Maryland Football Scoop: Who's the Terps' QB next year?
Maryland football has a lot of questions to answer before next season, including a big one at quarterback. How does it look like things will shape up under center next year for the Terps?
Maryland football has a lot of questions to answer before next season, including a big one at quarterback. Billy Edwards Jr. has had an up-and-down first year as a starter behind a shaky offensive line. Malik Washington will arrive in January to get an early start on becoming a college quarterback. And several others remain on the roster, including some promising passers. So how does it look like things will shape up under center next year for the Terps? Here's the scoop ...
First things first: it'll be an open competition. It's no secret that Locksley loves Edwards' intangibles and leadership, and on paper, he's had a strong season, ranking second in the Big Ten in passing yards (2,855). But his quarterback rating is 10th in the conference, the deep balls haven't connected often enough and he's misfired on a lot of passes. Those gaudy yardage numbers are also a product of throwing the ball a ton because the team has often been trailing and the running game has been listless. If he averages 35 attempts in Maryland's final two games, he'll tie the program's all-time record for passing attempts in a season, set by John Kaleo in 1992 (482).
I'm excited about Billy returning in the system for a second starting season, possibly. I'm excited for the unknown people that you referenced to be here. I'm excited to be able to add a bunch of pieces. If you really want to know, that's the optimism I have. If you want to write that in your column, that's the optimism I have is that, you know what, we've built and designed a structure and strategies that have allowed us to grow this program," Locksley said on Tuesday.
Hopes of unleashing his legs also haven't materialized. He's rushed 76 times for 125 yards and five touchdowns. He ranks 10th in the Big Ten in quarterback rating. On the flip side, Maryland's offensive line hasn't been good and Edwards has looked skittish sometimes because of it, much like Taulia Tagovailoa before him. The quarterbacks' success is tied to his offensive line's play, and all you need to know here is that Mike Locksley fired offensive line coach Brian Braswell at midseason.
So the question is, does Locksley like Edwards enough to start him again during what feels like a make-or-break season next year? The Terps are in danger of finishing with their third one-won season in Big Ten play this season and the crowd at SECU Stadium will be sparse on senior day this weekend against Iowa.
I don't think he'll go into the offseason with a concrete starter in mind. Four-star recruit Malik Washington has had a dream season, leading his team to a third straight MIAA title and the posting gaudy stats and climbing to top-50 overall stats in the 247Sports rankings. He'll arrive in January and enroll early to begin preparing and he's expected to compete with Edwards for the job. But true freshman quarterbacks who are game-ready immediately are rare, and as good as Washington is, it's said he still has some rawness to work through.
But Locksley's willing to give him a shot.
"How hard is it to start as a freshman?" Locksley said. "Well, let's see. Jalen Hurts was a true freshman, he started. Tua Tagovailoa started as a true freshman. Juice Williams, I coached him as a true freshman at Illinois, he started as a freshman. This system is a quarterback-friendly system. But the good thing is that, you know what, we've played true freshmen and we've played returning starters at the position. And the one good thing is, they're all gonna get coached, and they're gonna get coached and developed, like we've shown in this system."
All of the above means Maryland needs a third option for insurance. I don't believe MJ Morris will be that guy. While many insisted he'd win the job because of his four-star high school profile and a bit of success at N.C. State, it was clear during the offseason that he was far behind Edwards. He hasn't threatened to take the job or played much. I wouldn't be surprised if he departs. Another back-up, Champ Long, has the arm to thrive somewhere, but he's about 5-11 and 185 pounds, which makes it almost impossible for that place to be in the Big Ten. And a third, Cam Edge, left for the portal earlier this season.
But fishing the portal for anyone good enough to play won't be easy, because any quarterback good enough to play will be wary of joining a program with a returning starter and a prized recruit.
But there is quietly another guy in the mix. Khristian Martin has shown promise during his freshman year.
"He's going to be good. He's a huge kid, big arm, very smart," a source said.
While I wouldn't rule out anything at this stage, especially with the transfer portal looming as a wildcard, I believe the most likely scenario has Edwards as the favorite, with Washington and Martin competing for the job in camp.
