Mike Locksley on QB Malik Washington, timeline to name a starter, Maryland football's spring game

Ahmed Ghafir
Apr 9
6 min read

With Maryland football halfway through spring ball, head coach Mike Locksley met with the media following Tuesday’s practice and shared updates on QB Malik Washington, naming a starter, plus his decision to keep the spring game despite changes across the country:

On Malik Washington

“I think the big thing with Malik and all the quarterbacks is him being here early has allowed him to get a jump start. Being local, being able to graduate early, being able to get into meetings, and the time he spends with Coach Pep [Hamilton] and Ted [White] and the offensive staff, these reps that he's getting are like added value for a quarterback and for him to be able, as a young kid, get the type of reps and the type of coaching that he's been able to get these first couple of months he's been on campus, you can see that the talent is. I've been really pleased with how he's retained information. I've been really pleased with how he's been able to transfer the classroom onto the field and we're really pleased with his development.”

On whether anything surprises Locksley on Malik Washington

“I've been recruiting kids since eighth grade, so I have a pretty good idea of who he is, the type of leadership he provides. I've watched him single handedly, with Kyle down at Spalding, reinvigorate a program like Spalding. I saw him build a program that wasn't one of the blue bloods in his high school conference and win back-to-back championships. He has natural leadership, and we always define leadership as having a positive impact on others. I think probably the most surprising is how quickly he's been able to have that impact on our team and the players in our program.”

On whether Malik welcomes pressure

“It makes a huge difference in that he's a guy that has been prepared and thrown into this role. This area is known for its media. I think it's one of the biggest media markets in the country and I know playing where he played and the type of league he's played in, dealing with the media isn't new to him. I've had an opportunity, like I said, since eighth grade, to watch him manage handling the media, to watch him manage and handle expectations that typically come from outside. But for us, he's the type of kid because of how he's been developed, the only expectations I think that he worries about are the ones that he places on himself. And he's done a really good job with that, and has shown some maturity that you don't see typically. I've been fortunate to see it because I've seen guys like a Jalen Hurts, a Tua Tagovailoa embrace that, and to me, he's in that mold of quarterback to where he's different than a typical freshman.”

“Just the speed of it, slowing down for them. To see the speed of the game and the timing, it's a little different. He's dealing with a different kind of pass rusher, a different kind of corner, windows become tighter where accuracy becomes critical, but he's been prepared for those. I think, between him and Justin and [Khristian Martin] and Champ [Long], all those guys have really benefited from having Pep Hamilton in that quarterback room and bringing them along. My background with freshman quarterbacks in college and Pep’s background with rookie quarterbacks in the NFL, whether it was Andrew Luck, Justin Herbert, have a pretty good system for bringing young quarterbacks along. I’ve been really pleased with the way Pep, Eric Najarian, those guys that work with our quarterbacks, they've done a great job of having those guys prepared.”

On why Malik was the first one to speak to media

“Number one, he's a guy that I think has the ability to manage it. I've watched him how he's maneuvered and managed the media. I typically don't let freshmen talk for the sake of them not being prepared for some of the managing the type of media we have around here. But there's no doubt my mind, he's a little different than the typical quarterback. And to give you a glimpse, because I know our fans want to see it, and this is part of me changing and evolving. You don't just change the date on what and how you do things. You always look to make it better, elevate it. And to me, there's an opportunity for me to open a door for you guys to see a small snapshot of what Malik Washington can be and who he has become for us as a young quarterback that's vying to try to have an impact on this team during the 2025 season.”

On the QB battle

“It's unfortunate I get this question just about every year because we've had a different starter there. It goes back to the same thing. Who gives us the best chance to score points? Quarterback's job to move the ball down the field, matriculate it down the field and end with points or end punting the ball. We don't want drives to end in turnovers. I'm okay with the ending in punts. I like to see us be scoring points, whether it's field goals or touchdowns. We keep the metrics of it. It's been something that we've been able to use that really has helped differentiate who's playing well enough. It's not just Malik and Justin, like I said, it's K-Mart, it's Champ Long. We've got a room full of these guys that have been in this program, and again, they've really benefited from the change. With Pep Hamilton coming in, and with Ted coming in, some of the things that we've done that get these guys ready, and they all have embraced it, which has been great for our program.”

“Again, I say this, and maybe you haven't followed us or me, but freshman quarterback – this isn't new. There is no added pressure because he's young. We have veteran quarterbacks that have been in the system, whether it's Justyn Martin who played at UCLA and Ted, had an opportunity to coach Justin at UCLA and Ted's now here with us, helping our quarterback home. Khristian Martin has been in the quarterback going with us a year, and one of those guys that traveled a few games. I really think, for us, it's all about figuring out which one is going to give us the best chance to win. Our roster is not even set. We've got the church doors opening next Wednesday with the portal. A lot of what we're doing right now is just putting systems in in all three phases, focusing like the NFL does and their OTAs, with the development of fundamentals and the systems that you use in situational football. And I've been really pleased with the way that's taken place in the first seven practices. We're in the week three, and for us, the transition forces we got a big scrimmage this weekend is for the coaches to be off the field and start figuring out what guys can make plays or will make plays for us in game-like situations. So this Saturday will be a really good opportunity for us to evaluate that piece across the country.”

On decision to keep the spring game

“I don't really pay attention to what other people do. I've always been a guy that kind of thinks things through. I try to rehearse it. If you have a quarterback competition, the opportunity to see him play live under the lights while he's protected gives us an opportunity, another game like opportunity, that will be showing the things that we've put in though we wanted to be very vanilla as our spring games typically have been. Our quarterbacks aren’t live typically in these situations, but we're in the middle of evaluating a lot of young players, new players. With the way the portal is to me by the time we play this game, it gives me a chance to continue to evaluate my roster. That's what I'm concerned with, is evaluating my roster, what the players in my program can do. And you know what, the portal is there. And I always say I'm not scared of the portal either way – guys leaving or going, or coming or going. It is what it is for me. We'll figure out how to put a team together here by May 1 and then as we move through the summer, we'll be able to put the [2025] iteration together and start the process of building a team there.”

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