Mike Locksley will return for his ninth season at Maryland in 2026, AD Jim Smith announced Sunday.
The Terrapins are currently 4-6 on the year and 1-6 in Big Ten play. Barring an upset win over Michigan or Michigan State to close the year, Maryland will book back-to-back 1-8 Big Ten campaigns, coming off of a three-season run in which the Terps were competitive in Big Ten play and won bowl games to close all three seasons.
In another era, Maryland likely moves on from Locksley, but Smith told ESPN that the school is better off pouring already-spent money into building the roster than into bringing in a new coaching staff.
"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."
Overall, Locksley is 37-47 at the school, including a 1-5 run in 2015 as interim head coach. He spent 2016-18 at Alabama before returning to Maryland in 2019.
Smith emphasized the importance of building around a productive 2025 recruiting class, led by quarterback Malik Washington. "Everyone involved with the football program is focused on giving Coach Locksley the resources to succeed in the Big Ten," Smith said.
In an open letter to the fans, Maryland AD Jim Smith wrote the following:
Dear Terp Nation,
In my first five months as your Athletic Director, I've come to understand — and deeply appreciate — what Maryland Pride truly means. I have quickly grown to love this university, our athletics department, our supporters, our fans, our staff, and most importantly, our student-athletes. They are the lifeblood of everything we do.
I stepped into this role at a time when the landscape of college athletics — and college football in particular — is undergoing unprecedented change. Over just the last two years, the expectations, requirements, and competitive realities of the Big Ten have shifted dramatically. To compete at the highest level, we must support and resource Maryland Football in the same way our Big Ten peers do. A level playing field requires a level commitment.
Coach Locksley bleeds Maryland, has deep and unmatched ties to the DMV, and he has led this program to success unprecedented in our 133-year football history — including three consecutive bowl victories — with three straight winning seasons from 2021-23. Those accomplishments demonstrate what this program is capable of when aligned and supported.
But in the two short years since that run, the entire environment of college athletics has transformed. To continue building on this foundation, Coach Locksley needs — and deserves — the full support of our department, our university, and all of Terp Nation. We are fully committed to giving him and our student-athletes the resources and investments necessary to succeed. I have worked closely with Coach Locksley to rapidly strengthen our NIL support for 2026 and beyond, with a clear and focused effort on roster retention, recruiting, and being highly competitive in the transfer portal.
Our coaches, staff, and student-athletes continue to pour themselves into this program and uphold the standards we expect at Maryland, but we are all disappointed that the recent results have fallen short of our expectations. Coach Locksley believes deeply in the potential of this team — and I share both his belief in the team and his frustration with our record. Through every challenge, our players have competed with heart, resilience, and pride, and they have earned the respect of all of Terp Nation.
Our goals remain clear: build a program that competes for Big Ten Championships and earn a place in the College Football Playoff. Achieving those goals requires consistency, commitment, and alignment at every level. With the support of President Pines, Maryland Athletics is committed to making the necessary investment in our football program to position us to achieve these goals.
At the conclusion of the season, Coach Locksley, Senior Deputy Athletic Director Diana Sabau, and I will review every aspect of our football program to make sure we are focused on getting the right type of resources in the right places to build a successful football program in this new era of college football.
I am confident that we have the right foundation in place, the enhanced resources that position us to compete at a higher level in 2026, and a coach who can truly own the DMV. Every decision we've made reflects our belief in this program's potential and its leadership. We are fully committed to getting this right — and making you proud of our football program.
Thank you for your loyalty, your passion, and your unrelenting Maryland Pride.
From Locksley's Maryland bio:
The winner of the 2018 Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach, Locksley spent three years working under Nick Saban at the University of Alabama before taking the head coaching job at Maryland. He served as the Crimson Tide’s co-offensive coordinator and won a national championship in 2017 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018 and helping Alabama return to the College Football Playoff.
Maryland has made major strides since Locksley took over the program. The Terps posted three consecutive winning seasons from 2021-23 and won bowl games in each of those seasons, marking the first time in program history that Maryland won bowl games in three straight seasons. The Terps won a combined 16 games under Locksley during the 2022 and 2023 season, giving Maryland the fifth most wins among Big Ten teams during that time period.
In 2024, Maryland posted key wins over rival Virginia and Big Ten newcomer USC. The Terps won in Charlottesville, 27-13, in the 80th all-time meeting between the programs. Later in the season, Maryland had a thrilling come-from-behind victory over the Trojans, 29-28. It was the first all-time meeting between the teams and the Terps scored the final 15 points, including a touchdown with just 53 seconds remaining to seal the win. The 2024 season also saw Maryland wide receiver Tai Felton earn AP and AFCA All-America recognition to go along with his First Team All-Big Ten selection. The Terps also sent five players to the NFL Combine, 23 players were named Academic All-Big Ten and Maryland hauled in a Top 25 signing class in February of 2025.