Maryland has fired head football coach Mike Locksley after a 2-5 start to the season. They are now the first team searching for a head coach at the FBS level. Here are five potential head coach candidates for the Maryland Terrapins.
Huff has been head coach at the FBS level in 2021. He turned Marshall around quickly, as he wen 7-6 in his first season. After four seasons with the Thundering Herd, he had a 32-20 record. In 2025, he earned the Southern Mississippi coaching job. With the Golden Eagles, he had a 7-5 record, again turning things around quickly. He jumped to Memphis before the 2026 season and has a 5-2 record so far this season.
He could be a fit for Maryland, as they are a team in need of a quick turnaround and Huff has done that at every stop. Huff was born in Maryland and was an assistant at the school in 2009. He is familiar with the area and has recruiting ties. Maryland will have taken note of Huff’s turnarounds and may find him the best option for the job. If they act quickly, they may get him, but he may be open to bigger jobs as well.
Dickert was an interim coach at Washington State in 2021 and finished the season with a 3-3 record, good enough to earn the job. He coached there over the next three seasons, with a 23-20 record overall. Wake Forest hired him for the 2025 season and he immediately won nine games, finishing off the season with a win in Duke’s Mayo Bowl. So far this season, Dickert has led the Demon Deacons to a 6-1 record.
At Wake Forest and Washington State, Dickert hasn’t won with the most resources at his disposal. If hired at Maryland, he could be given more resources to build an even better team. He has coached all around the country during his career and has proven to be able to win and recruit in different areas. Dickert may need to be swayed away from Wake Forest or he could be in the market for a bigger job as well.
After being an assistant around the FBS and FCS, Eck got his first crack at a head coaching job at Idaho in 2022. He took a team that went 4-7 and helped them go seven games and make the FCS Playoffs. Eck had more success over the next two seasons, recording a 26-13 record and making two FCS Quarterfinals. He earned the New Mexico job in 2025, finding early success with a 9-4 record. So far this season, he has led the Lobos to a 5-1 mark.
Eck will be on a lot of coaching lists this offseason, but with the right buy-in could be enticed to go to Maryland. Although he has more experience in the Midwest and West, Eck can be successful in the East as well. He has coached at multiple levels and turned things around quickly, both of which make him a candidate. Eck will be in play for more jobs, but acting quickly could give Maryland an edge.
Kelly is currently an analyst for CBS Sports. He took the job after being let go by LSU this offseason. Over stints at Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Notre Dame and LSU, he had a 200-76 record and made a National Championship Game with the Fighting Irish. He had 113-40 record with Notre Dame and a 34-14 record with LSU.
Although he didn’t reach the highest of highs expected of him at some big jobs, Kelly did give most of his teams a high floor, which could be beneficial to Maryland trying to build the program. Kelly elevated both the Central Michigan and Cincinnati programs and could do the same for Maryland, even in a tougher conference. The Terrapins will likely look for a younger coach, but if they want an experienced coach, Kelly is available.
Haines played college football at Ball State and then immediately went into coaching in 2009. He has been an assistant at the lower levels, but has also spent time at Indiana, Ohio State, UC Davis, Elon and James Madison. Over the last three seasons, he has been the defensive coordinator for the Indiana Hoosiers and helped them win a national championship.
If Maryland wants to hire a coordinator and give them the chance to be a head coach, Haines is a great candidate. He has taken players that don’t fit the traditional size expectations of players and turned out a good defense. With the resources to recruit and get transfers, he can build a good defense. If a good offensive coordinator is hired to pair with Haines, the Terrapins could find the next coaching star.
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