Elijah Brooks comes to Maryland Stadium a few times a year to watch the Terps football team. As the head football coach at DeMatha Catholic High School, Brooks enjoys watching his Stags-turned-Terps compete.
In 2015, Brooks didn’t have any former players on the Maryland roster, but now the Terps tout six DeMatha Catholic alumni.
“It’s a pleasure watching them grow and perform at the highest level,” Brooks said. “It’s nice when they stay close so we can watch them, and they can stay connected and speak to our team.”
DeMatha Catholic, located about three miles south of this campus on Route 1, is one of the country’s top high school programs. The Stags produce elite athletes, but the Terps once struggled to bring the talent to College Park.
Coach DJ Durkin has reversed that trend in his first year at the helm of the program. The Terps have reaped contributions from their DeMatha Catholic rookies this season and are prepared to welcome at least one more Stag from the Class of 2017.
“The DeMatha guys are all big-time,” Durkin said at the team’s media day in August. “All four of those guys came in really [ready.] We got what we thought we were getting.”
Running back Lorenzo Harrison has had the most success of the four freshmen, leading the Terps with 208 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Tino Ellis has also made an impact on defense, notching two tackles as a defensive back.
Marcus Minor, the Terps’ four-star offensive line 2017 commit from DeMatha Catholic, has a theory for his former and future teammates’ success. The Stags coaches push the players mentally and physically at practice, so the advancement isn’t difficult.
“At DeMatha, our coach really wanted us to kind of be ready for college, so like everything we did was kind of like the way a college would do it,” freshman wide receiver DJ Turner said at media day. “So the transition wasn’t that much of a big deal for us, so it was a lot easier for most of the DeMatha kids.”
Durkin’s recruits have referenced the “DMV to UMD” movement, and Brooks said he saw a shift in recruits’ interest in Maryland when Durkin took over in December after former coach Randy Edsall’s firing.
“DJ and his staff are just more welcoming and personable with the kids,” Brooks said.
Minor’s decision mirrored that sentiment. While he also considered Auburn and Michigan State, the welcoming environment in College Park earned his trust. So far, Minor is the only Stags player to verbally commit to the Terps for next season, but the team is also still a candidate for four-star running back Anthony McFarland Jr.
“They brought me in like family,” Minor said. “It was all about being able to be in the Terps family for me.”
While the players appreciate the technical skills they develop in Brooks’ program, they also cherish the team’s camaraderie. That’s why the Terps appeal comes from the opportunity to compete with friends and in front of supporters.
“It’s definitely a plus to know guys, and you already have that bond so you don’t have to start over,” Minor said. “It’s the best home away from home for me, and I think all of us.”
