Maryland is breaking away from the norm this season, as it confirms HC Mike Locksley as HC for the 2026 season. While there are programs that have let go of their coaches after less than 5 losses, Locksley stays on after 6. According to AD Jim Smith, the decision was taken with a particular agenda in mind.

Mike Locksley is now in his seventh season coaching at Maryland. But the results this year gave been beyond disappointing, as the Terrapins are on track to repeat the same result from last year. After losing 6 straight games this season, talk around Locksley’s firing gained a lot of speed. But Maryland, surprisingly, will not fire their struggling HC, who is 4-6 this season. Smith confirmed to ESPN that Locksley will stay on as HC for 2026, but that’s just one part of the plan.

Maryland is going to go big at funding the program in 2026. “We are working to strengthen our NIL support for 2026 and beyond and have already seen success for next year,” the AD told ESPN. More precisely, Maryland does not want to risk destabilizing the good turnout of recruiting under Locksley. Jim Smith said that focusing on “retaining key players, including a star-studded freshman class,” is a major part of that plan that keeps Locksley.

Mike Locksley has grown into a popular figure in the state over the years. Maryland doesn’t want to risk losing stability in the recruiting that has come through recently under the struggling HC. Locksley helped improve the recruiting for the 2025 cycle, taking the class up to No. 32 in the country. A standout from this group is QB Malik Washington. Maryland’s 2026 class, ranked No. 50 on On3, has the commitment of EDGE Zion Elee. Both are local Maryland stars.

Locksley’s buyout is over $13 million. It’s an easy price to pay, but not worth derailing the grand plan Maryland has for the future. Things have already begun to take shape as of late, and Maryland wants to desperately hold on to that small success. By staying on for at least a year more, Locksley might be hoping to keep his previous recruitment woes in that past.

Mike Locksley admits recruiting issues severely dented the locker room.

Maryland football has seen highs with Mike Locksley on board. The Terps went bowling for 3 consecutive years – a program-high under his leadership. But the humiliating 4-8 record from last year snapped that streak, and they’re hoping for a miracle to get back on that track now. In July 2025, Locksley admitted his actions during recruiting led to a volatile locker room, that compounded into 8 losses. This was when the NIL era took a big step this season.

“I had to choose between paying young players who were coming in or reward the older players that have been through the fire, three bowl wins, and I tried to do both with limited resources. And that’s what you get: a locker room with the haves and have-nots,” Locksley said. But the HC’s efforts in recruiting have paid off. He has Malik Washington with him, and will have Elee back there in the future. More ranked players can come in because of them.

“To continue building on this foundation, Coach Locksley needs — and deserves — the full support of our department, our university, and all of Terp Nation,” Jim Smith said in an open letter to Maryland fans. After yet another losing season, we’ll have to wait and watch how much this gamble pays off.