COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- After sitting out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer regulations, former Baltimore (Md.) Gilman School standout and Virginia Tech Hokie Melvin Keihn is ready to have a major impact on Maryland’s defense in 2016.

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The 6-foot-1, 225-pound pass rusher saw the field in 13 games as a true freshman in Blacksburg, Va., before deciding to transfer to College Park last summer. Having now been coached by three different staffs in college, Keihn is looking forward to using all that he has learned to help the Terps succeed.

“Sitting out last year I learned,” Keihn said after fall camp practice Aug. 12. “Playing as a true freshman was fun and all, but I realized I wasn’t really ready to play as a true freshman. Transferring home gave me a chance to take a year off without losing a year [of eligibility] and I learned a lot last year from the coaches that were here. And now being eligible this year with a new coaching staff, I’m ready to go. They have the mindset that we’re going to be an intense defense and that’s what I like. Coaches are just always talking about just being ready to go, be the next guy to step up. And that’s what I’m trying to do, step up and make a play whenever I can.”

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Keihn, a redshirt sophomore, and junior defensive lineman Jesse Aniebonam are next in line to be Maryland’s premier pass rushers in 2016 as they rotate at the BUCK position. Both are looking to replace the production of Maryland’s single-season sack record holder, Yannick Ngakoue, who set the mark at 13.5 in 2015 and is now a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Yannick was definitely a great player,” Keihn said. “When I came here last year, he was one of those guys that I definitely looked up to. After practice, he, Jesse and I would get together and work some technique. And now after losing him, me and Jesse talk everyday about how we have to step up, especially with Coach Durkin and his staff and the defense that we’re running it gives us a lot of chances to pass rush and get after the quarterback.

“Me, Jesse and the other defensive linemen pride ourselves on getting to the quarterback and so far it’s going well. We have a lot of work to do. It’s only been five practices and we have hundreds of more practices to go. But I promise you come that first game, we’re going to be ready to go. But I definitely pride myself on being one of the top pass rushers on this team. Yannick is a great player but, at the end of the day, I have to go out and beat his sack record, too.”

The Towson, Md., native not only has taken his time on the sideline to work on his craft, but he has also been transforming his body with Terps strength and conditioning coach Rick Court.

“[Court] took me from a nine percent body fat to a six percent body fat, but he also took me from 211 pounds to 226 pounds,” Keihn said. “He’s definitely doing something right. And at the same time, I’m still fast. It’s incredible. If he’s not the best strength and conditioning coach in the country, then I don’t know who is then.”

Keihn knows he’s going to need all the speed and conditioning he can get to practice against Maryland’s fast-paced offense everyday.

“I’ve never played against an offense like this,” Keihn said. “Last year we had a good offense, but now with Coach [Walt] Bell we are up-tempo. I’m really proud of our offense because they’re doing a great job of getting lined up, not waiting for us, snapping the ball and going, going, going. It makes us be ready to go.

“One thing I noticed is that it’s really fast. If you’re not focused and you’re tired or don’t know what you’re doing, you’re going to get knocked in the mouth really fast. Everything comes at you really fast because they’re going and they’re not stopping. They’re working everyday on being faster and that’s what I love about them, they’re all working together to make sure the offense gets going. I love it because at the end the end of the day we’re going to be ready for other teams that run a fast-tempo offense.”