The only problem, at least for those who were once overjoyed by his decision 3½ years ago to become a Terp, is that quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. will arrive for Saturday’s game with the rest of his Ohio State teammates.
Yet Haskins is certain to be reminded by the Maryland fans who show up for the team’s senior day about what happened after then-coach Randy Edsall was fired during the 2015 season and offensive coordinator Mike Locksley didn’t get the job.
And given the season the redshirt sophomore is having for the No. 10 Buckeyes, the Terps and their fans will likely be reminded of what might have been had the former Bullis School star followed through with his commitment to play at Maryland.
After eight games in which the outcome was not in doubt at the end — four blowout wins and four blowout losses — the Maryland football team finally had a close game Saturday in a 34-32 defeat to Indiana at Memorial Stadium.
For his part, Haskins told reporters he isn’t thinking much about why he wound up in Columbus rather than College Park, trying to continue the tradition of playing for championships under Urban Meyer rather than helping rebuild under DJ Durkin.
Asked how hard it was at the time to flip his commitment, Haskins said: “It was very hard just because of the relationships I built there at the university with the coaches, teachers, players and commits.
For its part, the Maryland defense will be trying to slow down Haskins in his pursuit of several Ohio State passing records and help the Terps pull off their biggest upset to date under interim coach Matt Canada to become bowl-eligible.
For Adam McLean, it’s a little more personal. The redshirt junior defensive tackle has long claimed that he was the one who came up with the idea of #TheMovement, the social media campaign to keep the local talent at home for the Terps.
McLean said that he and Haskins have remained close friends and are still neighbors in Gaithersburg, communicating by text message and on social media. McLean is looking forward to another chance to play against Haskins.
The two were on the field briefly last season in Columbus, when Haskins was doing mop-up duty for starter J.T. Barrett in a 62-14 win for the Buckeyes and McLean was finally getting a chance to play for the Terps.
Asked what it will be like to face Haskins, McLean chuckled.
Haskins is having a monster season for the Buckeyes. He is 51 yards from breaking Joe Germaine’s 20-year-old record of 3,300 passing yards and needs three touchdowns to surpass Barrett’s mark of 35 touchdowns, set last season.
Former University of Maryland football coach DJ Durkin continued to communicate with assistant coaches and develop game plans for the team after being placed on administrative leave amid media reports alleging abusive treatment of players, according to multiple sources.
But some of the luster has started to wear off.
Once touted as an early-season Heisman Trophy candidate, perhaps even a front-runner, Haskins has struggled of late, to the point where some Ohio State fans want to see his backup, redshirt freshman Tate Martell, get more snaps in the red zone.
The frustration began during a 49-20 loss at Purdue on Oct. 20 and continued when Haskins threw for season-lows of 252 yards and 227 yards the past two weeks in wins over Nebraska and Michigan State.
As the only team to have beaten Ohio State to date, the Boilermakers certainly provided even more of a blueprint on how to rattle Haskins than other teams that did it occasionally earlier this season.
“What we felt going into the game is that we had to create some pressure on him,” Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said during the Big Ten teleconference Tuesday. “You have to find ways to make him throw a couple [of interceptions]. You have to blitz, you max-blitz him.
Watching tape from that game, McLean took notice.
Meyer said in the Big Ten teleconference that Haskins plays with a focus and a fearlessness needed for his position.
Meyer is not concerned with the way Haskins will respond under the spotlight of this much-anticipated homecoming, the coach’s confidence derived from the way he saw Haskins respond in last year’s Michigan game coming in for an injured Barrett and throughout this season.
Given all that has transpired since the day he declared his love for being a Terp, #TheMovement is a memory. And not a pleasant one for Maryland. How much more unpleasant it becomes Saturday has a lot to do with the player who either started it or didn’t.