Coming into the season, Mike Locksley needed to win games as he appeared to be on the hot seat after a 4-8 season where he went 1-8 in Big Ten play. When the Terrapins started the season 4-0, matching the overall win total from the year along with the Big Ten win total, it appeared that Mike Locksley coached his way off of the hot seat.
The last 6 games have changed that sentiment as the Terrapins have lost 6 straight games in a wide variety of ways. As Mike Locksley's record at Maryland has reached 37-47 with a 17-46 record in Big Ten play, it appeared clear that he's not the coach who's going to build Maryland into a contender.
Maryland rolls the dice keeping Mike Locksley for 2026
On Sunday, Maryland released a statement, and while many were expecting it to say that Locksley was fired, it said the opposite. The Terrapins will keep Mike Locksley for the 2026 season while investing more money into the roster.
Please read my Letter to Terp Nation in Support of Coach Locksley: https://t.co/vEkPuUEGcL pic.twitter.com/1m9OBM2sdP
— Jim Smith (@TerpsADJimSmith) November 16, 2025
The decision comes as a surprise, and it's angering Maryland fans who feel that Mike Locksley has had plenty of time to prove he's a winning head coach with no success. The move feels as if Maryland is kicking the can down the road, but that may not be a bad decision as this coaching carousel is going to be hectic.
Locksley is regarded as a great recruiter, but the Terrapins' recruiting class only has 12 players committed, headlined by the 2nd-ranked recruit in the Country, edge rusher Zion Elee.
If Maryland is going to compete next season, the added money Locksley will be working with needs to go toward building out this roster. True Freshman quarterback Malik Washington has shown a ton of promise, but he'll need to be given the weapons to help this team win games.