteworthy that current Maryland commit Christian Jeffrey played alongside Robinson in the backcourt for this event.

"They believe I'm a high level shooter and that's what they believe I could come in and do from the jump. They like my IQ for the game and they think I'm a great team player. I do things that translate to winning and that's something they are looking to build their roster with. They also brought up Jahmir Young's success with the program and the idea of how he came in, did what he was supposed to do and now he's finding his way in the league."
Leading up to the visit, Robinson has had phone calls with Willard, but obviously spending time with someone in person gives you the opportunity to learn more about their personality.

"It's always good to see them in person, spend time and get to know someone on a more personal level. He seems like a great guy and has a lot of knowledge about the game. They showed me a lot of love out there and spoiled me for sure. Their message was that local prospects give more to the program because it's not about the name on the back of the jersey, but the name on the front and the area that means the most to them. He seems like a great coach and I'll definitely be watching them closely this season."

As far as new developments in Robinson's overall recruitment, he mentioned programs such as Kansas, Michigan and Notre Dame are beginning to reach out following OTE's Pro Day earlier this month. Iowa, Providence, West Virginia and VCU account for a few of the programs who have officially extended offers to the 6-foot-4 four-star.

Robinson currently ranks as the No. 97 overall prospect.

I had to do a double take. Couldn’t believe a coach would quit just days ahead of the first game of the season. And people thought Gary’s retirement in April was nuts.

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VIP Maryland basketball recruiting mailbag: Kevin Willard's recruiting strategy, 2026 pursuits and more​

Maryland has two commits in its 2025 recruiting class and continues to work on more prospects in multiple classes. What's the latest from the recruiting trail as Kevin Willard gets close to the start of his third season in College Park? Answering your questions in the latest installment of our recruiting mailbag.​

Seberhardt: There's a perception here that Willard is all over the place with prioritizing players then backing off seemingly at random. Does reality match perception?

I wouldn't say that perception is reality. I think Willard's approach to high school prospects has changed a lot since last season. There was a ton of hype surrounding last year's class and the freshmen weren't quite ready to take on the significant roles they were being asked to fill.

The layers that go into recruiting with NIL can make things difficult. We're seeing high school seniors get astronomical amount thrown their way to the point where they're making more than some proven upperclassmen. It's a safe bet that the majority of those freshmen won't live up to the market price that they were promised. We'll see the ripple effects from this in the coming seasons.

Willard put his foot on the gas and kept it there throughout the Derik Queen pursuit. People are quick to forget that from a pure NIL perspective, Maryland wasn't the highest bidder and yet, Queen decided to come to College Park. That says something about Willard and his staff. Moving forward, they'll continue to focus on a 2-to-3 man freshman class, but with the certainty that those prospects will be able to produce in some sort of role from day one. He may not cast a wide net, but when Willard is dialed in on a couple of guys, the effort is clearly present.

Sblaney: Can you name our top recruits for 26 and where we stand with them currently ?

To say that Maryland has an established 2026 board at this point would be lying. There are a few prospects that they've already laid groundwork with or will be expected to pursue beginning this winter.

Parker Robinson was on campus last weekend and the staff seems very high on him. Robinson began his high school career at Good Counsel before leaving the state for Overtime Elite. While many are quick to tab him as a local product, Robinson grew up in Indiana before moving to the DMV. His father graduated from Purdue while his mother is a Michigan State graduate. The Boilermakers could be a program to pose a real threat if they get heavily involved down the road.

Qayden Samuels is as polished of a scorer as I've seen in recent memory. A 6-foot-5 lefty, the line of programs that battle for his services will be a long one. Samuels' sister, Cadence, is a sophomore at UConn and the Huskies have already extended an offer to Qayden. It seems like we're in a world where head coach Dan Hurley has his pick of the litter from a recruiting perspective, so I'll be monitoring their efforts here. Alabama, Kansas, Michigan, Syracuse and Tennessee are some of the other programs that have offered Samuels.

Frontcourt targets include Shane Pendergrass, Chase Foster (pictured) and Favour Ibe, who will be names to track. Ibe plays alongside current Maryland commit Christian Jeffrey at Mt. Zion Prep and shows real promise as a 7-footer with potential. Foster, a Baltimore native, currently plays at IMG Academy after winning back-to-back Maryland state titles at Edmondson-Westside. Pendergrass is rising up the boards since making the move to Hargrave Military Academy this summer. He fits the mold of a local prospect who could end up staying close for his college days. Pendergrass has been on campus and should be a familiar face throughout the season.

Nymets9631: Is Jeffrey the future stud point guard in line of the GV, Melo, Cowan after Gillespie leaves? He seems like a great PG just don't know how they play him with Gillespie as a senior but maybe Gillespie is that really good that he is next in line, seems a good problem to have lol

I think Jeffrey is one of the more college-ready point guards in the class when you consider his size, strength and style of play. The fit in the Big Ten Conference specifically should play to his strengths. So far this fall in warm-up events, Jeffrey has been really productive and shown more command on the ball. He gets downhill with ease and uses every bit of his frame to establish separation and make the game easier for him and those around him. He makes thorough reads in pick-and-rolls, changes pace effectively and will surprise you with his ability to see the entire floor off the live dribble.

Defensively, he'll be a valuable piece because again, his sturdy frame should allow him to guard multiple positions. I could see Gillispie and Jeffrey sharing the floor with Gillispie in more of an off-ball role to space the floor. It wouldn't be a flawless pairing, bu could be impactful depending upon the matchup.

The real expectation at this point is for Jeffrey to be a guy off the bench who comes in and provides energy and an on-ball presence for 8-to-10 minutes with the possibility of more if he hits the ground running.

Happy Birthday to all the Libras here, even ET, you old coot.

Maryland Basketball Scoop: Dynamic addition, a sleeper for playing time and recruiting intel​

For Maryland men's basketball, the preseason will be done soon. The Terps are in full practice mode for the season, including bringing officials to the court to call fouls and get the players ready for game action. How do they look? Where did they add the most dynamic players and who's a sleeper for playing time?​

During a recent viewing, I decided to focus on Ja'Kobi Gillespie. The Belmont transfer has more pressure on him and will have a more outsize importance to this team than anyone. When you're asked to replace someone like Jahmir Young, that's the deal.

Gillespie isn't as stout or powerful as Young, and during the first 20 or 30 minutes or so, he didn't stand out. Then he caught fire, draining a couple of deep threes from several feet beyond NBA range. Then he put on a nasty spin move to get to the basket, drawing a buzz from everyone in the gym. By the end of the practice, it was apparent he was one of the best players on the floor.


A source compared him to Anthony Cowan in terms of his size and playing style. Expecting him to be as good as Cowan would be unfair and he probably won't match his numbers from last year as a sophomore at Belmont (17.2 PPG, 4.2 APG, 56.1 FG%) in the Big Ten. There might also be times where his size is a challenge, like when the taller Rodney Rice snatched an offensive rebound over him. But he's a dynamic player who shoots the three better than Young and could have that Melo Trimble-style dynamic when playing off of high screens.

DeShawn Harris-Smith and Tafara Gapare were out on the day I watched. Selton Miguel and Rice has their share of good moments, like when Rice swished a corner three on


Elsewhere, Derik Queen is Derik Queen. The freshman big man is so skilled and patient with the ball in the post, he can present problems even for his far more experienced teammate Julian Reese. Reese is a better rebounder and defender, but Queen has a chance to be Maryland's most efficient big man offensively.

There were few surprises, but freshman Malachi Palmer remains perhaps the biggest one of the fall. Palmer is physically built like an upperclassman and appears likely to be in the rotation when the season starts.

On the recruiting trail, Cam Ward's long-awaited decision went as expected, with the Largo (Md.) star becoming the second local standout and Maryland target to pick MSU, along with Jordan Scott. Ward spoke highly of Tom Izzo from Day One, and it never felt like Maryland had him as a top priority. Willard is likely to take only two high school players in this class and bank the rest for the portal. The NIL market has surged for top high school players and I think Willard believes the money is better spent on proven commodities and mature players.

If Ward or Scott becomes a star in the Big Ten, of course, it'll be a topic of conversation. Elsewhere, in 2026, I'm told the Terps have been in contact with 2026 guard Adam Omiddoch, the former Bishop O'Connell standout now in Atlanta at Overtime Elite. That's been a consistent stop recently, including for 2026 guard Parker Robinson, who visited this month (update via Colby). Add Ommicodch, the nation's No. 28 player and No. 6 shooting guard in the 2026 Composite, to the list of juniors to watch.

"I want to play in a winning environment first of all," Omiddoch told 247Sports' Dushawn Lonson during the season. "I want to play for a team that plays fast, quick-paced, is a defense-first team but also likes to go quick and score the ball at a high level. It would also be nice to play for a young coach or a coach who will help me play my game and be confident. I want to take what I'm doing at the high school level and do it at the next level."

Have confirmed report that Cam Edge will enter the transfer portal. No surprise here at all. Big, strong-armed kid who is definitely talented, but Maryland just not the best fit at the moment.

Honestly, I think it is extremely likely there will be other QBs that enter the portal this offseason. Billy has been pretty good, Morris is probably a better fit for what Locksley likes to do and Washington is the future.