Seniors lead the way as Terps set to host Michigan

Maryland (5-5, 2-5 B1G) vs. #8 Michigan (9-1, 6-1 B1G)

When: Sat., Nov. 20 | 3:40 p.m. EST

Where: Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium

Watch: Big Ten Network - Brandon Gaudin, James Laurinaitis, Rick Pizzo

Listen: 105.7 FM (Balt) / 980 AM (DC) - Johnny Holliday, Steve Suter

Maryland is set for a 3:30 PM kickoff in their home finale against eighth-ranked Michigan, but with that means senior day as the Terps will honor 25 seniors ahead of kickoff. With the COVID-ravaged 2020 season, every player except Sam Okuayinonu and Tayon Fleet-Davis will have an opportunity to return for one more season. Still, it’s an opportunity for several Terps who have fought through years of adversity to reach this moment.

“I think this group epitomizes more than any kind of what the Terp way is all about because these guys have faced, like I said, a ton of adversity, they haven't maybe had the success that they envisioned when they made the decision to come be a Terp,” head coach Mike Locksley said on Thursday. Since Maryland’s last bowl game appearance came in 2016, experiencing the postseason isn’t something many on the roster have enjoyed. Taulia Tagovailoa was a reserve during Alabama’s win in the 2020 Citrus Bowl over Michigan, DeJuan Ellis was at Virginia Tech during their loss to Cincinnati in the 2018 Military Bowl. For senior team-leading tackler Jordan Mosley, he’s looking to take advantage of a chance at a bowl.

“It would mean a lot. I haven’t been to a bowl game since I’ve been here,” Mosley said on Tuesday. “And I would definitely like to do that because it would extend my career, give me one more game and it would just mean a lot. Sometimes, it’s about the journey and not about the outcome but in this case, I really want to go to a bowl.”

A handful of players arrived under the current regime, such as Jakorian Bennett, Challen Faamatau, Ami Finau, Sam Okuayinonu, and Greg Rose, but the bulk of the roster came from the DJ Durkin era as guys like Carlos Carriere, Tayon Fleet-Davis have played under three different head coaches during their tenure. As the veteran leaders in the room, Locksley turned to his experienced guys as he established buy-in across the roster.

“I always equated a little bit to, you know, coming in as a stepdad to an 18 year old moving into his home with his mom and, you know, the first year, you know, it's kind of like ‘hey, you're not my dad’ and you're looking at him like, ‘yeah, but I'm here because of your mom and, you know, I'm learning to deal with you.’ But you know, what, after a year or two and now it’s been three years with this group, they become yours. I mean, they're literally, we've grown together as a program, they've laid down a really what I call a strong foundation of being that, you know, the pillar of overcoming adversity, of showing the relentlessness that we talk about having to have and, you know, I owe it to this group more than just about any group in terms of because they've stuck through and have been able to, you know, had to make adjustments to the type of culture we've created, how we do things. I've had to be very unselfish.”

The honored Terps played an integral role in the Terps’ 2021 season. Carlos Carriere will record his seventh career start against Michigan and posted a career high eight catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns in the win against Indiana; Johari Branch has started 15 consecutive games at left and right guard since arriving in College Park; Dontay Demus played just four full games yet sits sixth in program history in career touchdowns and eighth in career yards; Challen Faamatau saw his season cut short but sits second on the team with 251 rushing yards; Okonkwo has 20 catches for 197 yards over the last two games, the most for a Maryland tight end since Vernon Davis; Ami Finau has started all 15 games at nose tackle since arriving in College Park.

In addition to the below 25 seniors, Maryland will honor Jordan McNair on what would have been his senior day.

Below is a full list of the Terps honored ahead of kickoff:

· RB Danny Anderson

· DB Jakorian Bennett

· DB Kenny Bennett

· LS John Berard

· OL Johari Branch

· TE Justin Brown

· LB David Brownlee

· WR Carlos Carriere

· WR Brian Cobbs

· WR Dontay Demus

· DB Devon Dickerson

· RB Challen Faamatau

· DL Ami Finau

· RB Tayon Fleet-Davis

· RB Rashard Jackson

· WR Darryl Jones

· LB TJ Kautai

· DB Jordan Mosley

· TE Chigoziem Okonkwo

· DL Sam Okuayinonu

· K Joseph Petrino

· DL Lawtez Rogers

· DL Greg Rose

· DL Ernest Shockley III