Maryland football fans may have to wait longer than they hoped.
They have been immensely excited at the prospect of a renewed team leader since Malik Washington committed to the Terps last year. The Glen Burnie native — a four-star recruit who was the fifth-ranked quarterback nationally, according to 247Sports — carries expectations of revitalizing a program coming off a 4-8 season where coach Michael Locksley admitted to losing the locker room.
Even so, Washington could start his highly-anticipated collegiate career on the sidelines.
Locksley said this summer that Maryland won’t decide on a starting quarterback until the Sunday before its opening game on Aug. 30. Even then, the team won’t publicly announce the starter until players run out of the shell-shaped tunnel to open against Florida Atlantic University.
The ongoing competition leaves the Terps facing uncertainty ahead of their second-straight campaign with a new leader.
“I got a room of really talented quarterbacks,” Locksley said. “The three that really shined for me [were] Justyn Martin, Khristian Martin, Malik Washington — all similar skill sets, all similar builds.”
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First-year offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton emphasized being creative in early downs to avoid third-and-long situations, where young signal-callers can be prone to mistakes. It rings especially true with Washington and Khristian Martin, who haven’t taken a collegiate snap.
Justyn Martin boasts the most experience of the group.
The redshirt junior transferred to Maryland after appearing in five games across three seasons at UCLA. The former four-star recruit started once against Penn State last season, in which he threw for 167 yards and a touchdown in a 27-11 defeat.
“Penn State was a great learning experience for me because it was supposed to be a big stage and a great team, but it didn’t faze me,” Martin said. “Now I know I can do this no matter what.”
Martin played the least of the three quarterbacks in the Terps’ spring football game. He completed six of 14 pass attempts. Locksley said he was still adjusting to Maryland’s system, and Martin said he feels a lot more comfortable now.
Khristian Martin posted the most impressive statline during the exhibition clash in April. He posted 16 of 23 attempts for 269 yards and four touchdowns en route to game-MVP honors.
The former three-star turned down offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M and Indiana to join the Terps before last season. He later redshirted.
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But with Justyn Martin’s experience and the widespread desire for Washington to start, Khristian Martin seems least likely to get the spot.
Washington could become only the seventh quarterback in the top 15 of 247Sports’ rankings since 2020 to start at least four games during their true freshman season. Five of those were five-star recruits and Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola was the only one who saw the field instantly.
Most of those quarterbacks enjoyed success, aside from Mississippi State’s Michael Van Buren Jr., who finished below .500 in starts. Three of the six were freshmen last year.
“[Washington’s] a talented kid and he always finds a way to make the play work,” Justyn Martin said.
Washington’s welcoming personality has left an impression beyond his strengths as a player.
Senior receiver Jalil Farooq said the former Archbishop Spalding player possesses a “swagger with him that you just can’t teach.” Senior defensive back Jalen Huskey added that Washington entered “calm, cool and collected.” Junior linebacker Daniel Wingate said the freshman has “been able to lead the locker room.”
But no matter who starts, it appears the quarterbacks will be among each other’s strongest supporters.
“We’re all best friends and we’re all rooting for each other,” Washington said. “I think that makes us kind of special, just because we each want to see the next person win … we spend so much time together that we have no choice but to be family.”
