Maryland Parts Ways With Head Coach Mike Locksley After 2-5 Start and Five Straight Losses
The University of Maryland announced on October 21 that it and football head coach Mike Locksley had mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately, making him the first major college football head coach to depart in the 2026 season. Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season, and the university said it will begin its search for a permanent coach immediately.
Maryland athletic director Jim Smith said in a statement that, following thoughtful conversations with Locksley, the two agreed a coaching change was in the best interest of both Locksley and the Maryland football program. He thanked Locksley for his dedication to the program and the genuine care he showed student-athletes, saying Locksley represented Maryland with pride, strengthened the school's connection throughout the state and the region, and made a lasting impact on the young men he coached. Locksley said he is proud of the work they did together and remains deeply invested in the success and well-being of the young men in the program.
Locksley was in his eighth season at the helm. His last game was a 37-30 home loss to Rutgers on October 17, in which Maryland blew a 10-point halftime lead on homecoming, dropped its fifth straight game, and fell to 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the Big Ten heading into its bye week.
Locksley's tenure at Maryland ends with a 39-54 overall record, including six games as interim coach in 2015. Hired full time before the 2019 season, he led the Terrapins to three consecutive bowl victories from 2021 to 2023, a first for the program, but Maryland has gone 10-21 since then. The Terrapins' next game is at home against Illinois on October 31.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Mike Locksley 2025年出席Big Ten媒体活动资料图（Bobak Ha'Eri摄，CC BY 3.0，经维基共享资源）
- 2026-10-21Maryland Parts Ways With Head Coach Mike Locksley After 2-5 Start and Five Straight LossesThis story
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