Michael Locksley has used the crowning “The Best is Ahead” slogan since he arrived in College Park in 2019. But the phrase will no longer be Maryland football’s guiding philosophy, he said at Tuesday’s spring media day.

The Terps football coach previously called Maryland a “developmental program” and consistently mentioned allowing young players to grow last season. The team’s coaching staff is now viewing its roster on a “win now” basis and plans to be active in the spring transfer portal.

Locksley also said the Terps won’t even know their complete roster until May or June.

“As I’ve learned with the new landscape we’re in, you don’t have time to develop,” Locksley said.

Maryland added eight transfers and hired an experience-laden coaching staff to try and shift toward a more NFL-style program. But it’s still an extremely inexperienced team. The Terps’ projected starting offense has combined for less than 100 starts for a Division I school and four players have started one game or less. Only one quarterback on the roster has netted a start.

[Inexperience at key positions doomed Maryland football’s 2024 season]

After a 4-8 season, a new incoming athletic director and the addition of freshman quarterback Malik Washington, this season will arguably be the most pressure-filled one Locksley has faced at Maryland.

“The whining and complaining [about the new era of college sports], those are excuses,” inside linebackers coach Zac Spavital said.

Quarterback competition

This is arguably Locksley’s most talented quarterback room since he arrived in College Park. Washington is the highest-rated Terps quarterback in about the last decade and redshirt junior Justyn Martin was a four-star recruit out of high school, according to 247Sports.

“Maryland made it really clear that I had opportunity here to play,” Martin said.

But both quarterbacks have both played extremely little collegiate football. Martin completed 24 passes at UCLA with just one start. Washington is a true freshman.

[Maryland football’s newest loss brings attention back to commit Malik Washington]

“It’s been well documented the efforts we put into recruiting a player of his caliber. I’ve played freshman quarterbacks,” Locksley said. “It’s my job and our job as a staff to get them ready to play.”

New offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton brings a wealth of experience. He’s worked with NFL stars Justin Herbert, C.J. Stroud and Andrew Luck. Washington and Martin both possess strong tools, which made them highly touted prospects.

“I do think that Malik has elite traits,” Hamilton said. “He has a photographic memory … nothing is too big for him from a conceptual standpoint. I think that all matters when you’re talking about a talent like Malik that has a chance to compete and play in the Big Ten early.”

Locksley and Hamilton declined to call it a two-man race, but Washington or Martin will likely start for the Terps on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic. Whoever the starter is, they’ll play in extended action for the first time in their career.

Willard and Locksley

Men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard had blunt comments about Maryland Athletics’ Name, Image and Likeness and revenue share infrastructure. Locksley seemed to disagree with Willard’s methods.

“I have no comment on any of those things, it doesn’t pertain to my business, it doesn’t pertain to what I need to do,” Locksley said. “As I’ve stated, since I’ve been here, I’ve gotten the resources that I’ve needed to build a foundation … Every family has their issues and their dirty little secrets, but I’m of the opinion those are handled individually, handled behind closed doors.”

Locksley added he’s learned in his coaching career that “there are no utopias”.

The coach was heavily supported by former athletic director Damon Evans. It will also remain to be seen how new leadership may split an allocated $20.5 million in revenue sharing from the House v. NCAA settlement in the 2025-26 season between the men’s basketball, women’s basketball and football athletes.