INDIANAPOLIS — It’s the unofficial start of the college football season: Big Ten media days in Indianapolis.
The Maryland Terrapins know what time it is.
"We got a little mantra with our team this year and it’s basically, ’No BCE’s'. No b****ing, complaining or excuses’," said Terps Head Coach Mike Locksley inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday.
Locksley is entering his third year as Terps head coach.
"I feel really good about the team. I feel good about our culture," he said. "When you come in and you take over a program it’s really right around year three where you start to see the habits and behaviors that create championship type football."
He knows there is pressure to produce positive results on the field. Maryland has gone 5-12 over the last two seasons.
"It’s time for us to stop talking about potential and actually go out and do it."
The Terps return 85 percent of their total production from last season, including Taulia Tagovailoa who is back for his second season as starting quarterback. The junior was named to the Maxwell Award watch list. The award is given annually to the top FBS player in the country. Tagovailoa led the Big Ten last season averaging 13.48 yards per completion.
"After last season, it really matured me," he said.
"I think this upcoming year is going to be very exciting for me. I can’t wait."
What about dealing the pandemic? How will the Big Ten conference handle positive COVID-19 cases among teams in 2021? There’s no set plan just yet.
"It will be a decentralized decision-making process," said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. "As soon as we gather all of the information from our schools in early August we will finalize our policies."
The Terps played only five games in 2020 because of COVID-19 related cancellations. They went 2-3.
The 2021 Terps open training camp on August 6. The season opener is set for September 4, in College Park, against West Virginia.
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