Can you believe what happened on Saturday? The Terrapins got absolutely demolished, 54-3, by UCLA at home, and that wasn’t just a loss, man, that was one of the worst beatings this program has ever seen. Just four games into 2026, the plan to retain head coach Mike Locksley for an eighth season, after all that noise about his future last year, has already completely gone off the rails.
Hitting a New Low in College Park
Remember how Maryland decided to invest more resources into the roster instead of bringing in a new head coach? Yeah, that’s not looking so hot right now. That 54-3 thrashing from UCLA was a brutal punch to the gut, raising more questions than ever about Locksley’s job. This team has hit a new low, no doubt about it, and they still haven’t managed to beat a Power Four opponent this season. What’s next for these guys? They’ve got road trips to Nebraska and Ohio State coming up. Talk about a tough stretch when you’re already struggling this hard. The Terps need to turn things around, and fast, if they want to avoid even more historic lows.
The Price Tag of a Tough Decision
So, what would it actually cost Maryland to move on from Locksley? If they decided to fire him during this calendar year, USA Today reported they would owe him $9.2 million. Look, for some of the big college football powerhouses, that might not seem like a huge deal when you compare it to the massive buyouts paid out last season, like $54 million for Brian Kelly at LSU or almost as much for James Franklin at Penn State. But Maryland doesn’t exactly have those kinds of resources, and $9.2 million is still a serious chunk of change. The source says Maryland may not even be inclined to make a midseason change, which is wild to think about after a loss like that! Locksley is under contract through the 2028 season, making $6.4 million this year, $6.7 million in 2027, and $7 million in 2028. He’s been the head coach since 2019, coming over from Nick Saban’s Alabama staff after the 2018 season, but he’s only had three winning seasons in College Park. And get this: the team went 4-8 in both 2024 and 2025. You just gotta wonder how much more of this can fans take?
With those road trips to Nebraska and Ohio State on the horizon, the pressure is absolutely cranking up. This team needs to show something, anything, to give fans a reason to believe. It’s time to see what these Terrapins are truly made of.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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