Maryland fires head coach Mike Locksley after eight seasons

Maryland has fired head coach Mike Locksley after eight seasons in College Park, sources tell On3. The Terrapins fell to Rutgers on Saturday, dropping their 13th straight power-conference loss. They remain winless this season in Big Ten play. The Terrapins were 39–54 under Locksley and 17–52 in Big Ten play. Locksley found success in College Park from 2021 to 2023, posting three consecutive winning seasons and bowl wins. But they have struggled to find their footing the last two seasons, posting consecutive 4-8 seasons with 1-8 finishes in Big Ten play. Saturday’s loss to Rutgers dropped Maryland to 2-5 on the season and 0-4 in Big Ten Play. The win was just the Scarlet Knights’ second of the season. The Terrapins have not beaten a Power Four opponent since last September, when they beat Wisconsin. Maryland opted to bring Locksley back for the 2026 season last November rather than move on. Athletic director Jim Smith announced at the time that the Terrapins planned to increase financial support for the program. Smith arrived in College Park in 2025 and did not hire Locksley but did decide to bring him back for another season. Maryland owes Locksley $9.94 million. The Terrapins have to pay half of the buyout — $4.97 million — in a lump sum within 60 days of termination. After the lump-sum payout, he will receive the remainder of his buyout in equal installments through the end of his contract in 2028. This is a breaking news story and will be updated.