Maryland Parts Ways With Mike Locksley After 2-5 Start

Maryland announced Wednesday, October 21, that Mike Locksley was leaving as head football coach after the Terrapins fell to 2-5 and lost five consecutive games. The school described the change as a mutual decision, while some reports characterized it as a firing. The circumstances of the decision have not been publicly established in the accounts available. Defensive coordinator Aazaar AbdulRahim was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Maryland said a comprehensive national search for a permanent successor would begin immediately. The change came during the program’s eighth season under Locksley, whose Maryland teams had a 39-54 record and won three consecutive bowl games from 2021 through 2023. The Terrapins’ fifth straight defeat was a 37-30 home loss to Rutgers on October 17. Maryland led 23-13 at halftime before Rutgers rallied. The loss left the team 2-5, following two 4-8 seasons in 2024 and 2025. Maryland’s current losing streak in Big Ten play had reached 12 games, according to reports. Athletic director Jim Smith said the coaching change followed conversations with Locksley and was in the best interest of both the coach and the program. Locksley,...