Lost in the shuffle of Saturday’s game was the absence of running back Colby McDonald, who was ruled out vs. Minnesota in what was designated as a season-ending injury. McDonald suffered a lower leg injury in the second half vs. USC, a notable blow for a struggling room after losing their veteran running back. The injury also marks the end of McDonald’s time at Maryland.
McDonald, a 5-foot-10, 211-pound back from Accokeek, MD, ended his career with 921 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 172 attempts. While averaging 5.4 yards per carry in his career, the St. John’s (DC) product averaged at least 5.4 yards per carry including a team-high 5.8 yards in 2023.
In a room that featured three freshmen, it was McDonald who broke out to provide stability for the rushing attack during the 2021 season. After finishing second on the team in rushing, behind Tayon Fleet-Davis, with 325 yards and two touchdowns, McDonald was one of three true freshmen who scored a touchdown in the Pinstripe Bowl win vs. Virginia Tech.
"My coaches told me they always knew that I could run without a ball, they knew I could run with the ball and everything, they wanted me to work on how I play without the ball like pass game, pass blocking and my reads and everything and I feel as though I worked better to get on that and I worked better every day so I can be an every-down back for this team," he said in 2022.
McDonald inked with Maryland in the 2021 cycle alongside RB Antwain Littleton and DL Taizse Johnson, one cycle after flipping four-star WR Rakim Jarrett from LSU. Maryland has since added two more Cadets to the roster in freshman safety Shamar McIntosh and redshirt freshman WR Sean Williams over the last two cycles, while the staff is among the suitors for 2026 four-star DB Hakim Satterwhite.
As for McDonald’s absence, Maryland will turn to its next wave of talent to round out the rotation as the unit looks to find sustained success.
In his second appearance of the season, a career-long 24-yard run from freshman DeJuan Williams in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter positioned the offense to eclipse 100 rushing yards on the day, finishing with 104 yards on 26 carries – the third-most rushing yards by Maryland against a Power Four team this season. Roman Hemby has led the room through the season finishing with 31 yards on eight carries, while second-year RB Nolan Ray added just 11 yards on five carries. Freshman RB Josiah McLaurin, who has appeared in three games in 2024, did not suit up vs. Minnesota.
Maryland remains one of four Big Ten teams who have failed to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards this season, while two of the four – Northwestern and Minnesota – turned to the passing game to secure wins against Maryland. Maryland’s 3.7 yards per carry this season also ranks tied for fourth-worst in the conference.
While the run game has been a struggle under assistant Latrell Scott, Maryland has been forced to abandon the run at times this season as QB Billy Edwards is coming off his third consecutive game attempting at least 50 passes. A pair of first quarter interceptions stuffing the Terps in an early 21-0 hole told the tale on Saturday, and heading into the bye week with top-ranked Oregon next, head coach Mike Locksley and his staff will need to “continue to find the answers.”
“I'm frustrated a little bit because as a coach, it's always the toughest part for you as a coach is to have patience and when you have inexperienced players, the experience of just having patience and understanding that consistency is always that last piece. To spot a good team at home 21 points like that, it started with the two interceptions in the first quarter. I mean, we're not built to just give the other team points like that,” head coach Mike Locksley said postgame.
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