Malik Washington on transitioning to Maryland, QB battle, relationships with coaches & teammates

One week into fall camp, QB Malik Washington talks about his transition to the college level, staying home, the ongoing position battle and more:

On playing for his hometown program

“It means the world to me just to have my family and friends, people that allowed me to get here, be so close and be able to come watch me play. It's a blessing.”

On the QB room

“We’re all best friends and we're all rooting for each other, and I think that makes us kind of special, just because we just want to see the next person win. So no matter who's getting the reps that day, like whoever's out there, everybody's excited to see them win because we spend so much time together that we kind of have no choice but to be friends.”

On balancing friendship vs competition

“I really think just because we're such close friends, there's never really any bad blood there. Like, it's not so much I want to see myself win - it's not me wanting to see them lose. It's so much like, I want to see myself win, just because I know we all put in the work.”

On biggest challenges to Big Ten

“In the spring, it was probably the speed of the game, just trying to get used to it. Everybody out here is pretty good. Everybody out here is fast, everybody's big, strong and physical. So just getting used to, not being the best player on the field anymore. Now it's like you're out here with a bunch of guys who are all the best player in high school and now being able to get everybody together and see what works and what doesn't.”

On his health

“Just dealing with something that lower body right now, nothing too major, you know, I'll be back very soon, very excited to get back. So just taking some time to get my body right and recover and things like that.”

On what Khristian Martin and Justyn Martin are doing well

“They're both very cerebral, you know, smart guys. So the way they see the defense pre snap and then confirm it post snap. Just be able to learn from both of them who have a little bit more experience than me, and how to deal with the ebbs and flows of not just football, but college as a whole, dealing with classes and different things like that to be able to manage all that.”

On waiting for Mike Locksley to name the starting QB

“Not super. It's just, it's what comes with it. it's what I do before coming in. What I'm gonna know no matter where you go in life, like it's always gonna be a competition, and you kind of gotta wait to see who wins in the end, but whoever wins in the end, we’ll all be super excited for.”

Whether Washington wishes a starting QB was named sooner

“I mean, it is what it is. Coach has his reasons behind it. I'm sure he has a reason for it on his own. But just like I said, we just excited to see.”

What gives Washington confidence in the offense one week through camp

“We just put in a lot of work through the offseason from the winter in the spring, just getting out here getting meetings almost every day, just learning from each other, learning from Coach. Coach Pep has a lot of knowledge as he's passed it down onto it to where we can kind of hold the reins ourself. And being able to come out here and operate without having to worry about too much is pretty good.”

Whether anything felt easier for Washington to adjust to in college

“I think getting here early help with that too. Like it wasn't - like I just kind of got thrown into the fire, but I got here early, got in with the guys during workouts, kind of built that camaraderie and that friendship before spring ball started, and now I know more people than I do before if I would just got here in the summer.”

On his relationship with Pep Hamilton

“It's been great. I've known coach for a while. Back in like eighth grade, Jackson had came out to the Maryland Heat for a little bit so I just knew them from that relationship then and getting to see him again and seeing all his success he had on the NFL level and with a bunch of different guys has been amazing to learn from.”

On the chance to become a true freshman to start at QB

“It's a great opportunity. Like I said, whoever goes out, we're always going to be excited for so I just can't wait to see who it is.”

Whether he puts pressure on himself

“Not really. It's gonna be what it's gonna be. I kind of learn to control what I can control so I'm gonna come here every day and give it my best, and the end result is gonna be the result.”

On Washington’s confidence level in becoming the starter

“I'm always confident in myself. I'm gonna believe in myself no matter what, no matter where I'm at. So, I mean, it's always high for me.”

On manifesting his college football aspirations

“Yeah, it's been great since I can't remember, I just love the game of football. I know I always wanted to get first it was playing varsity in high school and then after that it was playing D1 football. And now I'm here just trying to make the best of it that I can.”

On how to separate during QB battle

“Just learning the playbook, ins and outs knowing that like the back of our hands, that will help you know whoever gets that edge, just being able to understand the offense to a complete understanding.”

On the 2025 class making an impact

“We got to keep a lot of talented guys home in this class, so just seeing all of our work, you know come to fruition out here on the field, it's been amazing.”

Whether there’s pressure on the 2025 class

“I think not really. I mean, people always gonna put outside pressure, but it's really how we feel internally and I feel that everybody you know from our class feels great about themselves in the position that they're in and we're all putting in the work.”

On the OL development

“They're doing a great job. They've put in a lot of work over the winter, more than most position groups just because that's area of the game that you need, especially in the Big Ten. Come the later games down the line, it gets cold like you're gonna need them big boys up front to be your work horses. So they put in so much work, not even just in the weight room, but in the meeting room and on the field that I'm very confident in that.”

On the RB room

“They look great. They had a great day today. All of them are super explosive, they do well in pass protection, they're kind of real like [well] rounded backs. They have it all.”