Notebook: Billy Edwards reunion, first road game, LT Rahtrel Perry ready to "see where I'm at"

Ahmed Ghafir
Sep 16
4 min read

Players downplay QB Billy Edwards Jr. reunion

Maryland football will look to win its first conference game of the season for the third time since 2021, and they will do so against a player the staff is very familiar with in QB Billy Edwards Jr., who spent one season as a starter and two as a backup in College Park. Edwards isn’t the only familiar face with former Good Counsel RB Dilin Jones leading the Badgers in rushing through three games, while the Badgers signed former Gaithersburg RB Gideon Ituka and Concordia Prep DL Ernest Willor in the 2024 cycle.

Despite warming up pregame against Alabama, Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell noted QB Billy Edwards Jr. was day-to-day ahead of a potential week four return while head coach Mike Locksley noted that Maryland will “prepare as if Billy’s going to play.” Still, Maryland is looking beyond potentially facing off against a former starter.

“Just like any other matchup, really,” quarterback Malik Washington said.

“Coach [Ted] Monachino says nameless, faceless objects. We kind of treat everybody with the same accordance,” OLB Sidney Stewart added. “Especially for us, we’re such a young team that a lot of us weren’t even on the team when he was here last year so I’m indifferent when it comes to Billy.”

While initial reports pointed to Edwards potentially returning in week three, all eyes will be on whether he returns ahead of Wisconsin’s first bye week. If Edwards is unavailable, Wisconsin will turn to sophomore Danny O’Neil, who has eclipsed 150 passing yards just once while throwing at least one interception in each of the last three weeks.

“Nameless, faceless objects. I really don’t even know his name, but I do wish the best to him,” Stewart added. “We’re just going to get after him like we would anything else. A dog don’t know your name when it’s chasing you.”

First road test of the 2025 season

Saturday will mark the first road game of the season and first trip to Madison for many, along with arguably the most hostile road atmosphere to date.

“My first time playing in college,” QB Malik Washington said when asked about the loudest atmosphere he’s faced. “The high school games didn’t really get super loud or anything like that so playing up here, when the crowd is going, it’s exciting.”

Left tackle Rahtrel Perry pointed to Maryland needing to “block out external noises” as the offense looks to extend its early season momentum into the Big Ten opener.

“There’s a lot of crowd noise out there and we just got to focus on what play is ahead of us right now and then once that play is over, move onto the next play, make sure we execute that next play with 100% effort.”

But there’s one player who has an idea of what to expect: OLB Sidney Stewart. Wisconsin, who also signed his teammate DL Ernest Willor, hosted the former three-star for a gameday visit as the Badgers were the initial top suitor for the Concordia Prep product during his junior season.

“Definitely was a great environment. I think for us, it’s just more excitement than it is nervousness. Finally get a chance to have an away game, kind of be rooted against, it kind of can fuel a defense especially. We’re just visualizing ourselves playing there.”

“For me, I just kind of like to minimize the moment,” Malik Washington added. “So no matter what the situation is or what stage we’re playing on, at the end of the day it’s 1^st-and-10 and we’ve done it a thousand times and we’ll do it a thousand more. Whether I’m just throwing the slant, I’ve done it so many times in my life to where that no matter what that stage is, the moment, it’s not bigger than me.”

LT Rahtrel Perry looking to make a statement in first game vs. Power Four opponent

The offensive line was arguably as big a storyline as the quarterback battle through the offseason, but through three games, signs of tangible progress have emerged with Damian Wroblewski and Hal Hunter coaching the interior lineman and tackles.

The starting five has allowed just one sack through three games with Aliou Bah and Alan Herron, who are tied for a team-lead 15 consecutive starts, locking down the right side and Michael Hershey anchoring the line at center. Isaiah Wright, though, has been viewed as an impact piece not just on the field, but in the locker room as the leader of a unit looking to find consistency in 2025.

“He’s a guy that’s been here longer than I have. And he’s a guy that even though when something’s not looking right, he leads us in the right direction, leads us through the foggy areas,” LT Rahtrel Perry said of Wright. “Whenever we have problems and stuff like that, he can sense it. He takes his time to make sure we’re all on the same page and helps us, leads us to where we need to be.”

But Perry has come into form himself, showing signs of steady development after transferring from Central Connecticut State where he was an all-conference selection in 2024. Perry is coming off a start that PFF graded him as the best pass blocker in week three, while also not allowing a pressure through three games. Saturday’s test against Wisconsin marks a different challenge for the transfer lineman given it’s his first matchup against a Power Four opponent, but to Perry, it’s a chance to see “actually where I stand.”

“I’ve been training for months, going against the best edge rushers that we possibly have. I can’t wait to see where I’m at.”

Related Links