If it wasn’t apparent from the play on the field, from the high of reaching six wins by October to the low of the three-game losing streak that followed, coach Michael Locksley emphasized that Maryland football has yet to arrive.

Sure, he said, there has been obvious progress in his four years at the helm of the Terps. But before Locksley took one question during his weekly media availability Tuesday, he already began hinting at his feelings toward the necessary improvements still required in College Park. And when prompted with an overarching question as to how he evaluates a roller coaster of a season, Locksley’s thoughts formed into a more concrete form.“Our goal is to take the next step,” Locksley said. “Being bowl-eligible should be part of the foundation of what this program is about. The next step is to play championship-level football. I think we’re close. We’re not there yet. I think we’re close.”

The performance last week against Ohio State showed, in some ways, Maryland is close. The Terps battled the No. 2 Buckeyes to the wire before a late break cemented a 43-30 loss. But what Locksley is harping on is the consistency factor that has been missing since his arrival — it’s an elusive buzzword that can be better encapsulated through results on the field.

Before a strong effort against Ohio State came losses to Penn State and Wisconsin that were devoid of the fight — and execution — displayed against the Buckeyes. For Maryland to take that next step, avoiding those sorts of trip-ups is at the forefront of Locksley’s mind, and it continues Saturday with the regular-season finale against Rutgers at SECU Stadium.

“What needs to happen is the consistency that’s necessary, not just when we play the top teams in our league, but every team,” Locksley said. “Because what we found, every Saturday in the Big Ten will be a challenge. And I think our players understand it, but it’s up to me and the leadership I provide to get them to go out and get it done.”

After suffering a 30-0 loss to then-No. 14 Penn State, Locksley asked his players a question: “Where are we as a program?”

He hoped for a response on the field, and he got it in the form of a hard-fought loss to one of the best teams in the country. But the question held validity, even if it was rhetorical.

Maryland has seen growth in the four seasons Locksley has been in charge, from the three-win first season to the Pinstripe Bowl victory last year. With one regular-season game remaining, Locksley can match last year’s win total before a bowl game — and by earning a seventh regular-season win, Locksley’s contract would extend through 2027.

But Maryland has lacked the ability to complete the marquee victory, dropping three straight games against the Big Ten’s traditional powers. During Locksley’s tenure, Maryland is 9-22 in the league. The Terps’ wins have come against Indiana (twice), Rutgers (twice), Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan State and Penn State.

In games against the Nittany Lions, Michigan and Ohio State — the cream of the crop in the Big Ten East — Maryland has won once in 10 attempts while being outscored 452-162.

So while the progress felt in close defeats to Michigan and Ohio State this season is encouraging, it hasn’t been established over a large sample size.

That’s why Locksley is so quick to emphasize the journey his program is still on, the improvement still left to be made. And it extends to his quarterback, Taulia Tagovailoa, who as a draft-eligible junior could play his final home game on Saturday.

Tagovailoa’s performances have lacked the consistency the Maryland program has on the whole, too. He combined for 151 passing yards in the losses to the Badgers and Nittany Lions, then erupted for 293 yards and three total touchdowns against the Buckeyes.

He has set the program record for career passing yards Saturday and rewrote single-season records last year, is Maryland’s best quarterback in decades and “you will see him only grow and get better, as our program does the same thing,” Locksley said.

How can Tagovailoa and the Terps get there?

“Sometimes we’re not as disciplined with the details, the little things that come with the play,” Tagovailoa. “The better we can be at being more disciplined and focusing on the little details, the more consistent we’ll be.”

“It’s the little, small details, when you come down to it,” cornerback Tarheeb Still added. “You have to have those. And being consistent, that’s all it is.”

And the more consistent they are, the closer the Terps come to reaching Locksley’s vision. In one section of the stadium last week, a crop of recruits sat to watch Maryland and Ohio State play. Locksley said the feedback was positive from those players, but his messaging to them hasn’t changed.

He tells each recruit that at Maryland, they have the chance to build something. In four years, Locksley is proud of the progress this group has managed. But it’ll take another group to continue it — and maybe then get over the hump.