Maryland fires Mike Locksley in first coaching departure of 2026 season
Jordan Mendoza and John Brice, USA TODAYWed, October 21, 2026 at 3:29 PM UTC
The first major college football coach has been fired in this season.
Mike Locksley is out at Maryland in what is being described as a mutual parting of ways, USA TODAY Sports learned from a person with knowledge of the situation before it was officially announced on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Defensive coordinator Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will be the interim coach as the university said it will begin its search for a permanent coach immediately.
"Following thoughtful conversations with Coach Locksley, we agreed that a coaching change was in the best interest of Coach Locksley and the Maryland football program," Maryland athletic director Jim Smith said in a statement. "On behalf of the University of Maryland, I want to thank Michael for his dedication to our football program and the genuine care he showed our student-athletes. Michael represented Maryland with pride, strengthened our connection throughout the state and the region, and made a lasting impact on the young men he coached."
The eighth-year coach's last game was a 37-30 loss to Rutgers on Oct. 17. That defeat, the team's fifth in a row, dropped Maryland to 2-5 and 0-4 in the Big Ten heading into its bye week.
Locksley's tenure at Maryland ends with a 39–54 record that includes six games as an interim coach in 2015 and his hiring full time before the 2019. He compiled 17-52 mark in the Big Ten, along with three bowl game victories.
WHO IS NEXT?: The top candidates to replace Mike Locksley at Maryland
Maryland had three consecutive winning seasons from 2021-23, including eight wins in 2022 and 2023.
"I am proud of the work we have done together and remain deeply invested in the success and well-being of the young men in this program," Locksley said. "They deserve our continued support, and I will always want the best for them and Maryland football."
Why was Mike Locksley fired?
Locksley was under pressure coming into the 2026 season after Maryland finished with back-to-back 4-8 campaigns, winning just one Big Ten game in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. It needed to start winning, but Maryland wasn't able to show improvement.
With the 2-5 start, the Terrapins have lost 20 of its past 30 games, and it has been more than a year since it last won a Big Ten game with 12 straight conference losses.
Maryland suffered a 54-3 blowout home defeat to UCLA on Saturday, Sept. 26. It was the second consecutive home loss for Maryland after it fell to Virginia Tech in Week 3, giving the team two defeats before the end of September for the first time since 2019, Locksley first season in College Park.
Days after the disappointing loss to the Hokies, Locksley had a tense exchange with a reporter when he was asked about the team's consistent shortcomings.
Maryland will now be on the search for another coach that can try to make the Terrapins a contender in the Big Ten. It hasn't finished the season with a winning conference record since it joined the league in 2014. It last had a winning conference record in 2010 as a member of the ACC.
The university said it will "focus on identifying a proven leader who can develop student-athletes, build a championship-caliber culture and recruit at an elite level."
Mike Locksley Maryland contract buyout
Locksley's buyout at Maryland is approximately $9.7 million as of Oct. 21 after his parting with two more years left on his deal, according to a copy of his contract obtained via USA TODAY Sports.
The Maryland coach was making $6.4 million in compensation this season, with pay split between $600,000 in base pay and $5.8 million in supplemental compensation. Lockley was due to be paid $6.7 million for 2027 and $7 million for 2028 as part of his contract that expires through Dec. 31, 2028.
The school owes 65% of the remaining balance to Locksley.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maryland fires Mike Locksley in first coaching departure of 2026 season
Source: Sports
0 Comments