Maryland’s coaching search is open after the Terps cut ties with Mike Locksley following a 2-5 start and back-to-back 4-8 seasons. Long-time assistant Aazaar Abdul-Rahim has stepped in as the interim coach, but he does not appear to be the answer long term.
So where does Maryland go from here? The program has to weigh stability, upside and fit, and there’s always the temptation to chase the kind of breakout Indiana found with Curt Cignetti. That kind of move is rare, but it showed what’s possible when a school lands the right coach.
One name to know is Charles Huff, the current Memphis head coach. He was born in Denton, Maryland, and worked as a Terps assistant in 2009, so he already knows the area and the program.
Huff has also led Marshall and Southern Miss, and he’s posted a 44-27 record since the 2021 season. He’s spent time as an assistant at Penn State, Mississippi State and Alabama, giving him a feel for Power Four football.
The question with Huff would be recruiting and whether he can get enough buy-in to steady Maryland quickly.
Brian Kelly is another possibility, though it would be a more dramatic swing. He’s now a CBS Sports analyst after his run at LSU ended badly, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wants another shot on the sideline.
Kelly has coached Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Notre Dame and LSU, and he’s long been known as a strong recruiter. Maryland has not had recruiting problems under Locksley; the issue has been development.
For Kelly, this could be the kind of job that gets him back in coaching and gives him a real chance to rebuild a program.
There’s also an Indiana connection worth watching. Mike Shanahan and Bryant Haines, both coordinators for Curt Cignetti, helped fuel the Hoosiers’ rise after following him from James Madison.
They know the Big Ten landscape, and it’s hard to picture both staying put forever. If Maryland wants someone with the blueprint for what Indiana has become, either coach could make sense.
Billy Napier rounds out the group. He was fired by Florida after coaching the Gators from 2022 to 2025, but he’s back on track at James Madison, where the Dukes are undefeated after he replaced Bob Chesney.
Napier built his reputation at Louisiana before landing in Gainesville, and he has shown he can coach and recruit. He’s a Southern coach through and through, but if he wants another Power Four chance, Maryland could be a path back.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Still Has Two Big Questions Before Clemson
James Franklin spent part of Virginia Techs prep for Clemson talking through the pieces that still matter most this week, and a freshman on the offensive line has quickly become part of that conversation. Eziuka drew Franklins attention after working his way into the rotation at right guard, a promising sign for a unit trying to steady itself before a difficult conference test. Franklin also touched on Tait Reynolds handling of the quarterback situation after the starters injury, while offering the usual practice updates as the Hokies tried to sort out who would be available and where the depth chart might settle.
The bigger picture, though, is how Virginia Tech is trying to clean up the middle of games, not just the opening script. Practice this week has been geared toward improving third-quarter performance, with red-zone work moved into the middle of practice to recreate the kind of reset the Hokies have struggled to manage. Against Clemson, the margin for slow starts or flat stretches will be thin, and Virginia Techs ability to carry its practice emphasis into the game may tell as much as any injury update. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Has A Clemson X-Factor Fans Need To Watch
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Among the names to watch is Quentin Reddish, who has already shown he can swing a game in the secondary. Virginia Tech will be looking for takeaways and field position against a Clemson team that has had trouble finding efficiency in the passing game, and that opens the door for one timely defensive play to tilt the night. The Hokies have reasons to believe they can hang around, but they will need their impact players to show up in a place that has been a tough road for them for a long time. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech's Bowl Hopes May Hinge On 3 Defensive Playmakers
Virginia Tech heads into Saturday nights matchup with Clemson still trying to steady a defense that has recently given up plenty through the air against Cal and Georgia Tech. The stakes are obvious enough: the Hokies need a win to lock up bowl eligibility, and the road to getting there runs through a Clemson offense that will test every level of the field at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Three defensive playmakers loom especially large in that effort, starting with the group tasked with pressuring the quarterback and cleaning up against the run. Virginia Tech also gets a boost from the back end with a defensive back coming off injury, adding some experience and flexibility to a unit that has to be sharper than it was in its last two outings if the Hokies are going to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]