News Article
Published
Oct 21, 2026 at 11:30 PM EDT
On Wednesday, the first head coaching job in the Power 5 emerged, as the Maryland Terrapins opted to part ways with Mike Locksley. It didn't take long for former LSU head coach Brian Kelly to emerge as a name to watch for the head coaching vacancy.
Locksley was relieved of his duties as head coach at Maryland following a 2-5 start to the 2026 season, ending what was largely a disappointing tenure that only saw the Terrapins finish with a record over .500 twice during his nine year tenure at the program.
On paper, it sure seems like it will take a major rebuilding period to repair the Maryland football program. And they may just be looking for an experienced coach to fill Locksley's shoes.
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Following the news of Locksley being fired, college football insider Pete Nakos put together his "Hot Board" of potential candidates for the Maryland head coaching job, which featured Brian Kelly as one of the more notable names on this list.
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College football fans of course last saw Kelly with the LSU Tigers last season, losing his job in Baton Rouge following a 5-3 start to the year.
Some may see this Maryland head coaching vacancy as a position beneath Kelly's caliber given the kind of jobs he has held over the course of his coaching career . But if Kelly does want to return to coaching at the Power 5 ranks, this does at least serve as a possibility to do exactly this.
Whether Kelly is ultimately the man to lead Maryland into the future or not, it will certainly be interesting what direction this program takes to rise to prominence in the Big Ten.
For now, Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will serve as the interim head coach for Maryland as they look to turn things when they next take the field against the Illinois Fighting Illini in Week 9, following a much-needed Week 8 bye week.