Maryland football will look to win its 13th consecutive home opener when they face UConn on Saturday for a noon kickoff, but the program will look to improve on a key metric compared to 2023. After Maryland finished with the second-lowest average attendance among Big Ten programs (40,314) last fall, head coach Mike Locksley emphasized the need for improved fan support.
“It’s the old question of, what comes first, the chicken or the egg?,” Locksley said on The Sports Junkies on Wednesday. “The fans say, ‘hey, win a big game, Locks and we'll come.’ And I've been here for those wins in the big games. I was here from 2001 to 2003 with Ralph Friesen and we won a lot of big games and we started selling it out near the end. And I grew up in this area, so I know what we're like as fans, but the thing I'm trying to get us to understand is that to win championships, which I grew up in this area when I saw John Thompson do it at Georgetown and how Georgetown caught fire, to get the best players they want to come where they see an environment that they want to play in front of. We've had a great crowd. We've had great crowds when we play big games. Now I prefer them be Maryland fans, and as I told our team, I don't care who they are. We want the fans that care about Maryland football or Maryland athletics to come out win, lose or tie and support the program because we need to fill the stadium to attract the type of players that can win championships. And I mean they say win games. We won eight games the last couple of years and I don’t think people understand just how hard it is to win eight? You look in the NFL and you see when Tom Brady won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay, they were just a couple of games over .500 but it's just a matter of getting that opportunity to get in the playoffs where anything can happen. We finished fifth the last couple of years in a really tough league, and in the next few years, the top four teams will make the playoffs. And that's why I have this excitement about the program, because we've recruited well, but now we got to create a championship environment.
This weekend’s opener also marks Young Terps Day as fans can claim a $20 BOGO ticket with youth activities set up throughout SECU Stadium. The purchase of one discounted adult ticket gives fans one complimentary “Young Terps” ticket for children 13 and under, giving the next generation a chance to do what Locksley once did.
“I love this area. I grew up on Terps football, and you know, I know what it was like as a kid, hopping on the subway from L’Enfant Plaza up to New Carrollton and hopping on the bus because the subway wasn't coming out to College Park back in the old days and coming out to see Rick Badanjek and all these great Ferrell Edmunds, all these great mid-80s teams. Len Bias and Cole Field House. I mean, I just I've been all over this country as a football coach, Alabama, Florida, some of the top programs, and they just get it and our fans get it. It's just a lot of things to do in this area, but we've got to find the passionate 50,000 that want to bring their families to a great family environment. And you think of the NFL pros that have come through our program. We've had seven drafted the last two seasons, but the guys like Vernon Davis and Stefon Diggs and DJ Moore, they all cut their teeth and got to the NFL through the University of Maryland. So we've got some talented players that have been through this program that I like to see our fans jump on board and come support at every game because it's what helps me recruit. I got the passion for it. I feel good about us being able to develop players, I think it shows, but I can't fill the stands, myself, so I need help.”
Kickoff for Saturday’s opener is set for 12 PM and will be broadcast on FS1.
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