Will Ulmer transferred from Maryland football, but now he’s working his way back

After transferring from Maryland’s football program and enrolling at Iowa Western Community College following the 2015 season, Will Ulmer is planning his return to Division I college football.

He’ll spend this upcoming season with the Reivers, figuring out where he wants to spend his remaining college eligibility, and he’s getting attention already, making Rivals’ NJCAA preseason watch list.

In an odd twist, Maryland’s new coaching staff has offered him the option to return to the program he left less than a year ago. This isn’t unheard of, as Jacquille Veii transferred from the Terps to Towson, then came back to Maryland for the 2016 season, but it’s certainly unorthodox.

Ulmer hasn’t ruled out a return to the only Division I program he’s ever known, but he isn’t leaning toward any team in particular just yet. He has offers from Louisville and Illinois, among other schools, and students from those two are recruiting him hard on Twitter.

"I like Louisville, but I like everyone," he told Testudo Times. "Everyone’s 50/50."

He committed to the Terps as a three-star quarterback out of St. John’s College High School in D.C., spurning schools like Florida State and Ohio State to stay home for college. He switched to wide receiver shortly into his freshman season. Ulmer didn’t see the field in two years at Maryland, and opted to leave the program after his redshirt freshman campaign.

"It just wasn’t for me at the time, and it was just best for me to leave," he said.

Maryland director of recruiting, Marcus Berry, was the first to approach Ulmer about a potential return to the program, Ulmer said. Berry is a newcomer to Maryland football’s staff, but he isn’t new to Ulmer. Berry recruited him while serving on North Carolina’s coaching staff before moving to Rutgers.

"I was at a camp watching my alma mater play, and Marcus Berry, he’s the first one to offer me at North Carolina, I’ve known him since eighth grade, he told me I could come back up there" Ulmer said.

Ulmer hasn’t spoken to Maryland head coach DJ Durkin yet, but he said he has talked to offensive coordinator Walt Bell. He plans on taking official visits during the season, and says he’ll meet with Berry before he goes back to school

So far at Iowa Western, Ulmer is in a role he enjoys more than the one he had at Maryland.

"They’ve used me more like I want to be used at Maryland, like using me in the backfield and in the slot, returning kicks and punts," he said. "[Bell]’s looking for guys who can make plays with the ball in their hands."

Ulmer has no timetable for a commitment yet.

"Maybe before the season if someone stands out," he said, "but I might wait it out a little while."