COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The 2023 season for the Maryland Terrapins football team is still about five months away but the real start to finding out what type of team the Terps will be began on Tuesday with the first spring practice.
Head Coach Mike Locksley and his players hit the field for the first of 15 spring sessions. Locksley said this is the time when he wants to create competition that will pay dividends in the fall. Coming off back-to-back bowl game victories, being in the mix for titles in the ultra-competitive Big Ten is the next step.
"This next one is the hardest," said Locksley. "To go from seven wins [in 2021] to eight wins [in 2022] to trying to compete for championships is a big task and we’re up for it as a program."
A program that brings back Taulia Tagovailoa. The star quarterback returns as starter for a fourth consecutive season.
"To have him back… if you have got a quarterback you got a chance and we feel we have a quarterback," said Locksley. "You are going to continue to see him get better and better as we’ve seen him do each year here."
Tagovailoa already owns program records for passing yards (7,879), passing touchdowns (51), completions (665), completion percentage (67.4) and total offense (8,067 yards). This year he has some new coaches trying to get even more out of him.
Kevin Sumlin and Josh Gattis are both new co-offensive coordinators. Both are big names in the college game with plenty to offer the Terps QB.
"He is a unique talent. He has an uncanny ability to make difficult throws," said Sumlin.
"This is tremendous and I’ve been a part of some really good offensive staffs," added Gattis about the new offensive coaching room. "To be able to get a coach in here as established as Coach Sumlin, who has coached Heisman players, obviously everyone is familiar with Coach Locksley and his past. We look forward to working together to put our team in the best position to win."
Now that on-field work for the offensive brain trust is underway. Spring practices will continue until the Terps take the field for the annual Red-White game on April 29.
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