With the offseason in full swing, basketball swirling and football set to begin spring practice this week, we delve into the latest notes.
Roster expectations…intel heading into the weekend pointed to Jahmir Young back in College Park as the likely expectation, and that buzz has continued through the weekend. Young shared on IG that announce his decision in the coming days on Twitter as head coach Kevin Willard is expected to have his veteran piece to build next year’s roster around. The opportunity to be ‘the guy’ in College Park was an immediate appeal as he contemplated his stay-or-go decision as pro scouts routinely filed their way inside the Xfinity Center all season long. NIL has and continues to be the biggest hurdle as Young’s camp has prioritized his earning potential this offseason, but there’s confidence that this will get done over the next 48 hours to give Maryland a key piece for next season. Beyond giving Willard a veteran already familiar with his system, the return of Young also gives Maryland confidence in its early pieces with Julian Reese an established piece in the frontcourt. Reese is expected to have a new face alongside him, though, with the expectation still that Donta Scott moves on from the program. Once announcements are made, Maryland will have just one vacant scholarship to work with as attrition is still expected, but Young gives the roster a key piece as the staff looks to iron out the frontcourt.
Local QB…intel points to a Maryland-Oregon battle with Penn State a dark horse for St. Frances (MD) four-star quarterback Mike Van Buren. The Ducks have the shine and hold the edge as Oregon has prioritized a few of St. Frances’ top talent as the glitz and glamour has undoubtedly caught his eye through the process. Mom, who has played a big role in keeping Van Buren grounded, has a preference for a nearby school and intel points to Penn State still as the preference. For Maryland, they’re still squarely in the mix and I’ve been told the Terps have the potential to dethrone the Ducks heading into summer. Van Buren was able to return to campus this month and getting the chance to sit down with OC Josh Gattis, talk ball and build the relationship remains the biggest item on Maryland’s to-do list. Convincing Van Buren’s camp that the staff will be in place for the duration of his college career is a hurdle they’ll need to address, but Locksley’s offense and Van Buren’s similar skillset to Taulia Tagovailoa gives the Terps ammo. Expect Van Buren to visit Maryland for one of the first spring practices, which begins on Tuesday.
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