Maryland football pulled off its 20th consecutive non-conference W on Saturday, but don’t let that 38-14 final score against UConn fool you. Terps quarterback Malik Washington was straight-up struggling early in East Hartford, looking like a totally different guy than the star we all expected to see. It took a massive, unexpected hit to jolt him back into form, and what emerged afterwards was something special.
Malik’s Rough Start Needed a Jolt
From the jump, things were off. Washington looked shaky in the season opener and that carried right into the first quarter of this road game. With running back DeJuan Williams out, head coach Mike Locksley dialed up an RPO-heavy game plan, throwing a ton early. Six of Maryland’s first seven plays were passes, and 14 of the first 15 were passes, but Washington was averaging just four yards per completion on those attempts. UConn stacked the box like crazy, and it felt like every throw was a fight. His footwork seemed off, and balls were delivered to back shoulders instead of hitting receivers in stride. You could feel the frustration building, wondering if this was going to be a long season for the young signal-caller.
The Hit That Changed Everything
Then came the moment. First play of the second quarter, fourth down, Washington tried to run for a conversion. He got absolutely leveled. You saw him take that massive hit, the play failed, and UConn got the ball back, already up 7-0. It was an ill-advised, unnecessary shot to take, and it gave the Huskies great field position. But sometimes, you need a wake-up call, right? That massive hit, the kind that makes you wince just watching it, might have been exactly what Washington needed. From that exact moment, the dude was a completely different quarterback. He went 24-of-27 passing for the rest of the game, including an absolutely bonkers 18 consecutive completions , the best streak for the Terps since *1953*! Wideout Chris Durr Jr. was hyped, saying, “The throws he made, some of them it wasn’t even to me, it was like, ‘Wow, he’s crazy.’” He was hitting receivers at every level, even drawing two pass interference calls on errant throws that extended a crucial 92-yard touchdown march. Coach Locksley summed it up: “Malik really operated our stuff the way we needed him to. Getting him in the rhythm is really important, and it’s more flow than it is tempo.” He even started slinging it deep, going 5-of-6 on passes 15+ yards downfield, with Durr Jr. pulling in a spectacular one-handed grab on one of them!
Seattle Huskies Get a W, Terps Find Their Flow
While the Maryland Terps were sorting things out on the east coast, our own Washington Huskies pulled out a tight 16-14 win over Utah State! A W is a W, baby! Back in East Hartford, Maryland’s front six on defense did their job, clamping down as the game went on, making sure UConn couldn’t get back in it after Washington got rolling. So yeah, the Terps got the 38-14 win, but the real story is Malik Washington finding that rhythm and flow after a jarring hit. If this is the guy he is after a wake-up call, opponents better watch out. That kind of turnaround, that kind of streak? That’s the stuff that sets the tone for a season. Let’s see if this ‘flow’ continues for Malik and the Terps.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply