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Huffman Sports Wire — Breaking News Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Maryland Parts Ways With Head Coach Mike Locksley and Names Aazaar Abdul-Rahim Interim Coach
Maryland announced on Wednesday, October 21 that Michael Locksley is stepping down as head coach of the football program, effective immediately, in a mutual decision between Locksley and the athletics department. Aazaar Abdul-Rahim has been named interim head coach, and Maryland said a comprehensive national search for the next head coach will begin immediately. The move makes Maryland the first Power conference program to make a head coaching change this season.
Locksley had served as the full-time head coach since 2019, and he was in his eighth season in that role this fall. He finished with a 38-49 record as the full-time head coach and a 39-54 record overall at Maryland, a total that includes a six-game stint as interim head coach in 2015. His tenure included three straight winning seasons from 2021 through 2023, and Maryland won a bowl game in each of those three seasons.
The change follows a slide that erased that progress. Maryland finished 4-8 in 2024, then repeated that record in 2025, and the Terrapins have opened this season at 2-5 overall with an 0-4 record in Big Ten play. Maryland has lost five straight games, and the fifth loss was a 37-30 home defeat against Rutgers on Saturday, October 17, after Maryland led by 10 points at halftime.
Abdul-Rahim is a longtime Maryland assistant with strong ties to the area, and he had just taken over the defense on Sunday, October 18 after Locksley dismissed defensive coordinator Ted Monachino. Maryland is on its bye week, which gives the interim staff extra time to settle the transition before the Terrapins play the final five games on their schedule. Athletic director Jim Smith, who arrived at Maryland in May 2025, will now lead the search for the next head coach.
Sources: - [University of Maryland Athletics](https://umterps.com/news/2026/10/21/football-maryland-athletics-michael-locksley-mutually-agree-to-part-ways) - [FOX Sports](https://foxsports.com/stories/college-football/maryland-fires-mike-locksley-stats-terrapins-coaching-rumors) - [USA TODAY](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2026/10/21/maryland-fires-mike-locksley-contract-buyout/91959683007/) - [Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/college-football/maryland-fires-longtime-coach-mike-locksley-live-updates-first-fbs-coaching-change) - [TSN](https://www.tsn.ca/ncaa/football/article/sources-maryland-fires-football-coach-locksley-n1-50238439/)