Maryland fans tried introducing the “Crab Five” — giving a Maryland spin to Michigan’s 1990s “Fab Five” — briefly in 2012 for former coach Mark Turgeon’s first full recruiting class in College Park. That group mostly disappointed, and as a result, the nickname didn’t last.

A fan who wasn’t around for the moniker’s debut, but had remembered hearing about the attempt, reintroduced it on Feb. 14. It didn’t take long for the name to spread.

The 2020 Maryland alum posts plenty. He’s part of the “Maryland Burner Community,” often referred to as MBC, which is an online group of vocal fans who relentlessly promote the Terps in what feels like every comment section.

But what started as a burner account’s tweet has turned into a team-endorsed nickname that’s taken the fan base by storm and put money into the players’ pockets.

Maryland associate head coach David Cox and director of player personnel Ricky Harris each posted pictures of the Terps’ starters — Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice, Selton Miguel, Derik Queen and Julian Reese — along with the nickname on Feb. 18. Harris’ post garnered more than 500,000 views and drew praise from fans and media personalities.

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Harry Geller, who’s in charge of the team’s NIL collectives, filed for a trademark on the nickname and got approval from the University of Maryland and each player to use their image and likeness.

Milan Chaudhary, a student at this university who owns the apparel company Brown Boy Nation, created the graphic and put it on shirts. Merchandise hit the marketplace within 24 hours. Geller said they’ve sold hundreds of shirts, with all net proceeds going to the players.

“It’s already some meaningful money for the kids,” Geller said. “It’ll come and go as far as the buzz on it, but right now, it’s pretty cool. And if the players make a deep run in the NCAA [tournament], that name is going to go along with it.”

Comparing any group to the Fab Five, who have a full ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about them, is a lofty compliment. They led the Wolverines to an NCAA championship appearance as freshmen, becoming the first team to compete in a national title game with an all-freshmen starting five, and four of them went on to play in the NBA.

While the Crab Five likely won’t reach that status, it seems like the moniker will at least live longer than it did in 2012.

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Maryland’s starting five has been stout ever since coach Kevin Willard added Rice to the lineup in November. And they’ve taken another leap recently.

All five starters have scored more than 10 points in each of the last three games. That’s happened six times this season, the most of any team in the country. Maryland is also the only team in the Big Ten that has all five starters averaging 30 minutes in conference play.

“I think they’re all very comfortable with each other,” Willard said. “Earlier in the year when I was bringing guys in and out, we got antsy a little bit. I just think they all kinda know they’re gonna get theirs. And I think it’s just relaxed them a little bit.”

The Terps bench has only scored nine of the team’s 272 points in the last three games, but Willard isn’t concerned because of how effective his starters have been.

Fans don’t seem worried either, as there’s a palpable buzz growing around the Terps and the Crab Five.

“I thought [the nickname] was funny and interesting, and I’m glad the fans just got together and just created that,” Rice said. “So I like what’s going on.”