COLLEGE PARK — Maryland football opened fall camp Wednesday afternoon with palpable energy and excitement. One month before the regular-season opener against UConn, the Terps welcomed a special guest.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore took the field during the opening stretching period. Moore recently visited the Ravens and Washington Commanders, but his trip to College Park was a little different.

A former wide receiver at Johns Hopkins University from 1998 to 2001, Moore looked the part. The former Blue Jay traded in his college colors, entering the practice field wearing a white No. 24 jersey. But his visit was more than fun and games.

“It’s very important when you think about the economic impact it has on the state,” Moore said of supporting the program. “Every single home game, that’s another $27 million plus in revenue that comes to the state, so this is a big attraction to come out and watch play. Also, I love football. I’m a football guy.

“So, to come out here and watch them battle, know that every single week is a championship week and every week is going to matter, it gets my competitive juices going. I’m just really inspired by winners and I believe this team is going to put up some W’s this year.”

Moore led the Terps in teamwide jumping jacks, then participated in drills. He worked with the receivers and defensive backs on dislodging and protecting the football. The Democratic governor then showed off his hands in a receiving drill, catching a pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback MJ Morris.

“It’s a little more painful now. I don’t remember it hurting this bad when I was in college,” Moore joked. “It felt great. You go back and all the routes are exactly the same. The same kind of lineup on the line of scrimmage. The same kind of feeling as a wide receiver when you literally feel the breath of a cornerback on the back of your neck. It’s all the same, so it felt really good being back out here. I guess it’s kind of like riding a bike, except the bike is very painful now.”

After the team briefly transitioned inside, Moore intently watched practice. Terps coach Mike Locksley then gathered the team for a message from their guest. The sixth-year coach introduced Moore and emphasized to his players how fortunate they were to have him at practice.

The governor shared how inspired he was by the players and thanked the wide receivers and defensive backs for letting him join in on drills. He consistently preached the value of continuous hard work and reminded the players of the state’s support behind them.

“You’re our flagship, every single snap you represent us,” he said. “Every single snap, every single play, you make us proud. Every single game you get out there, you need to know that you have 6.5 million people who want nothing but a win. You all are the ones who can deliver for them.”

The governor concluded his speech to a rousing ovation as Locksley stepped in with a gift. The team gave Moore a custom No. 63 jersey recognizing the state’s 63rd governor and presented him with a custom game ball. Several players, including redshirt seniors Quashon Fuller and Isaac Bunyun, talked with Moore as the Terps embarked on the first step of the 2024 campaign.

The Terps are coming off three straight bowl wins and Locksley isn’t shying away from conversations about the team’s aspirations of taking the next step and competing for conference and national championships. Moore’s message aligned perfectly with Locksley’s mentality for the 2024 season, which is to “shake up the status quo.”

“You have an entire state that has your back because every single day you have ours,” Moore said. “Go out and show them what it means to be a Terp. Go out there and show them what it means to be Maryland. Go out there and shock the whole world. You have a state that’s riding for you and that’s ready to see you guys win. I appreciate you all from the bottom of my heart. I’m honored to be your governor, but most importantly I’m honored to be a fan. Go Terps.”