The latest premium notes on Maryland football, basketball and recruiting:
QB battle…head coach Mike Locksley made it crystal clear at the podium that Maryland now enters a ‘wide open’ quarterback competition heading into the spring. Inside the Black and Gold was the only outlet that reported Locksley will take over the quarterback room prior to Tuesday’s press conference, a move that gives Maryland’s head coach a chance to get a closer feel for the room. I wouldn’t expect any concrete developments in terms of who the starter is this spring as the room will now get a clean chance to showcase themselves within the offense, but after two months of immersing himself in the playbook and film study, it was new Maryland QB MJ Morris who turned heads in practice number one. A source told IBG that the former NC State quarterback did well picking up the tempo during his first Maryland practice and was able to showcase his arm strength on a handful of impressive deep balls along the sideline during practice as he works to take over the room, while Cam Edge flashed at times during the first practice. IBG was also the only subscription site covering the program that actually showed up to the first practice of spring ball, a trend that’s become far too common over the last four years, as subscribers can read more updates from practice here.
Basketball portal pursuit…after hosting former Belmont guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie over the weekend, I still love where the Terps stand in his recruitment as they finalize the close through the week with assistant Greg Manning Jr. spearheading efforts. I bumped Gillespie to ‘hot’ on the portal big board on Tuesday and I’m still hearing that Gillespie doesn’t have any other visits set with buzz that Gillespie’s recruitment could be wrapped up by the end of the week despite others working to get him on campus. It’s been reported here that the Terps held the lead ever since Gillespie and his parents left campus after the staff presented the top-scoring guard with a supporting cast that assured Gillespie was stepping into a great situation, while the staff knocked it out of the park getting buy-in on the staff through the weekend. NIL was only part of the equation for the Tennessee native as Maryland checked off all the boxes for their top portal point guard target. With the Terps now well-positioned for Gillespie, I wouldn’t expect either former Michigan guard Dug McDaniel or Harvard guard Malik Mack to materialize with the Terps with the starting point guard need inching closer to being filled.
Visitors update…If there’s a prospect I’m closest to bumping to ‘hot’ on the big board, it’s DeMatha (MD) three-star RB Bud Coombs. For now, he’s still working on a date to get to Maryland, a development that’s been complicated because it’s now baseball season–which equates to a big piece in Coombs’ recruiting process. The priority local target has long been fond of playing football and baseball at the next level while maintaining a top group with Maryland and Michigan consistent players. Alabama has long been in the picture, but the interest stems from the baseball side as a football offer still remains unlikely to materialize. Coombs made his way to Texas A&M last weekend and a source said he liked it, but didn’t love it. The Wolverines haven’t pushed as hard since Sheronne Moore took over, but Maryland has remained a consistent player in the race. Coombs’ chance to play both football and baseball at the next level is an element he’s prioritized in his recruitment, and in College Park, he’ll get a chance to do that. I’m still keeping Coombs at ‘warm’ for now as the two sides work on a date for the DeMatha product to make his way to campus to sit down with head coach Mike Locksley. While a long list of visits is already set for the spring, one more is set in stone as Loyola Blakefield (MD) athlete Hunter Solwold is expected to visit for Thursday’s practice. Virginia Tech is another school that’s made a strong push in his recruitment, but Maryland has been steady with Solwold through his junior season as the in-state athlete is the top long snapper on the Terps’ board this cycle. 2026 McDonogh (MD) QB Braeden Palazzo, who doesn’t hold an offer yet, is also expected to visit on Thursday.
Pro day…IBG will also be on hand for Friday morning’s pro day inside Jones-Hill House with 15 former Maryland stars set to participate, per release: OLs Gottlieb Ayedze, Corey Bullock, DJ Glaze, Aric Harris, Amelio Moran, Michael Purcell; DBs Beau Brade, Ja’Quan Sheppard, Tarheeb Still; DLs Tre Colbert, Christian Teague, WR Jeshaun Jones, P Colton Spangler, LB Gereme Spraggins and QB Taulia Tagovailoa.
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Mike Locksley previews spring ball, talks staff changes, ‘Baltimore Day’, personnel
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