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Articles by Ben Messinger
Maryland football winning despite continued penalty flag-spree by Zion Elee, teammates
Maryland nearly gave away its 24-21 win over Wisconsin on Saturday, starting with a roughing-the-punter penalty on freshman Zion Elee and an unsportsmanlike conduct flag on an assistant coach. Both came on a fourth-down sequence that should have given the Terps the ball back. Elee, an edge rusher, was flagged twice in the game, and the assistant "coach in the red hat," as the referee announced, followed with his own 15-yard penalty.
With a chance to get Buzz Williams' first signature win, Maryland's defense rests and No. 6 UVA wins, 87-83
The night looked headed for a court-storming and a first signature win for Maryland coach Buzz Williams. Instead, Maryland turned a night-and-day improvement from last Saturday's loss at Georgetown into another disappointment against a local rival, this time in a deflating 87-83 loss to No. 6 Virginia at Xfinity Center.
Maryland basketball's rotation remains undecided as Buzz Williams plays with combinations
Maryland's best stretches in both games came with senior forward Pharrel Payne, its leading scorer, on the bench. That strange stat is one of many reasons Buzz Williams still hasn't settled on a rotation with No. 6 Virginia visiting Friday. The Terps have used 10 players through two games, and the starting five has been only slightly better than even. The Terps (1-1) host the Cavaliers (4-0) at 8 p.m. at XFINITY Center, with the game streaming on Peacock.
With No. 6 Virginia set to visit, Buzz Williams expecting a big response to Maryland basketball's first loss
Maryland coach Buzz Williams said he has been encouraged by how the Terps handled their first loss of the season, an 86-74 defeat at Georgetown last Saturday, as they prepare for No. 6 Virginia. The Terps (1-1) face a huge test when they host the Cavaliers on Friday at 8 p.m. at XFINITY Center on Peacock. Williams had already offered his explanation for the loss after the game, and he has since turned his focus to how his team answers it. “A lot for us to learn from.
One change has been right up Maryland football's 'alley' in Terps' reenergized new season
Maryland's players credited Terp Alley, a new practice period that pits the starting offense against the starting defense, for Saturday's 34-29 win at Purdue, and interim coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim explained it Monday. "We wanted to create a little bit more of a competitive environment in practice and that's what we call Terp Alley periods," Abdul-Rahim said.
Sparked by new approach, sudden explosiveness powered Maryland football past Purdue
Maryland football has come up short on explosive plays his season. That changed on Saturday. The Terps have struggled to maintain consistent offense this season, but in their 34-29 win at Purdue, they produced an offensive second-half masterclass with explosives powering an end to their 13-game Big Ten losing streak. Maryland scored 27 second-half points and a 34-29 win over Purdue. The Terps had 154 yards after the catch.
In Maryland basketball's 18th double-digit loss in 35 games under Buzz Williams, "They punched in the mouth."
Maryland men's basketball has six days to fix what went wrong in its 86-74 loss at Georgetown on Saturday before No. 9 Virginia visits College Park on Friday. The Terps entered the season with a vastly improved roster, a coach in Buzz Williams who has had time to adjust to the program, and early signs that they would put a better product on the court. But Saturday's loss, which dropped Maryland to 1-1, offered none of that, and the Terps didn't do what it took to win.
On big local rivalry stage, chance to show it's new and improved, Maryland basketball falls flat at Georgetown
The same sequence played out all night at Capital One Arena: Maryland pushed the ball into the paint, missed, and Georgetown answered with a 3-pointer the other way. By the end, the Hoyas had outscored the Terps by 36 points from behind the arc, which made an 86-74 final look kind to Maryland. Maryland made three 3-pointer on 20 attempts.
Maryland-Georgetown game is a big one for both programs, "especially right now."
For Andre Mills, one of four Maryland basketball players who were on last year's team and lost to Georgetown, one word sums up Saturday's rematch at Georgetown (7:30 p.m., streaming on Peacock). "Personal," he said. Reserve forward George Turkson Jr. also one of those four players who were on the team last year. He emphasized the same rhetoric. "Especially because it was a close loss last year," Turkson said.
Dorian Fleming's taken a winding path to Maryland, and to his college position
Maryland tight end Dorian Fleming committed to Georgia State before he had played a snap at tight end. Fleming, a redshirt junior, was a quarterback through his junior year of high school. He has played two seasons for the Terps since transferring from Georgia State, and the streak dates to 2024. He is the most reliable tight end on a team that is 2-6 overall and 0-5 in the Big Ten after a 20-17 loss to Illinois in interim coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim's debut.
It's early, but Maryland basketball could return to cashing in on Buzz Williams' favorite formula
Rebounding has run through Buzz Williams' teams for years. Texas A&M finished first nationally in offensive rebound percentage in 2023-24 and led it again in late February 2025, before Williams left for Maryland. But Maryland ranked 73rd nationally in offensive rebounding rate last season. For context, Buzz Williams' final three Texas A&M teams finished fifth, first, and first nationally in that stat.
Terps get through opening jitters and Andre Mills goes off in Maryland season-opening blowout of Bucknell
Andre Mills scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Maryland men's basketball beat Bucknell 96-67 in its season opener Monday night at XFINITY Center. The redshirt sophomore guard carried an offense that sputtered while a roster full of newcomers found its footing.
A "perfect fit for Buzz" and a "big surprise" in Maryland's touted freshman class debuting tonight
Maryland men's basketball opens its season Monday against Bucknell with four talented freshmen whose roles remain unsettled. Maryland men's basketball opens its season Monday against Bucknell with four talented freshmen whose roles remain unsettled. Maryland has a far more talented roster than it did last season, when it finished 12-21. Coach Buzz Williams brought in highly rated transfers and freshmen to go with a couple of key returners.
Maryland's Democratic lawmakers campaign for out-of-state candidates as midterms approach
WASHINGTON - Some Maryland members of Congress have shifted their attention toward helping Democrats in other states campaign as local midterm races are on track for uncompetitive results. With election day inching closer, battleground states have swallowed the nation's attention. They've also drawn the attention of Maryland lawmakers who have traveled across the country to support other Democratic candidates.
Good news, bad news for Maryland's altered defense in first game under revamped coaching staff
Before his first game as interim head coach, Aazaar Abdul-Rahim said Maryland would use “a condensed package on defense.” The unit had been torched week after week this season, and something needed to change. It worked, but ... The good news: Maryland's condensed defensive packages made a night-and-day difference for the Terps on Saturday. The bad: the defense still broke down in the fourth quarter of a 20-17 loss to Illinois at SECU Stadium.
Flowers survives chess match with Suitland, 7-6, in late-game thriller
For both Flowers (7-1) and Suitland (7-2), scoring came at a premium Friday Night. With about six minutes remaining in the game, Suitland made an aggressive choice after finding the end zone for the only time all night: a two-point conversion. Flowers senior linebacker Tyger Williams made a game-saving play on his senior night. He stuffed Suitland running back Anthony Coad before the goal line to preserve a 7-6 victory.
Despite big offseason additions, Maryland basketball again leans heavily on Pharrel Payne and Andre Mills
After a disastrous 11-21 season in his debut at Maryland men's basketball coach Buzz Williams is expecting to produce a turnaround, one powered by two players who have been with him since Texas A&M: center Pharrel Payne and guard Andre Mills. Both were on last year's team, but Payne missed half the season and Mills was in his first year of college basketball. "Last year was a unique year for a variety of reasons," Williams said of the program's worst season since 1986-87.
Maryland football's Malik Washington, Sidney Stewart's candid reactions to "stunning" Mike Locksley departure
Maryland football's top two stars, quarterback Malik Washington and outside linebacker Sidney Stewart, addressed the media Tuesday for the first time since Mike Locksley's firing, and both said the coaching change landed harder than they expected even if the underlying circumstances weren't a surprise.
Interim Maryland football coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim is making changes: "We have to increase our football IQ"
Maryland interim football coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim used his introductory press conference Tuesday to ask everyone to forget the record. The Terps are 2-5, but he told reporters the final five games make up a new season and the team is 0-0.
H.D. Woodson High School Unveils $3 Million Athletic Facility Upgrades in D.C.
H.D. Woodson's $3 million field and facility upgrades are a "full-circle moment" For former Washington receiver and H.D. Woodson alum Josh Morgan, the completion of his alma mater's brand-new athletic field and upgraded stadium facility wasn't only an investment in the future of the community. It was a "full-circle moment." "I was going through a lot when I was here," Morgan said. "I didn't have a home to go home to. I didn't have my own bed. I didn't have a shower.
Maryland basketball has a busy stretch coming up, but one game could be canceled
Maryland men's basketball faces a November schedule that coach Buzz Williams says is heavier than he would like, and the Players Era Championship Tournament in Las Vegas could change what the Terps play in December. Williams acknowledged that the sport has sped up, forcing the Terps to adjust to what he calls a "new November." "It's expedited everything… It's much more difficult to schedule. It's almost scheduling is a system," Williams said.
With a "ceiling through the roof," Maryland men's basketball is retooled and talent-laden
Maryland men's basketball coach Buzz Williams and his staff say the Terps have changed since last season, and they point to roster construction as the reason. Williams, entering his second year in College Park, and his assistants described the shift as night and day after a rough first season. It started with recruiting. The Terps were late to the transfer portal cycle before last season, which was like shopping at a gas station store.
How Maryland snatched Baba Oladotun from Georgetown and why Buzz Williams won't talk about his talent
Maryland freshman Baba Oladotun, a 17-year-old five-star recruit from Silver Spring, nearly committed to Georgetown before picking the Terps. But Buzz Williams and his staff won out at the last minute, landing a prospect who ranks second on the list of Maryland basketball's highest-rated recruits since 2000. Oladotun is Maryland's most-anticipated freshman, and the detail about his recruitment comes just ahead of his first college season.
Mike Locksley's Maryland tenure by the numbers, the trends that wouldn't stop and more
Mike Locksley won three bowl games in seven and a half seasons as Maryland's football coach, but he lost 47 of his 63 Big Ten games, and his tenure ended with the Terrapins at 2-5 this fall. Maryland went 38-49 overall under Locksley and entered 2026 off back-to-back 4-8 seasons. The bowl wins kept the record from looking worse than it was.
Bri McDaniel returns for the first time in 643 days in Maryland women’s basketball’s 93-82 exhibition win over Virginia Tech
For graduate guard Bri McDaniel, Maryland women’s basketball’s exhibition game against Virginia Tech was much, much more than a meaningless exhibition. It was a return, 643 days in the making. Jan. 14, 2025, was the last time McDaniel saw the floor against Minnesota – the night she tore her ACL. And after redshirting all of last season, the relief Monday was couldn’t be understated.
Ted Monachino is the latest in Mike Locksley's long-standing coordinator carousel
Maryland made a staff change Sunday, though not at the top. One day after a loss to Rutgers, the program relieved defensive coordinator Ted Monachino of his duties, a move that signals the Terps intend to finish the season with head coach Mike Locksley in place. Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will take over as defensive coordinator for the rest of the year, with Zac Spavital becoming co-defensive coordinator.
Wise's undefeated start isn't a surprise, but its successful methods are unconventional
Wise is a consistent powerhouse in Maryland, and this season has been no exception. The Pumas are off to a 6-0 start and have dominated opponents. This isn't new for them; they have consistently posted 11-2 and 12-1 seasons over the last five years. The dominance showed Friday night in Wise's 51-14 victory over Potomac. "It's more of living in our process.
For better or worse, Chris Durr Jr. has become a one-man show for Maryland's passing game
Maryland receiver Chris Durr Jr. has 46 catches for 476 yards and four touchdowns through six games, ranking as one of the nation's most productive pass-catchers. Unfortunately, he's been a one-man show lately. Before the spiral began, Maryland relied on a balanced group of receivers. Since the four-game losing streak started, its receiving has been anything but balanced. The pass-game spiral is headlined by the disappearance of Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding.
Maryland and Rutgers, Mike Locksley and Greg Schiano meet up facing similarly bleak situations
Maryland and Rutgers meet Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET at SECU Stadium in College Park, two Big Ten programs on parallel crash courses and two coaches fighting to keep their jobs. The Terrapins (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten) and Scarlet Knights (1-4, 0-2) are a combined 3-8 this season, and the best win either owns is Maryland's over UConn. A whole lot of losing has defined both.
Maryland football losses keep piling, but Mike Locksley says "I'll keep showing up tomorrow."
Four straight losses. Twelve straight losses to Power Four opponents. Twenty straight losses against ranked Big Ten opponents. Head coach Mike Locksley's 45-16 defeat Saturday at No. 5 Ohio State was nothing new for a Maryland football program that has been disappointing for a while, but just another chapter in the same story. And yet Locksley will get at least one more week. He is expected to meet the media Tuesday ahead of next Saturday's homecoming game against Rutgers.
DMV high school football has been very competitive early on this season, some exceed expectations
There has been a lot of parody across high school football in the DMV, but some programs have exceeded expectations. While several schools remain undefeated, other top programs have suffered losses in the early going. As the season progresses, many of the top teams will face each other, causing incredible intrigue moving forward. "Around the DMV, I've been impressed by the level of talent and competitiveness across the region," Flowers head coach Frederick Groves said.
Maryland has bigger problems, but Ohio State superstar Jeremiah Smith is another one
Maryland football's pass defense has been a problem all season, but the issue feels more urgent now than it did through the Terps' first five games. Because no opponent yet has come close to matching what Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith can do. Maryland has a pattern this year of being exploited by an opponent's top target. The defense has been torched by explosiveness after the catch, and consistent short-route work has eaten it alive.
Maryland football star Chris Durr wants to make a push for Mike Locksley to remain
Maryland receiver Chris Durr Jr. and defensive back Lavain Scruggs walked into Tuesday's weekly press conference with something to say — and it wasn't about Ohio State. With three straight losses piling up and public speculation about Mike Locksley's future growing louder by the week, the Terps' top contributors pushed back hard on any suggestion that the 2026 season is already finished.
Maryland football's hot start at Nebraska fizzles into another blowout, 48-23, spotlight returns to Locksley
Maryland football had its moments Saturday in Lincoln — a hot start, a revived run game, a wide receiver playing at an elite level. Then it all fell apart. The Terrapins opened the game firing on all cylinders. The run game showed signs of life, the passing attack exploded early, and the defense made stops. But as quickly as Maryland got hot, it collapsed. Nebraska outscored the Terps 34-0 after the first quarter, pulling away for a 48-23 win at Memorial Stadium Saturday.
On the margins: Maryland football's blowout not unprecedented, but different from previous years
After Maryland football's 51-point home loss without a touchdown and full of failures in all three facets of the game, questions are swirling about how the program has regressed from three straight bowl appearances from 2021 to 2023. Maryland came into this season off of back-to-back 4-8 seasons, but many of those losses were competitive. After Maryland lost by three to UCLA last season on the road, it was embarrassed by the Bruins under a first-year head coach. "I own the result. I can't claim it.
"The Money Team:" Inside Roosevelt's unexpected 4-0 start to 2026
WASHINGTON – After going 4-7 last season, Roosevelt has already matched that total through its first four games. The Rough Riders solidified this undefeated stretch Thursday night as they defeated H.D. Woodson in their first league game Thursday night, 30-16, at James Tillerson Stadium. This impressive start is due to senior leadership. "All the guys this year are dedicated. We have leaders," senior running back Andre Watkins said.
Malik Washington explains his four picks and an abysmal day for Maryland's offense
Maryland's first two offensive drives of the second half told you everything you needed to know about its afternoon. Quarterback Malik Washington threw two interceptions straight to UCLA defenders, both returned for touchdowns — and a game that was already a blowout became something worse. On offense, what could go wrong did go wrong in Maryland's 54-3 loss to the Bruins. "Today was one of those games for us on offense where nothing we called worked," Maryland coach Mike Locksley said.
What is Trump TV? An analysis of the president's new 24/7 streaming channel
WASHINGTON - While CNN and Fox News focused around 2 p.m. Wednesday on Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, Trump TV replayed the president's address at the National Prayer Breakfast in February. By 3 p.m. , both CNN and Fox News were covering the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump TV aired a March 2025 ad titled "It turned out that all we really needed was a new President" before playing a speech Trump gave to farmers in June.
Maryland football's non-conference safety net is no longer untattered; how will the Terps recover?
Maryland football coach Mike Locksley has leaned on a reliable safety net for seven-plus seasons: go 3-0 in nonconference play, then survive Big Ten play well enough to reach a bowl. Saturday night, the net disappeared. The Terps fell to Virginia Tech, 35-26, snapping a 20-game nonconference win streak that was the longest in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The last time Maryland lost a nonconference game had been in 2019, Locksley's first season and the program's worst under his watch.
Defensive meltdown, missed passes and questionable calls haunt Maryland in 35-26 loss to Virginia Tech
Mistakes haunted Maryland on Saturday night as Virginia Tech walked out of SECU Stadium with a 35-26 win, ending Maryland's 20-game nonconference winning streak and piling pressure on Mike Locksley as Big Ten play arrives. The Hokies looked well on their way to a blowout with a three-touchdown lead, but Maryland came back before some questionable calls halted their hopes.
Quince Orchard rallies late to beat Stone Bridge, 20-6, behind running back who tore his ACL in the same matchup last season
ASHBURN, Va. — Quince Orchard (3-0) senior running back Jaiden Hebron tore his ACL in its game against Stone Bridge (3-1) last season. Hebron had a game to remember Friday night as he faced the Bulldogs once again. He ran for over 100 yards and put the game out of reach with a seven-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The Cougars rallied for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to spoil Stone Bridge's homecoming, 20-6, at F.H. Furr Field.
Maryland's pass rush is red-hot, but Virginia Tech will provide biggest test yet
Maryland's pass rush has been effective through two games. But the Terps know the degree of difficulty is about to rise sharply. The clearest evidence came last Saturday, during a tied game against UConn, when freshman edge rusher Zion Elee slipped past an offensive lineman, found a clear path to UConn quarterback Kalieb Osborne, and delivered a strip-sack. The Terps recovered the fumble.
Virginia Tech cornerback unimpressed by "decent" Maryland QB Malik Washington
Virginia Tech defensive back Jaquez White has a lukewarm scouting report on Maryland quarterback Malik Washington. And he wasn't shy about sharing it. "He's a pretty good quarterback. He has a decent arm," White said Monday. "I don't really think he's that accurate." Players and coaches usually shy away from providing the opposing quarterback bulletin board material. But White kept going. "I mean, he's pretty good. He's not a runner.
Maryland football's new receivers dazzle in win at UConn: "It's just gonna keep getting better."
After an attack of the drops by the wide receivers and the expected inconsistency from a true freshman quarterback last season, Maryland's passing game didn't make a resounding comeback in week one of this season. But the drops, miscommunication and general lack of rhythm that affected quarterback Malik Washington and his receiving corps against Hampton didn't follow the Terps to East Hartford.
The DMV's top high school football recruits make college commitments
Some of the top talent in high school football in the surrounding D.C. area have made commitments to their next destination -- college football. While the signing period isn't until December, the majority of the area's best seniors have tentatively decided on where to go next. Some seniors opted to stay local and commit to the top programs in the Washington Metro Area, while others found themselves en route to other high-profile schools. Who is planning on staying local?
2026 Washington metro high school football rankings Original
High school football in the surrounding D.C. area has several formidable programs looking to solidify themselves as the best in the area heading into the 2026 season. Most top schools are looking to build off a strong 2025 campaign but face changes as this season begins. The top 10 programs in the Washington metropolitan area rankings heading into this season showcase a mix of the top schools from D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Bruce Springsteen tour rails against Trump attacks
President Donald Trump has faced criticism from many public figures since taking office, but one powerful musician has taken his attacks against the president to a new level. Bruce Springsteen starts his current show with a prayer for men and women in service overseas and then leads into "War," a cover of The Temptations' song "War, what is it good for?
Inside the secret underground tunnels of the U.S. Congress
WASHINGTON- When Congress is in session, people look to the Senate and House floors to seek out lawmakers. But many can be found underneath the U.S. Capitol building instead. It could be described as organized chaos as members of Congress rotate among different obligations in the Capitol complex. The mode of transportation? A subway system. Dating back to 1909, the old-fashioned trains are where House and Senate members replicate a morning commute, congregating as they await the train.
Pete Hegseth provokes Democrats with triumphant claims about war with Iran
WASHINGTON-Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth showed up to defend the Iran war in a Senate committee on Thursday, but just as he started, a man interrupted from the audience. "Pete Hegseth, you're a war criminal," he yelled.
King Charles' DC visit is sparking discourse on Trump's royal desires
But as the royals of the United Kingdom, King Charles III and Queen Camilla, visited the nation's capital this week, the White House contradicted that notion. Tuesday afternoon, the White House's X account posted a photo of President Donald Trump and the king with the caption "TWO KINGS," and a crown emoji. TWO KINGS. 👑 pic.twitter.com/iPVUxc4i4H - The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 28, 2026 This sparked debate on the Trump administration's periodic comparisons of the president to a monarch.
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