Quarterback Caleb Henderson will not play in Maryland football’s spring game on Saturday, coach DJ Durkin announced Thursday afternoon.
The redshirt junior transfer injured his ankle during a non-contact portion of practice this week, but the second-year leader doesn’t expect the setback to linger into the preseason.
“With the timing and all right now, he’ll be just fine,” Durkin said prior to the Terps’ final on-field spring session before their exhibition. “He suffered an ankle injury that [there’s] no sense in pushing right now or trying to do something crazy. We want him to be healthy for the majority of the summer and obviously into fall camp, and he’ll be able to do that.”
Henderson, who transferred from North Carolina in August, appeared to be leading the quarterback competition through the spring. He learned offensive coordinator Walt Bell’s system as a freshman with the Tar Heels in 2014 and progressed throughout practices last fall while he sat out a mandated transfer season.
Quarterbacks Tyrrell Pigrome and Max Bortenschlager should receive the bulk of the snaps Saturday. Pigrome served as the primary backup to former quarterback Perry Hills last season.
As rookies in 2016, Pigrome and Bortenschlager each started a game in Hills’ injury absences. Durkin lauded Pigrome for his dual-threat skills and praised Bortenschlager’s poise, despite the Terps losing those contests en route to a 6-7 record.
However, the coach feels they’ve progressed entering their second campaigns in College Park.
“Any given day you can say one guy has a nod over another,” Durkin said. “We’re not going to make a determination of who’s the starter this spring.”
Durkin referenced new competition, such as four-star incoming freshman quarterback Kasim Hill, as a reason he won’t solidify his lineup before fall camp concludes in preparation for the season opener at Texas on Sept. 2.
“Everyone’s written in pencil, especially at the quarterback position,” Durkin said. “We have some really talented freshmen that we’re bringing in, too, that are going to have a say in what’s going on when they get here in the summer, and we want to keep that open for them, knowing they can come compete and earn a spot.”
The team also announced five other players — defensive backs RaVon Davis (ankle/foot), JC Jackson, Deon Jones (knee) and Alex Woods, and wide receiver Chris Jones (torn ACL) — won’t play in the spring game.
