Terps' nightmare start: Defensive star Zahir Mathis reportedly out for season
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Maryland football has reportedly suffered an early blow ahead of the Terrapins' 2026 college football season.
According to multiple reports, the first by 247Sports Maryland affiliate InsideMDSports, sophomore linebacker Zahir Mathis, a consensus four-star recruit from the 2025 class and a projected key piece of Maryland's defense in 2026, is out for the season after suffering an injury in practice.
Mathis is coming off a season in which he tallied 22 tackles and finished second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in 11 games played. He earned all-Big Ten honorable mention, despite missing two games due to injury as a freshman.
That likely means an increased role on the defense for true freshman EDGE Zion Elee, the No. 1 EDGE in the 2026 recruiting class, per 247Sports Composite, as well as the No. 1 player in the state of Maryland and No. 5 recruit in the nation.
Mathis' reported injury comes ahead of a pivotal season for eighth-year coach Mike Locksley, who is aiming to keep Maryland competitive in the Big Ten Conference after suffering two straight 4-8 seasons. The Terrapins had three straight winning campaigns from 2021-23, going 24-16 and winning three straight bowl games.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Terps' nightmare start: Defensive star Zahir Mathis reportedly out for season
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