Maryland football QB Justyn Martin feels "comfortable" as Malik Washington will "be back real soon"

Ahmed Ghafir
Aug 5
2 min read

Maryland football’s ongoing quarterback competition has been the biggest storyline nationally with a trio of similar-styled quarterbacks battling it out in hopes of drawing their first in-game snaps with the program. A big piece of the battle sits on the shoulders of true freshman quarterback Malik Washington, but after watching Monday’s practice, the Big Ten Network noted he was limited during Monday’s practice

“The times we've had opportunities to watch him and see him, he's as advertised and so what we've got to do is get him healthy, got back on the field here, hopefully in the next couple of das, hopefully within the next week, hopefully,” head coach Mike Locksley said on BTN following Monday’s practice.

Washington was again limited during the open portion of Tuesday’s practice with local media in attendance and noted he’s working through a “lower body injury” with little concern about his long-term status.

“Just dealing with something lower body right now, nothing major. I’ll be back very soon, very excited to get back so just take some time to get my body right and things like that,” Washington told reporters following practice.

QB Justyn Martin was back with the first-team unit with Khristian Martin working with the second unit for the second consecutive open portion with media in attendance, where the UCLA transfer feels more “comfortable” on the field after getting acclimated through the spring.

“I feel a lot more comfortable. Feel like the team has like, responded to me in a great way. And I just feel like we're all coming together in all types of ways. Spring, for me, was an adjustment period just being across the country and everything started like kicking in kind of as spring ball went on, but I feel like acclimated now, and I'm really comfortable where we are, and where this position is.”

While offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s imprint on the offense has been noted where the run game is a point of emphasis heading into the season, Martin has a familiar face back in the quarterback room with Ted White working with the quarterbacks under Hamilton after serving as UCLA’s QB coach in 2024.

“It's good because it's somebody that knows how I am, and knows what I'm good at and knows what I struggle with and knows how to talk to me and knows how to relate that message to the other coaches. So it's good to have that familiarity just with me in the quarterback room. And I know he coaches so that's a good way for me to respond to and I like it.”

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