With its Louis Vuitton belts, car keys and financial statements left outside, everybody inside the Maryland football locker room is fully ready to turn the page from a disappointing 4-8 campaign last time out — no one more than head coach Michael Locksley.
“We talked about the frustration of the 2024 season, and because of it, we’ve had a relentless work ethic throughout our building the last 273 days,” Locksley said. “I’ve seen firsthand the impact these coaches, these new players have had in our program,
and much like you guys, I’m excited to see what they do in The Shell on Saturday.”
Plenty of criticism has been leveled at Locksley throughout his Maryland tenure, with scrutiny intensifying last year as the Terps posted a 1-8 record in Big Ten play. What cannot be doubted, though, is Locksley’s consistency against schools from outside the conference.
Maryland has won 15 consecutive non-conference games, the longest active streak in the nation, with the last seven wins all coming by at least 14 points. To preserve that record, the Terps will need to take care of Florida Atlantic in the teams’ first-ever meeting on Saturday.
Maryland’s season opener will begin at noon in SECU Stadium. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Florida Atlantic Owls (0-0)
2024 record: 3-9 (1-7 American Athletic Conference)
The Owls begin their 25th season of college football under head coach Zach Kittley, a new-generation quarterback whisperer in his first head coaching gig. Kittley graduated from Texas Tech in 2014 but remained as assistant quarterbacks coach for three seasons, helping develop Patrick Mahomes. During his Western Kentucky tenure, his Air Raid offense helped Bailey Zappe set the all-time FBS single-season yardage (5,967) and touchdown (62) records.
Kittley takes charge of an FAU program that has not won more than five games in a season since 2020, with the three wins recorded last season the team’s fewest since 2016. The Owls will need more than the one conference win they managed last season to make their quarter-century worth celebrating.
Players to watch
Caden Veltkamp, redshirt junior quarterback, No. 10 — Veltkamp is new to the program, having committed to Kittley and Western Kentucky in 2021. After playing in four games over two years, Veltkamp exploded in 2024, completing 66% of his passes for 3,108 yards and logging 25 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
The redshirt junior does not run much but has imposing pocket presence at 6-foot-6 and 236 pounds. Having been named CUSA Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, Veltkamp is in line for further plaudits, with nominations to the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watchlists and consistent nods to all-American conference preseason teams.
Easton Messer, redshirt junior wide receiver, No. 8 — Messer followed his quarterback from Western Kentucky to southern Florida in the offseason, having recorded 55 catches for 793 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. The biggest threat he poses to Maryland could be on special teams, though — Messer, a member of the Paul Hornung Award watchlist, is a quality kick returner. He picked up 457 yards on 19 returns, with a long of 60 yards, on his way to logging the third-most all-purpose yards in the conference.
CJ Doggette Jr., redshirt junior defensive lineman, No. 1 — Doggette was teammates with current Maryland defensive lineman Cam Rice at Ohio University last season, with the two combining to create a dominating interior line. Phil Steele’s All-AAC second-team defensive tackle was responsible for 32 tackles, seven TFLs, three sacks and a forced fumble last season. Despite being a little small at 6-foot-2 and 277 pounds, Doggette could be a big problem for the Terps’ offensive line.
Logan Lupo, redshirt senior punter, No. 19 — Lupo is one of the true mainstays of the Florida Atlantic program. The Florida native is the second-longest tenured player on the Owls’ roster. His inclusion on the fifteen-man watchlist for the Ray Guy Award, given to the top program in the country, further indicates the value that Lupo’s booming leg will bring to the Owls.
In 2024, Lupo punted 47 times, averaging 44.5 yards per punt and sending nearly a third of his kicks more than 50 yards downfield. Lupo does struggle for consistent distance at times, but he remains a top talent. For the true football fanatics, the battle between Lupo and McFerson on Saturday should be incredibly enticing.
Strength
Pass coverage. Pro Football Focus gave the Owls’ coverage a score of 88.8, good for 19th in the country — the two teams immediately behind FAU in the rankings were Ole Miss and Tennessee. Three starters in the secondary are gone, but graduate student Wendol Philord remains to lead the defensive back room from strong safety. Transfers Derrick Rogers Jr. (Purdue), Damarius McGhee (Kansas) and Dillion Williams (UTEP) are ready-made replacements in the defensive back room led by former Illinois DBs coach Antonio Fenelus.
Weakness
Roster turnover. Locksley mentioned in his press conference Tuesday that FAU had a “very similar setup” to Maryland in its roster composition. The Owls have more than 50 new faces entering the 2025 season and only return eight starters from 2024. Only three projected starters on the FAU defense are returners to the program, and two of them were rotational players last year. With new coaches in all but one position, it could take some time for the Owls to find their groove.
Three things to watch
1. Who is Maryland’s starting quarterback? The same question was asked in Testudo Times’ preview of the 2024 season opener, and while the teams look drastically different, the issue remains the crux of Maryland’s season. Locksley clearly asserted that the Terps’ three top options in Malik Washington, Justyn Martin and Khristian Martin are all available to play, allowing the decision to be made on merit. It’s highly likely that the first quarterback Terps fans see Saturday won’t be the day’s last, though, let alone the season’s.
2. How does Maryland’s defense play? New defensive coordinator Ted Monachino is well-traveled and experienced at both the collegiate and professional levels of the game. As a playcaller, however, it’s possible that Monachino needs to shake off some rust. He has not called plays since 2017, when his Indianapolis Colts defense gave up the most yards per passing attempt in the NFL. It is expected Monachino will primarily use a 3-4 system, but the Terps could deliver a variety of packages.
3. Can Maryland’s offensive line regress to the mean? Maryland’s Pro Football Focus grades for pass blocking and run blocking were each the second-worst among FBS teams last season, with their play making quarterback Billy Edwards and running back Roman Hemby look worse than many around the game expected them to be. With three new starters, including highly touted transfer Rahtrel Perry and a healthy Isaiah Wright, Maryland’s line should find it difficult to not improve in 2025.
