The modern Maryland Terrapins football program representing the University of Maryland traces its lineage to the team first formed at what was then the Maryland Agricultural College (MAC) in 1892. In the initial years, due to the rudimentary state of intercollegiate athletics and interstate travel, all games were played against local colleges, high schools, and athletic clubs.
In 1902, Maryland hired its first professional coach, John Markey, and soon after drafted a "football philosophy", an early attempt at a codification of college football. During his tenure as head coach from 1911 to 1934, Harry C. "Curley" Byrd significantly increased Maryland's strength of schedule, and recorded victories over then-powerhouses Penn and Yale. Byrd also greatly increased school support and interest in the sport, and was responsible for the building of the school's first stadium in 1923.
Byrd became the university president in 1935, and continued his support for Maryland football from that office. As a coach, he was succeeded by several prominent individuals, namely Clark Shaughnessy, who had perfected the T-formation, and Paul "Bear" Bryant, who later went on to great success at Alabama. After just one season at Maryland, a conflict with Byrd resulted in Bryant's departure.
The early years: 1892–1901
Introduction of football at Maryland
Informally, football and baseball games had been played at the Maryland Agricultural College as early as the time of the Civil War. In 1890, an unofficial school team composed mostly of Maryland Agricultural students saw action against local high schools Laurel and Sandy Spring. It was not officially sanctioned by the college, but was allowed to use the school's name. In 1891, the same team played three games against Gallaudet, Hyattsville, and Sandy Spring. The victory over Sandy Spring prompted the MAC faculty to officially recognize the team.
In 1892, the first official Maryland Agricultural football team, known as the "Aggies" or "Farmers", was formed by quarterback William Skinner, who also served concurrently as the head coach. They went scoreless in that inaugural season with losses to St. John's College, Johns Hopkins, and Episcopal High School. In the game against Episcopal, halfback Pearse "Shorty" Prough gained the only positive yardage for the team—after first running in the wrong direction for 30 yards, before changing course for a net gain of 35 yards. Episcopal's school newspaper, the Monthly Chronicle, stated that the play "showed an unaccreditable ignorance of football."
The following season, in 1893, showed significant improvement. Maryland won all six of its games, including ones against Baltimore City College, St. John's, and Western Maryland. The St. John's match was controversial, however. After the game, St. John's players wrote in the Baltimore American that "a decision by which the M.A.C. were allowed to score the only touchdown made by the quarterback after a run of 90 yards, with no one in pursuit, appeared a very doubtful one." At the end of the season, Maryland Agricultural was awarded both the District of Columbia and the state collegiate championships. The awarding of the Maryland state championship, however, was protested by St. John's, which claimed that it was the deserving team.
Formation of the MIFA
In 1894, former coach and quarterback William Skinner helped lead the formation of the Maryland Intercollegiate Football Association (MIFA) in order to improve the process of naming the state champions. Other teams involved included Baltimore City College, Gallaudet, Johns Hopkins, Washington College, and Western Maryland. The game against St. John's once again aroused controversy, and the MAC accused their opponent of hiring ringers from Lehigh. When Johns Hopkins canceled their game, Maryland arranged to play Georgetown instead. The Maryland team called the game with a 6–4 lead as darkness fell. However, the referee, Georgetown halfback Mike Mahoney, ruled it a forfeiture and awarded the win to Georgetown. Today, Maryland and Georgetown both count the game as a Maryland Agricultural win in their records.
A brief hiatus
In 1895, Maryland Agricultural, a land-grant school with a military curriculum requirement, had a new commandant of cadets take office. Lieutenant Clough Overton, who opposed football at the university, cut funding for equipment and instituted strict rules limiting practice time. Instead of accepting this serious disadvantage against their opponents, the players declined to field a football team for the season.