Maryland football coach Michael Locksley won’t reveal who the Terps’ starting quarterback is until the Aug. 30 season opener against Florida Atlantic, but he says the competition is a “real three-horse race.”
Most have assumed that the competition is between decorated freshman Malik Washington and UCLA transfer Justyn Martin, but Locksley says redshirt freshman Khristian Martin is squarely in the mix as well. Locksley says the quarterbacks are a “tight-knit” group and respect the work each has put in for the opportunity to start.
Locksley plans to have a starter in place by Aug. 24, with that quarterback getting 60 percent of the first-team reps in practice the following day. However, the head coach won’t tip his hand until game day.
“They all root for each other. I’m sure there’ll be some hurt feelings when we do have to decide which guy, but the best part about that room is that we can play the same genre of offense with all three,” Locksley said on Glenn Clark Radio Aug. 20. “They’re all 6-4, 6-5, athletic, big arms, can make throws. It’s just who’s going to give us the best chance to score points? That’s what we have to figure out here and stay on our task like we always have of naming our starter.”
The quarterbacks are working with offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, who was hired by Locksley in February. Hamilton has been a coach at the college and pro levels for close to three decades, severing as the offensive coordinator at Howard (1999-2001) and Stanford (2011-2012) and for the Indianapolis Colts (2013-2015) and Houston Texans (2022).
Hamilton has worked with Justin Herbert, Andrew Luck, Alex Smith and Deshaun Watson during his career. He’ll be tasked with developing all three signal-callers under his watch this year.
“He’s been around the block,” Locksley said of Hamilton. “He’s well experienced, well-versed in being able to put together a system that fits the players, and that’s what it’s always been about here at Maryland on offense. We want to find out who our playmakers are, implement them into the game plan and find ways to get them the necessary touches to have the ability to make plays.”
Though Hamilton will be calling plays, it’s still Locksley’s offense. That’s an advantage for Khristian Martin, who worked behind the scenes all last season even though he never took one snap in a game. However, Locksley loved the way the 6-foot-4, 230-pound passer prepared every week.
Martin starred at Highland Springs High School in Virginia prior to coming to Maryland.
“Khristian is the most experienced guy in our system because as the third quarterback a year ago, Khristian Martin traveled to every single game, did not take a rep, prepared as if he was a starter, and that mental preparation is why you see him involved in the mix — because a lot of y’all have made it into a two-horse race, but it’s a real three-horse race,” Locksley said.
Then there’s Washington, who led Archbishop Spalding to a third straight MIAA A Conference championship as part of a 12-0 season last fall. The 6-foot-5, 231-pound quarterback threw for 2,095 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 330 yards and nine scores as a senior, earning PressBox’s “Best High School Male Athlete” honors for a second straight year.
But what seems to always impress observers most is Washington the person.
“With Malik, I just think the intangible things show up with him,” Locksley said. “When you walk into a place and Malik Washington is there, everything kind of gravitates to him.”
Locksley also sought a veteran quarterback in the transfer portal after losing 2024 starter Billy Edwards to Wisconsin. The coach landed on Justyn Martin, who committed to Maryland in December. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound quarterback completed 24 of 35 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown for UCLA in 2024.
Locksley compared Martin to a quarterback ’90s ACC fans should remember well.
“He may be the most talented of all three because of his ability with his legs, his arm,” Locksley said. “He has a big, strong arm — reminds me of the quarterback UVA had that went down to New Orleans, Aaron Brooks. Very similar skill set — wiry, long, big arm, can make all the throws, the decision-making, has the ability to make plays with his feet and probably the best athlete of the three.”
For more from Locksley, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Maryland Athletics