Maryland hired Mike Locksley to be the new football coach of the Terrapins late Tuesday night.
Locksley is leaving his post as Alabama’s offensive coordinator to take the job at the scandal plagued program. Details of the contract aren’t known at this time. (RELATED: Georgia Loses To Alabama After One Of The Dumbest Play Calls In Football History)
Breaking: Maryland is hiring Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley as its next coach (first reported by Stadium and confirmed by ESPN). pic.twitter.com/iHQ7n2DmCH
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) December 5, 2018
Alabama OC Mike Locksley will be Maryland’s coach, sources told @WatchStadium. He will be introduced at school Thursday. “Maryland football has been through unique hardships & needs Mike Locksley as much as he may need to be home at Maryland,” source said https://t.co/CdWJ9M8fpo
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 5, 2018
Maryland to hire Alabama OC Mike Locksley as new head coach, per @Brett_McMurphy pic.twitter.com/XQqFe3bDBs
— Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) December 5, 2018
Maryland’s football program has been through the ringer the past few months. Jordan McNair passed away after heat stroke during a summer practice, D.J. Durkin was placed on administrative leave and eventually fired, and the program just couldn’t seem to shake having a reputation of a toxic culture.
Getting a head coaching job at a Power Five school is a career goal for just about everybody in college sports. It’s the pinnacle of success. Locksley oversaw a dominant Crimson Tide offense this year, and now he’s getting his shot to run his own program with Maryland.
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However, I think it’s more than reasonable to ask if he should have waited for a different opportunity. The Terrapins are teetering on the brink of disaster, and who knows if there’s any other demons lurking in the shadows. I’m just not sure that’s a situation you should rush into. I’m not a D1 coach, but I think there’s sometimes an upside to not jumping at your first offer.
Having said all that, I wish nothing but the best for Locksley and Maryland. He’s a clear winner and the Big Ten is better off having the Terrapins being good.
He certainly has his work cut out for him.