Till is in it for the long haul

Editor's note: This is the first of a three-part series on incoming Terrapin football recruits as the Terps prepare for National Signing Day on Feb. 3.

Titus Till stood on the sideline at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium and watched in disbelief. He watched as the clock ticked down to zero and his dreams of a high school state championship disappeared. He watched as opposing players stormed the field in jubilation.

Till, a senior at Henry A. Wise High School in Upper Marlboro, still remembers that cold December night clearly. It hangs over his head as motivation for the future — a future in which he hopes his dreams will be realized with the Terrapin football team.

"I feel as though I wasn't completed in high school," Till said. "We didn't get a ring, so I plan on getting a bowl ring. I gotta get some type of ring."

Till, who will start classes at the university this fall, just finished a stellar senior season, despite the one-point loss to Old Mill in the 4A state championship game. As a safety, he recorded 64 tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.

But perhaps more impressive to college coaches than his senior year numbers is his vast potential. The 6-foot-3 safety is listed at 205 pounds with a 40-yard dash time of 4.5 seconds and a maximum bench press of 275 pounds. He is also pinned as a four-star recruit on Rivals.com.

"He's long, athletic, smart, works hard and is very physical," Wise coach DaLawn Parrish said. "The sky's the limit for him."

Till is hoping that his physical play will be noticed by the coaching staff during his first year at the university, leading to significant playing time.

"I plan on starting next year by the end of the year," Till said. "I may not come in starting, but by the end of the year — by the time the season's finished — I want to at least start two or three games."

Till said he chose the Terps based on the campus' proximity to his home and the historical prospects of Terps making it to the NFL. Although Madieu Williams is the only former Terp safety on an NFL roster, there are five former Terp cornerbacks in the league.

"That's my plan. Going in there with [Director of Strength and Conditioning Dwight] Galt, he produces great athletes, so that was my plan and my main intention in going to Maryland," Till said. "Plus, it's close to home, so all my family and friends can come see me play."

After a season in which the Terps went 2-10 with only one win over a FBS team, Till is hoping to lead the Terps to a higher level of competition and use that state championship loss to better himself as a player.

"We'll do better as a team next year. We've got a good freshman class in last year and this one coming in is another good class, so for the years to come we're gonna be a good program," Till said. "I learned [in the state championship loss] to stick with it the whole way through. … Right after halftime, when our quarterback went down, a lot of people hung their heads. But you gotta learn to stick through that."

engelke@umdbk.com