When most consider soccer faculties, the College of Maryland doesn’t sometimes come to thoughts. For former Terps operating again LaMont Jordan, Alabama, LSU, Ohio State and Penn State spring to thoughts.
Competing in opposition to conventional soccer powers within the Large Ten creates some challenges for Maryland, however Jordan believes Michael Locksley is the appropriate coach to take these on. Jordan, a member of the College of Maryland Athletics Corridor of Fame, was a operating again for the Terps from 1997-2000 whereas Locksley was the staff’s operating backs coach.
“Mike Locksley was the appropriate man for the job,” Jordan mentioned on Glenn Clark Radio Sept. 8. “I mentioned it then, and I believe that he’s exhibiting that now. I believe folks have to grasp this concerning the Maryland soccer program, simply wanting on the actuality of it — Maryland is just not a soccer faculty. … It was going to take a coach like Locksley to return in right here and do what he’s doing now.”
Locksley is 22-23 since he took over as head coach of this system after the 2018 season, however the staff’s document has improved annually since 2019. Final yr, the Terps completed 8-5, and it’s off to a 2-0 begin this season. He has additionally coached Tennessee Titans tight finish Chigoziem Okonkwo, New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks Jr. and others who’ve made it to the NFL.
This system’s upward trajectory has been aided by retaining quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who’s now in his fourth yr because the beginning quarterback of this system.
“I’m actually completely satisfied that [Tagovailoa] got here again as a result of what he does is provides us the steadiness at a place that we haven’t had for years as a result of we have been at all times going via quarterbacks,” mentioned Jordan, now a recreation analyst for the Maryland Sports activities Radio Community. “Whenever you’re speaking about Coach Locksley constructing this program [and] persevering with to get the trajectory headed in a very good place, having a quarterback that’s been right here for 3 years, that’s essential.”
Jordan says Maryland’s offensive line and receivers should get higher for the Terps to recover from the hump in 2023. He talked about the drops by receivers throughout the staff’s Week 1 win in opposition to Towson.
Maryland doesn’t have the margin of error that different Large Ten groups have, based on Jordan.
“The opposite Large Ten groups, whenever you take a look at Ohio State, Penn State, due to their gamers, due to their repute, and due to the consistency of these packages being on the high, they’ll overcome a dropped go as a result of … they’ve earned that through the years,” Jordan mentioned. “We are able to’t afford to proceed to shoot ourselves within the foot with dropped passes and missed assignments and never being disciplined in our rush lanes on the defensive facet of the ball.”
However Jordan says Locksley’s efforts to date have helped arrange Maryland to recruit domestically.
“The College of Maryland is a gold mine whenever you’re speaking about sports activities, particularly whenever you’re speaking about soccer,” Jordan mentioned. “I believe that the DMV space has lastly began to get the popularity that we deserve so far as what number of good soccer gamers we put out. … I simply suppose Coach Locksley is the appropriate man for the job.”
For extra from Jordan, take heed to the complete interview right here:
Photograph Credit score: Kenya Allen/PressBox
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