Maryland football emphasizing the need to "headbutt the finish" ahead of Nebraska

Chase King
Oct 11
3 min read

Maryland football is coming off their first loss of the season, a loss to Washington in a game in which they held a 20-point lead in the third quarter.

In response, star freshman QB Malik Washington said he handled the loss “like you handle anything in life - you put a smile on your face and keep moving.

“Being upset about it is not going to get it back. We go back and watch the tape, get it corrected, and move on to the next opponent,” he added.

The Terps won’t have much time to sit on the loss, however, as they prepare for another tough test at home against Nebraska on Saturday. The Cornhuskers also enter the game 4-1 (1-1) with their one loss being a three-point defeat against Michigan.

A big question entering the week, however, is how the Terps will look to bounce back after a demoralizing loss.

“We’re defined in the present,” head coach Mike Locksley said last Saturday after the loss. “For us, we’re going to be defined by what we do this year, what we’re doing with this team.”

Locksley emphasized that statement as his team shifted focus from Washington to Nebraska.

“Last week's game should not and will not have any impact on this week's game and how we prepare, because of the way we prepare.”

Both DL Cam Rice and OL Isaiah Wright also noted the team’s first loss gave the team a chance to build chemistry off the field.

“Since Saturday…everybody's coming together, everybody’s locked in, everybody’s focused. It hurt a lot of people, we’re unhappy about it, so we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen again,” Rice said.

“We witnessed some adversity and some friction last Saturday. But when you’re working on a sword, that friction refines it and perfects it,” Wright added.

With players stepping up to take ownership and right the wrongs that surfaced on the field against Washington, that also included starting cornerback Dontay Joyner after a tough battle with WR Denzel Boston.

“Dontay, I love that guy. He's a heck of a player,” DL Cam Rice said of Joyner. “Step up in front of your team, that's never easy, owning up to a mistake that you might have made. Us as a team, we don't look at him any differently because of what happened on Saturday. Still happy he's on our team. He's a heck of a player, but that means a lot coming from him, stepping up and saying that in front of the team.”

Locksley also pointed to how Malik Washington wrapped up his Washington press conference by referencing a bible quote, Jeremiah 29:11. “I think probably the most impressive thing was to see my freshman quarterback, the way he ended his press conference. I think that showed who we are and what type of team we have.”

"In times of need, that's kind of what I just repeat to myself in my head, so I thought I'd be able to share it and it might help somebody else out," said Washington.

Now, Maryland will look to avoid a two-game losing streak by picking up its first win at home against a Power Four team with a chance to beat Nebraska in College Park for the first time.

“We’re not going to dwell on it; we’re moving forward. Looking at Nebraska now, and ready to move forward,” Rice added.

Saturday also gives Maryland a chance to do what Locksley emphasized in the days after the loss: close out games.

“We hadn’t finished many games the way I’d like to see us finish, even when we did win… It gets us when it gets us, and it got us on Saturday, with us not finishing and winning the fourth quarter.”

The line “headbutt the finish” was used by both Washington and Rice when describing the need to finish better.

“Whether that's a workout, a run, whatever we’re doing, we've got to headbutt the finish,” said Rice.

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