As Maryland football gears up for a pivotal 2026 season, head coach Mike Locksley is making moves that signal just how high the stakes are in College Park. Now entering his eighth year at the helm, Locksley is reportedly targeting a high-profile addition to his defensive staff-former Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
According to reports, Pruitt is being considered for a key defensive role on the Terps’ staff. If hired, this would mark his first coaching job since serving as a senior defensive assistant with the New York Giants back in 2021.
But Pruitt’s résumé runs much deeper than that. He’s best known for his three-season run as Tennessee’s head coach starting in 2018, a tenure that ended in 2021 amid recruiting violations.
Before that, he was one of college football’s most respected defensive minds, with coordinator stops at Florida State, Georgia, and Alabama.
That last stop-Tuscaloosa-is where the Pruitt-Locksley connection was forged. The two overlapped for two seasons at Alabama, where Locksley moved from offensive assistant to co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, while Pruitt ran Nick Saban’s defense and coached the inside linebackers. That shared experience under Saban’s system could be the foundation for a reunion in College Park, and it’s clear that Locksley is looking to bring in battle-tested leadership on the defensive side of the ball.
If Pruitt joins the staff, he’ll be stepping into a room that already features some continuity. Ted Monachino is expected to return, along with co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim. That kind of veteran presence, paired with Pruitt’s defensive pedigree, could give Maryland the kind of edge it needs to compete in an increasingly competitive Big Ten landscape.
Pruitt’s coaching roots trace back to his coordinator role at Florida State in 2013, where he helped guide the Seminoles to a national title with a defense that ranked among the best in the country. From there, he had stints as defensive coordinator at Georgia and then Alabama before taking the Tennessee job. While his time in Knoxville ended under a cloud of NCAA violations, there’s no denying his ability to build and lead a defense.
Meanwhile, on the offensive side of the ball, Maryland has made just one staff addition this offseason-but it’s a notable one. Kyle Schmitt, who led Spalding High School to four MIAA championships, has joined the program as tight ends coach.
Schmitt brings a strong local reputation and familiarity with several players on the roster, including standout quarterback Malik Washington. His arrival adds another layer of continuity and trust, especially with players who’ve already thrived under his leadership.
For Locksley, this offseason is about more than just filling vacancies-it’s about assembling a staff that can help Maryland take the next step. Bringing in a name like Pruitt would be a bold move, but it’s also a calculated one.
With the Big Ten expanding and the pressure mounting, every coaching decision matters. If this is indeed a make-or-break year for Locksley, he’s clearly intent on stacking the deck with proven talent.