Is Maryland the newest recruiting threat to UVA football? Terps beat Wahoos for Richmond QB

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia had to take one of its top recruiting targets off the board Sunday when Highland Springs quarterback Khristian Martin committed to Maryland.

Martin, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound, 3-star, had narrowed his choices to the Terps, Virginia and Virginia Tech (he had also been offered by Texas A&M and Indiana, among others). His only official visits were to UVA and Maryland, both in June.

With the commitment, announced on Martin’s Twitter account, did that send a signal that Maryland is now a major recruiting threat to Virginia? Previously, Penn State and North Carolina, along with Virginia Tech, had been UVA’s biggest consistent worries in terms of taking state recruits, but the Terps are putting a focus on the Commonwealth.

Maryland coach Mike Locksley has reportedly made the state of Virginia a high priority in recruiting and the addition of running backs coach Lattrell Scott has strengthened that goal. Scott grew up in Richmond and has coached at several schools within the state during his career.

Scott is a former head coach at Richmond (two years), former head coach at Norfolk State (five years), and has also worked as an assistant at UVA (2009), VMI, JMU and Virginia State.

Tony Elliott’s staff is desperately attempting to regain recruiting footing in the state after former coach Bronco Mendenhall’s staff failed to accomplish that goal. The Cavaliers got a foot in the door at Highland Springs last year by signing incoming freshman defensive lineman Miles Greene, who has been joined by older brother Malcolm Greene, a transfer defensive back from Clemson.

Landing Martin would have been a strong addition from one of the state’s high school football powerhouses. Highland Springs went 15-0 last season led by Martin, who passed for 2,388 yards and 30 touchdowns (only one interception), while rushing for another 773 yards and 13 TDs.

Martin is ranked the No. 34 overall prospect in the state by 247Sports and No. 13 by Rivals. He is rated the No. 37 pro-style quarterback nationally by Rivals.

“Coach Josh Gattis has had monstrous success in his offenses,” Martin said of the Maryland staff. “Coach Locksley has coached multiple successful quarterbacks, so I mean that speaks for itself when you have multiple quarterbacks that have played under you who have gone on to play at the next level, which is something I’d ultimately like to do. It shows that obviously, you’re doing something right because you’re putting guys at the next level. Their word speaks for itself.”

Virginia plays at Maryland this season, a Friday night game on Sept. 15.