Maryland coaching candidates: Jake Dickert, Billy Napier among options to replace Mike Locksley

Some familiar names top the list of potential head coaching candidates at Maryland Oct 21, 2026 at 12:15 pm ET • 4 min read Maryland is officially in the market for a new football coach.The school fired Mike Locksley amid a 39-54 record over seven-plus seasons as the Terrapins' head coach. In a must-win 2026 season, Locksley's program stumbled out to a 2-5 record, including a homecoming loss on Saturday to Rutgers. Maryland will owe Locksley more than $9 million in buyout money after letting him go. Maryland is the first Power Four school to fire a coach this season, kicking off what has been a much slower coaching carousel than a year ago. It'll be Jim Smith's first major hire as Maryland's athletic director after arriving in July 2025. There are other Power Four jobs that could open in the future, including Florida State, but as of Wednesday, Maryland is the best job available. Who might Maryland target to replace Locksley? Here are some early names to watch, based on conversations with industry sources. Jake Dickert, Wake Forest head coachThe hottest name in this coaching cycle could be Wake Forest second-year coach Jake Dickert. The 43-year-old is 14-5 midway through his second season and has the Demon Deacons ranked No. 17 in the country. The Wisconsin native previously had success at Washington State and is viewed as a program builder who isn't tied to a single geographic area. Every school that has an opening this cycle will be interested in Dickert. Manny Diaz, Duke head coach The former Miami head coach has a good thing going in Durham. Diaz won the ACC a year ago and has the Blue Devils competitive again this season with a 4-2 start. That Diaz has been able to do that without Darian Mensah, who left for Miami right as the transfer portal was closing, has impressed sources throughout college football. If Maryland wanted to take a big swing at a longshot candidate, Diaz fits the build. Jason Eck, New Mexico head coachEck is a proven winner (40-18) at places that aren't exactly easy to win at. Maryland could offer him a significant raise and a chance to run a Power Four program. But could Eck, a former Wisconsin offensive lineman, wait to see if his alma mater opens up soon? Colorado would have interest in Eck too, according to sources, if Deion Sanders leaves. Eck can afford to be choosy if he leaves New Mexico, but would be a home-run hire for the Terrapins. Bryant Haines and Mike Shanahan, Indiana coordinatorsIf Maryland wants to go the coordinator route, it should look in Bloomington. Two of the top coordinators in the country both reside on Curt Cignetti's Indiana staff. Bryant Haines won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach last season. Haines got interest from NFL organizations last cycle and could be a future NFL defensive coordinator or college head coach. The 36-year-old Shanahan, a Pennsylvania native, has worked with Cignetti at four different stops and is highly regarded within the industry. Charles Huff, Memphis head coachThe Maryland native will be a popular name after having success at three different schools, albeit all at the Group of Six level. Huff is 44-27 as a head coach, which includes a 10-win season at Marshall in 2024. One drawback is that hiring Huff would mean his third job in three seasons, following a one-year stint at Southern Miss before jumping to Memphis. But if Maryland wants another coach with strong DMV recruiting ties, Huff would make sense. Brian Kelly, CBS Sports analystThe former Notre Dame and LSU head coach has expressed interest in returning to coaching. Unlike the other coaches on this list, Maryland could talk to him right away and not worry about creating any in-season distractions. The Massachusetts native would be a more natural fit at Maryland than at LSU, but would his approach succeed at a place with less prestige and fewer resources than his last two jobs? Dan Mullen, UNLV head coach Would the native New Englander be interested in a return to the East Coast? Mullen has now won at least 10 games at three different schools (Mississippi State, Florida and UNLV). He was knocked for perceived recruiting woes while at Florida -- he still signed top-15 classes for four consecutive cycles -- but those may be less of a concern in the NIL era. His time in Gainesville has aged pretty well, too, particularly those back-to-back top-10 finishes. Billy Napier, James Madison head coach Could Napier jump at another shot at the Power Four after a one-season stopover at James Madison? A year after his Florida breakup, Napier has the Dukes at 7-0 and with a chance to make a second consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff. Napier is 69-35 as a head coach and had three 10-win-or-better seasons at Louisiana. Arthur Smith, Ohio State offensive coordinatorThe former Atlanta Falcons head coach is in his first season as Ohio State's offensive coordinator. He was a top candidate for the North Carolina job that ultimately went to Bill Belichick, and has shown interest in possibly making the leap to a college head-coaching opportunity. If he can find a way to keep Ohio State afloat without star quarterback Julian Sayin, his stock could rise. Lance Taylor, Western Michigan head coach How Taylor handled the heartbreak of a controversial loss to Michigan earlier in the season earned him plaudits from ADs and industry sources. Following a breakthrough 10-4 record a year ago, Taylor has Western Michigan well-positioned to repeat as MAC champions.