Mike Locksley to return as Maryland head coach in 2026

Maryland suffered its sixth consecutive loss this weekend, falling 24-6 to Illinois. On Sunday, Maryland athletic director Jim Smith told ESPN that Mike Locksley will continue as the Terrapins’ head coach in 2026 and the school plans to significantly increase financial support for the program.

“We are working to strengthen our NIL support for 2026 and beyond, and have already seen success for next year,” Smith told ESPN. “We are prioritizing roster retention, recruiting and competing in the transfer portal.

“… We are optimistic about the young talent in our program and where we are in recruiting. … Everyone involved with the football program is focused on giving Coach Locksley the resources to succeed in the Big Ten.”

Locksley briefly served as the interim head coach at Maryland in 2015 after Randy Edsall was fired. He returned to the program in 2019 as its full-time head coach.

Locksley is in his seventh season as Maryland’s HC. The program is 37-47 in Locksley’s eight seasons as acting head coach. The Terrapins fell to 4-6 overall and 1-6 in conference play with their loss to Illinois this weekend.

In both the 2022 and 2023 campaign, Locksley led the Terrapins to an 8-5 record. However, Maryland hasn’t been able to find the same success since, and finished with a 4-8 record last season.

Maryland has the No. 50 class in the 2026 recruiting cycle, according to Rivals Industry Rankings, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all three primary recruiting media services. Maryland currently has just two commits in the 2027 class.

Maryland would’ve been forced to pay Locksley over $13 million if the school decided to fire him this year, per his contract. Jim Smith reportedly informed Locksley of his decision to support him earlier this morning.

Maryland’s team is highlighted by several standout freshmen. Most notably, Terrapins quarterback Malik Washington has had a promising debut campaign. He boasts 2,294 passing yards and 13 touchdowns this season, compared to seven interceptions. Moreover, Washington has amassed 269 yards and four TDs in the ground game.

Along with Washington, freshmen defensive ends Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis have been standouts for the Terrapins this season. Ahead of Maryland’s showdown against Illinois, Mike Locksley emphasized his team is remaining focused amid their struggles.

“The outside people can say what they want,” Locksley said. “Inside, we know who we are, what we’ve built, and where we’re going. Our players see the growth happening every day, and that’s what matters.”