Throughout the offseason, especially as spring bleeds into summer, one of a coach’s biggest worries is a player stepping across the legal line off the field. Another? Incoming freshmen falling short in the classroom.
Unfortunately for Randy Edsall, that’s the situation Maryland finds itself in with one of the most touted members of its 2013 recruiting class.
Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, the Washington Post is reporting that offensive lineman Derwin Gray will not enroll this fall due to academic issues. What those specific issues were not divulged, although it doesn’t exactly come as a surprise; during his junior season at Washington D.C.'s Dunbar High School, Gray missed all but one game because of academics.
Despite the issues on the student side of the student-athlete equation, Gray was a four-star member of the Terps’ 2013 recruiting class, rated as the No. 9 offensive tackle in the country by Rivals.com. He was also the No. 2 player at any position in the D.C. area.
The source told the Post that Gray will take either the prep school or junior college route in 2013, with the Terps hoping the lineman can get his academic house in order enough to return to the school in 2014.