Mike Locksley’s dismissal at Maryland could end up reaching far beyond College Park, and Auburn may feel the ripple in a real way.
The most obvious connection runs through defensive coordinator DJ Durkin. Maryland was Durkin’s only full-time head coaching stop, and his ties to that program and the surrounding region still matter. He spent time on the Terrapins’ staff from 2016 to 2018, and those roots in College Park and across the area have carried over to Auburn.
That matters because Auburn already has a footprint in Maryland. Four-star DeMatha Catholic EDGE James Pace III, four-star Henry E.
Lackey defensive lineman Tyzon Swann, and St. Frances Academy safety James Branch are all committed to the Tigers’ 2027 class out of the state.
If Durkin were to surface as a candidate for the Maryland job, the Tigers could be staring at a very real recruiting shakeup. Given his previous relationships, it would not be a surprise if some, most, or all of those commitments reconsidered and followed him back to Maryland. He also has enough credibility in the state to make the case that staying home is the better move, especially with Auburn’s 2024 and 2025 defensive performances in his back pocket.
There is, of course, a darker side to that possibility. Durkin’s first run in the Maryland job came with major controversies that could make a return difficult. Still, the idea is there, and it’s not hard to see why it would carry weight.
Locksley’s own path also keeps Auburn in the conversation. He has Alabama connections from his three years on Nick Saban’s staff, plus a stint in Florida in the early aughts, which gives him a different kind of lane if he looks to build a staff elsewhere. For Alex Golesh, that could make Locksley an option to keep in mind next year.
Auburn’s receiver room, led by Kodi Burns in his third coaching stint with the program, has been strong, especially with the USF transfers. Larry Porter has also done solid work with the running backs in his second run at Auburn.
If either coach moves on during the next hiring cycle, Locksley would be a name worth watching.
In Other News...
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Mike White had reason to like the fight Georgia showed, but the ending also highlighted how thin the margin can be against a quality opponent. Clemson finished it at the buzzer with a layup, leaving the Bulldogs with a close loss and a clear reminder that the late-game details still need work before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Bye Week Comes At A Huge Time In The SEC Race
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Smart has already pointed to the growing parity across college football as one reason the race feels tighter than ever, citing the way talent is spread around and how player compensation has changed the landscape. For Georgia, that reality makes the pause even more valuable, because every week in the SEC can reshuffle the standings, and the Bulldogs will return to a schedule where there is little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Could Face A Surprising Playoff Rest Debate Soon
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Georgia could also end up in a different kind of rest spot if it falls out of the SEC title game race, and thats where the debate gets interesting. A bye during conference championship weekend has historically been viewed by some as more favorable than waiting for a first-round playoff break, which means the Bulldogs may be staring at a scenario where the most valuable pause of the season is not the one that comes with the biggest reward. [Read more 🡒]