5 Coaching Candidates Maryland Could Target To Replace Mike Locksley

Maryland football is officially searching for its next head coach after parting ways with Mike Locksley. The decision ends an eight-season tenure in College Park following a 2–5 start to the season. The program announced Locksley’s firing on Wednesday morning, naming defensive coordinator Aazaar Abdul-Rahim as interim head coach for the rest of the season. The program had to pay his buyout, which reportedly totaled almost $10 million. The Terrapins are expected to begin their search for a permanent replacement immediately. To stay competitive in an elite Big Ten conference, Maryland is expected to cast a wide net in its search for a new head coach. That search will likely include high-profile coordinators and proven head coaches looking to take over a program in a competitive Big Ten conference. Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics Jim Smith and President Darryll J. Pines believe the program can provide the investment, infrastructure and resources necessary to succeed. With that in mind, here are five replacements Maryland could explore for Locksley. Huff is a Maryland native who is eventually going to make the jump to the Power Four. In his first season at Memphis, he is already leading the Tigers to a 5–2 record and has put them in position to contend for their first American Athletic Conference title since 2019. Would Huff actually leave Memphis for Maryland after just one year? Well, Huff just showed he’s more than willing to leave for the right job. He spent just one season at Southern Miss, leading them to a 7–5 record, before jumping to Memphis as soon as the position opened up. From a 32–20 tenure at Marshall to immediate success at Southern Miss and Memphis, Huff has established a track record of winning. A Denton native with coaching ties to Maryland, Nick Saban, and James Franklin, he fits the exact profile Maryland could need. If Maryland wants to go in the polar opposite direction of Locksley and focus on a defense-minded head coach, Manny Diaz fits that mold well. Diaz's tenure has been nothing short of a success, and he's positioned to secure his third straight winning season. Having already captured an ACC title, Diaz has proven he can consistently contend in a tough conference. That success also comes without the revenue and resources that a Big Ten job could provide. The Terrapins are looking for a true program-changer and Diaz fits. Beyond his success at Duke, he also gained valuable Power Five head coaching experience at Miami, leading the Hurricanes to winning records in two of his three seasons. Before accepting the Miami job in 2018, Diaz was actually set to become the head coach at Temple. Philadelphia is less than 150 miles from College Park, giving him deep regional ties that could make a move to Maryland even more appealing. Through six years as a head coach, Diaz has a 43-26 record and will likely look to make the leap to a premier program in the Big Ten or SEC at some point. If Maryland wants to make a true splash hire, it’s hard to imagine a bigger statement than bringing in Diaz. Mullen was born in Pennsylvania and has coached in competitive conferences dating back to his time at Florida. If Maryland is looking for a stable coach who can recruit and deliver results, Mullens fits the bill. Not only is he familiar with the area, but he has also achieved success at every program he’s led over the last 15 years. Across his stints at Mississippi State, Florida, and now UNLV, he has built an impressive 117–68 record with just three losing seasons. Mullen has reached 11 bowl games as a head coach and won seven, proving time and again that he can win even without elite resources. With Maryland ready to invest and back him fully, Mullen could thrive in College Park. There is a realistic scenario where Maryland isn't viewed as the premier job many assume it to be. With a competitive Big Ten, some coaches may be hesitant to leave stable situations for what could be considered a high-risk opening. However, that opens the door for top coordinators in waiting and gives the Terrapins a chance to hit big on a young, rising star. One coordinator who could fit that mold is Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, who was a Broyles Award Finalist last season. Hetherman’s coaching track record speaks for itself. After running high-powered defenses under Curt Cignetti at James Madison from 2019-2021, he earned defensive coordinator stints under P.J. Fleck at Minnesota (2024) and Mario Cristobal the past two years at Miami. Since taking over as defensive coordinator in 2025, he has led a massive defensive turnaround. Over the past two seasons, Hetherman established the Hurricanes as an elite national unit, allowing under 14 points per game while developing multiple NFL Draft picks. Hetherman has produced everywhere he’s coached, bringing both a Big Ten background and regional ties for a Maryland candidate. If Maryland is searching for an up-and-coming coordinator, Shanahan makes plenty of sense given his regional ties. He is a Pennsylvania native, who played wide receiver at Pitt and should know the Northeast recruiting landscape inside and out. During his tenure as Indiana's offensive coordinator, Shanahan has produced one of the most efficient offenses in college football. His offense set program records for touchdowns, points scored, and 40-point games in a single season. Indiana ranked No. 2 nationally in scoring offense and passing efficiency, while ranking No. 7 in red zone offense among FBS programs. Would Shanahan leave Cignetti for a rival in the same conference? It might sound like a tall order, but not every coordinator gets offered a head coaching job and Shanahan could jump at the chance to return closer to home. That track record and regional tie make Shanahan an intriguing candidate for a Maryland program looking for a spark.