Terps looking to Likely to lead as well as perform
Decision to return for senior year gives a boost to an inexperienced defense
CHICAGO — At the end of last season, Maryland linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. figured he had shared the field with Will Likely for the final time. Likely had turned in a sparkling junior season as one of the nation’s most dynamic return men, a shutdown corner in the Big Ten Conference and even a player who could make an impact on offense.
Carter thought Likely had done enough and the next stop for him would be predraft workouts for NFL teams.
But on a Friday afternoon in early January, Maryland announced that Likely was returning to College Park for a fourth year. He wasn’t following fellow Terps defenders Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson into the professional ranks.
“I was shocked. I was very, very shocked,” Carter said Tuesday during the Big Ten’s media days. “But I was happy at the same time just to know that we had another guy with some experience coming back.”
Likely’s decision to play his senior season at Maryland provided an immediate boost to a defensive backfield that was losing three of its starters. And perhaps more importantly for Likely, it allows the softspoken defensive back the opportunity to provide veteran leadership on a green defense and a team that is expected to have its share of struggles this season.
“It was definitely a tough process,” Likely said. “You would think that it’s easy, but it wasn’t really that easy. I just felt that I couldn’t leave my teammates like that.”
Maryland coach DJ Durkin said he Will Likely
knows what to expect of Likely on the field this fall. On defense, Likely remained an All-Big Ten-caliber corner, even though he didn’t pick off a pass after making six interceptions in 2014. But he broke up 11 passes and finished with four tackles for loss.
Likely’s exploits as a return man are historic after he broke Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick’s 76-year-old Big Ten record for punt-return yards with 233 in the season opener and finished the season with three return touchdowns.
In addition, there’s offense, where Durkin said Likely will be involved. Likely said he can see himself making plays in offensive coordinator Walt Bell’s system, though he’s not sure yet how the coaching staff plans to use him.
Likely has accomplished plenty of tangible things in College Park. Durkin wants the Belle Glade, Fla., native to focus on the intangibles now.
“What’s next for Will is continuing to develop as a leader and stepping out of his comfort zone,” Durkin said. “He’s a great player and a great person, but now it’s like, ‘Have a positive effect and influence on others, too.’ … He’s really working hard at doing a great job. That to me is the development of him as a player and as a person that I think he’ll gain most out of coming back this year.”
Carter said he has already seen a change in Likely. The senior is teaching the younger players in his position group and he’s “being more open to helping others,” Carter said. He’s getting extra work and making sure the rest of the players are as well.
Maryland signed a host of defensive backs in its Class of 2016, while most of the older players on the roster — Jarrett Ross, Alvin Hill, Antwaine Carter, Josh Woods, Denzel Conyers and Darnell Savage Jr. — haven’t started regularly. Likely is the last remaining significant constant in a defensive backfield in which the departed Sean Davis, Anthony Nixon and A.J. Hendy took 99 combined starts with them.
But Likely is back with the goal of shepherding a young Terps defense while also making good on the promise he made to his mother, Canisa Rowley, in elementary school to get his degree.
Likely missed Maryland’s wild comeback win over Rutgers in the season finale in November because the high-ankle sprain he’d suffered in the sixth game of the season at Ohio State had finally caught up to him.
“That’s my first game I’ve ever missed in my entire life,” said Likely, who also missed or was limited for most of spring practice with another injury.
But in watching from the sideline, Likely got to rest his body while keeping his mind active. And in the process, he worked on discovering the type of leader he needs to be for this year’s Maryland team. That’s what he has left to do in College Park.
“I can’t just be saying one thing, but doing the other,” Likely said. “I have to be at the higher standard, too, so it helped me. It definitely helped me become a better person, not just on the field but also off the field.”