It took true freshman quarterback Malik Washington a quarter to find his groove in his first game under center for Maryland football. But once he did, the Terps’ offense exploded for a trio of touchdowns in the second quarter.
Washington shook off the shaky start to deliver a dazzling debut, sparking Maryland’s 39-7 season-opening victory over Florida Atlantic. The Terps have now won 16 straight nonconference games, extending the country’s longest active streak.
Here are three takeaways from the win.
Sloppy start slows the Terps
Early-season jitters were evident in College Park right from the opening kickoff. The first few drives both offensively and defensively were ones Maryland would like to forget. It looked eerily reminiscent of the Terps’ Big Ten form to close out the 2024 season.
Maryland’s defense had six flags in the first quarter, including a pair that erased interceptions off Florida Atlantic quarterback Cade Veltkamp. Penalties were specifically a problem on the opening drive, as five infractions resulted in 35 yards and helped the Owls march down the field.
“It’s our first game, I hate to have six penalties on the first drive on defense, and a couple of them competitive penalties,” head coach Michael Locksley said. “I can deal with competitive penalties, but it’s just the byproduct of a new team. 65 guys that haven’t played here, six new coaches that haven’t coached here.”
But once Florida Atlantic got within the redzone, the Terps’ defense tightened up, not allowing Veltkamp to find the endzone. Maryland forced the Owls into a turnover on downs on its own two-yard line, backing up Washington on his first drive.
Drops from Leon Haughton Jr. and a pair from Jalil Farooq stalled the Terps’ opening possession. Maryland’s offense had just three first downs in the first quarter, and the chemistry between the receiver room and Washington seemed to be lacking.
However, Maryland looked like a completely different team in the second quarter, in large part due to Washington.
Malik Washington surpassed expectations in debut
Two hours before kickoff, Locksley finally answered fans’ biggest question entering the 2025 campaign: who was going to start at quarterback? The Terps were trotting out a true freshman under center for the first time since 2012.
Locksley felt Washington gave Maryland the best chance to win and score points. He was right in the end, but it took some time for that conclusion to be reached.
Washington’s slow start was a worrying sign for the Terps. The shiny toy that was being hyped up all of training camp started the game 3-of-11 and had just 19 passing yards early in the second quarter. While his targets weren’t giving him much to work with, Washington’s passes were a bit inaccurate early — something that can easily be attributed to nerves.
“I’m resilient. I kind of knew that coming into it, but just being able to start off a little slower and work back and also learn that, having other people around me to support me and have that confidence in me helps me a lot,” Washington said.
But once he started connecting throws and found his rhythm, fans could see exactly why he was a four-star recruit. Washington completed 17 of his next 22 passes heading into halftime, finishing with 258 passing yards and three touchdowns. He showed poise in the pocket, worked through his progressions remarkably quick and delivered passes with a noticeable zip.
“Once we got Malik settled down, I think we all are starting to see the making of what would be a very good quarterback here,” Locksley said.
Washington’s impressive debut was defined by two pinpoint throws that threaded the needle.
Late in the second quarter, Washington lofted the ball to Kaleb Webb’s back shoulder, away from the defender in a spot where only his receiver could get to it. The 6-foot-5 Tennessee transfer made a leaping catch for Washington’s second of three touchdown passes.
“The guys kept trusting me,” Washington said. “My receivers made some great plays, amazing plays, tough catches. That’s what they’ve been doing since I’ve been here in January.”
Backed up on Maryland’s first drive out of the locker room, Washington threw a beautifully placed ball in between two defenders for a 24-yard gain to Farooq. That strike erased a third-and-17 to move the chains.
The 19-year-old quarterback was unfazed despite the early struggles, showing maturity well beyond his years.
Maryland’s new-look defense shines
With four defensive players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft and a handful of others transferring out of the program, the Terps’ pass rush and secondary had several new pieces starting. It didn’t seem to matter, though, as several youngsters showed promise.
Freshman defensive linemen Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis imposed their will on Florida Atlantic’s offensive line, forcing Veltkamp into some rushed throws. That allowed Maryland’s back end to feast on those errant passes.
The Terps came up with six interceptions from all different players: Daniel Wingate, Lavain Scruggs, Braydon Lee, Dontay Joyner, La’khi Roland and Ricardo Cooper Jr. That total was the most since 1998.
While Maryland’s offense was struggling to put up points, the defense kept it in the game, even posting nine points of its own. The Terps’ first score of the game came on Wingate’s pick-six and Stewart tacked on a pair of points later with the team’s first safety since 2019.
“It felt amazing,” Stewart said. “I didn’t even know what to do. I was like, I don’t know if I should do the bull celly, the safety celly, so I just ended up doing both.”
