COLLEGE PARK, Md. _ Nearly every time Tayon Fleet-Davis walks into the Maryland football locker room, the junior running back's eyes wander directly across from his own dressing stall to the one enclosed in plexiglass.
It belonged to Jordan McNair and now serves as a memorial to the offensive lineman. McNair died a year ago Thursday, at age 19, after suffering heatstroke during a team conditioning test 15 days earlier.
"Every time I see it, in the morning for a workout, it just pushes me," Fleet-Davis said recently. "Just reminds me not to take anything for granted. That we only get to live this life once, so let's go."
As they did in the weeks and months after McNair's death _ starting with a somber ceremony at the indoor practice facility and punctuated by the celebration after a second straight season-opening upset of Texas _ the Terps will continue to honor his memory as they prepare for the 2019 season.
To commemorate the first anniversary of McNair's death Thursday, Maryland players and first-year coach Michael Locksley will participate in community events at McDonogh School, where McNair starred, as well as at an elementary school in Washington.
When summer workouts officially began as players returned for summer classes May 29 _ exactly a year after McNair's heatstroke _ Locksley let the team's leadership council decide whether the players would work out that day or take the day off.
Fleet-Davis, a member of the council, said the players "all felt like it was the best thing" to work out.
Senior cornerback Tino Ellis, also one of the team's designated leaders, said not much was said about McNair that day, yet his presence was felt.
"Honestly, it was a normal type of workout, the guys knew they had to come in and work," Ellis said. "We were aware of what happened that day and we're just trying to move on from it and work in Jordan's honor."
The team will commemorate McNair throughout the 2019 season and beyond. Many of the rituals honoring his memory from a year ago remain unchanged.
"We have the sticker on our helmet (with McNair's jersey number). We try not to dwell on the moment," Fleet-Davis said. "We always have Jordan around in (the indoor practice facility) and in Gossett (Team House). We just want to play hard for him."
