2025 Week 4 Coaches Inc. Highlights

The Maryland Terrapins football team looks a lot different than last season. The coaching staff is almost completely revamped and homegrown Freshman QB Malik Washington is at the helm for the Terps’ undefeated start. Two of the new coaches trekked across the country from LA to join the staff in the DMV. Former LA Ram, Chili Davis, was hired as the Terps’ Assistant Special Teams Coordinator and former UCLA Bruin, Ted White, joined the Terps as Senior Offensive Assistant/QBs Coach.

Their groups shined in Maryland’s 27-10 win at Big Ten foe, Wisconsin, on Saturday. Maryland blocked a FG attempt on the Badgers’ first drive and later blocked a Wisconsin punt to set up Washington and the Terps on the Badgers’ 28-yard line. The QB then completed one of his two TD passes to give the Terps a 14-0 advantage and they led 20-0 at the half. Maryland blocked a punt the week before and Malik Washington has now passed for the most yards by a Power Conference QB since another DMV QB did it in 2019 - the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels. It’s clear there’s a better vibe around the team these days in College Park and they hope to ride the momentum to a home win over Washington after this week’s bye.

Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/RBs Coach Jeff Nixon arrived in upstate NY as part of the new staff in 2024, leaving the NY Giants. In a magical first year, he orchestrated the nation’s #1 passing offense en route to a 10-win season. After that great year, Jeff lost a few of his top players, including QB Kyle McCord, to the 2025 NFL draft. Not only did he have to replace players, but he also needed a new WRs coach. He looked to the NFL and lured Myles White away from the Green Bay Packers to become his Passing Game Coordinator/WRs Coach in February. With this retooled group, Jeff has Syracuse currently ranked #2 in passing offense, just four yards off the leader, through four games including Saturday’s 34-21 win at Clemson.

Syracuse entered the game as 17 1/2 point underdogs but never trailed. QB Steve Angeli passed for 244 yards and two TDs before suffering a season-ending injury in the third quarter and WR Johntay Clark had six catches for 113 yards. Backup QB Rickie Collins threw a TD and will now be Jeff’s offensive leader for the rest of the year, which shouldn’t be a problem for the Orange’s offense under Jeff’s and Myles’ guidance.

Everyone in the football world knows the Hokies fired Head Coach Brent Pry after an 0-3 start this year. The school administration made more news this week by announcing they will dramatically increase funding for the football program so the next head coach won’t be competing with one hand tied behind his back. Despite the distractions, the Hokies were able to get their first win of the year on Saturday, beating Wofford 38-6. RBs Coach Elijah Brooks’ group helped the offense gain 461 total yards on the day and transfer Braydon Bennett scored his first TD as a Hokie. Virginia Tech has yet to play an ACC game but will travel to NC State this weekend as the Hokies look to turn this season around.

WMU’s Assistant HC/RBs Coach Darren Paige helped lead his Broncos to a 14-13 comeback win over perennial MAC powerhouse Toledo on Saturday. Darren is in his second season with WMU after successful stints at Army and Cincinnati, and his leadership showed on Saturday as he kept the offense focused, scoring 14 unanswered points to close out the second half. The Broncos got the ball back with 1:40 remaining and scored a TD on QB Broc Lowry’s second rushing TD of the day. Down 13-12, WMU opted to go for the win and converted its two-point conversion on yet another QB rushing score. It was the first win of the year for WMU and they now sit at 1-0 in MAC play.

Nothing shuts down trash talk like on-field performance. BCU Head Coach Raymond Woodie and his team silenced the Edward Waters fans with a 35-9 rout on Saturday. Edward Waters was off to a 3-0 start and had recently named BCU’s former head coach as the permanent head coach. Bethune-Cookman was entering the game 0-3, but had played two FBS opponents and last year’s MEAC champions, South Carolina State - all on the road.

The offense played well but it was Co-DC/LBs Robert Wimberly and Co-DC/Safeties Otis Mounds side of the ball that left no doubt. They held Edward Waters to under 250 yards of total offense while recording four INTs, with one returned for a TD. The Wildcats begin SWAC play next week with another home game and look to show even more improvement in Raymond’s third season as Head Coach.

NCCU RBs Coach Charles Bankins knows a thing or two about the NCCU vs. NC A&T rivalry. He spent the last two season with the Aggies but this year was on the NCCU sidelines. NCCU got another win against their rivals thanks to a monster performance by Charles’ RB group. RB Chris Mosley had five TDs (tying a school record), three rushing and two receiving, on his way to 168 yards on the ground with a 15.3 average. RB Arthur Rodgers also added 149 rushing yards with two TDs giving the NCCU RBs seven TDs on the day. The team added 399 passing yards to accumulate a whopping 745 total yards - also a school record. Charles has produced record-breaking rushers at just about every stop and this year he is at it again.

William & Mary Head Coach Mike London is leading his fourth NCAA football team. He’s stacked accolades on accolades throughout those stops and picked up one more, his 100th win as a head coach, on Saturday. Along the way he has won a FCS National Championship at Richmond, won ACC Coach of the Year at Virginia, pulled off the biggest upset in college football history by beating UNLV while at Howard, and, in addition to getting the most wins in a season (2022) at W&M, just won his 100th game. The Tribe hosted Charleston Southern and treated the home crowd to a 34-7 lopsided victory.

His staff is made up of many of his former players, including Special Teams Coordinator/OLBs Darryl Blackstock. Mike recruited Darryl out of high school and gave him his first college coaching job seven years ago after his NFL playing days were over. The duo has been a part of one of the best stretches in William & Mary football history and on Saturday, the Tribe defense held Charleston Southern to just 239 yards of total offense. The offense was led by QB Tyler Hughes who threw for 296 yards and four TDs and the special teams’ units were merely tasked with not giving up big returns and playing error-free, which they did.

Fayetteville State Head Coach Richard Hayes has done a remarkable job over the years. Despite a slow start after a tough out of conference schedule, his team proved it will still be a force to be reckoned with in the CIAA conference. The Broncos thoroughly dominated Saturday’s conference matchup vs. Elizabeth City State, outgaining them 454-89 in total yards. His defense only gave up six first downs and came away with four turnovers. In his previous eight seasons as the Broncos Head Coach, Richard has led them to the CIAA Championship game an astounding six times. He’s won a CIAA title and has been named CIAA Coach of the Year. If Saturday’s outcome is any indication, expect to see the Broncos fighting for yet another championship at the end of the season.