Maryland head coach Mike Locksley says he is "at peace" with his dismissal by the school, telling ESPN that he does not expect another college head coaching opportunity. Instead, the 56-year-old is looking to revive his career in the NFL or as an offensive coordinator for a college program "you can win a championship at."
"But I'm done with the heavy laboring of building," he said, "and taking a job that's going to wear me out. I can't do it anymore." Locksley was in his eighth season as the Terps' head coach when the school announced the decision Wednesday. He went 39-54 at Maryland, but held a 10-21 record since the start of the 2024 campaign.
"I'm not mad about leaving. I'm not. I'm at peace with it because I know it's better than what it was when I got here," Locksley said, pointing to the program's condition when he arrived, which included three bowl appearances under his leadership and the impact of NIL. He met with athletic director Jim Smith on Sunday and packed up his office Wednesday evening. He said he would not resign, but was willing to help ease the pressure on everyone involved.
Locksley acknowledged that his biggest challenge was retaining elite assistant coaches, including Scottie Montgomery, Jon Hoke and Dan Enos. He cited salary issues, speculation about his future and negativity as contributing factors. "For whatever reason, I struggled to keep the really good coaches I had because we win," he said.
Locksley was set to earn $6.4 million in his eighth season, on a contract running through 2028 with a $9.75 million buyout. There is no offset or mitigation, meaning Maryland will pay the full amount even if he lands another job. He said he will likely turn to television commentary, possibly with the Big Ten Network, to see how much he enjoys it.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing