Maryland fired head coach Mike Locksley on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, marking the first major move in the 2026 college football coaching carousel. Locksley departs with a 39-54 overall record and a 17-52 mark in Big Ten play. The Terrapins had won just two Big Ten games since the start of the 2024 season and were 2-5 (0-4 Big Ten) this year before the change.
Aazaar Abdul-Rahim has been named interim head coach and is 0-1 after a 20-17 loss to Illinois.
Early candidates for the permanent role include Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert. Dickert left Washington State for Wake Forest following the 2024 season, posting an 8-4 record in his final year at WSU. He is 15-5 (8-5 ACC) midway through his second season at Wake Forest, where the Demon Deacons have won their last four ACC opponents by a combined 187-31.
Analysts note Dickert's defensive background and ability to develop competitive teams without routinely signing the most talented roster in his conference could address Maryland's needs, though persuading him to leave a power-conference job may prove difficult.
