{
  "id": 15931439,
  "title": "Maryland Fires Mike Locksley After Disastrous Start to Season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/maryland-fires-mike-locksley-after-disastrous-start-to-season",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-21T18:42:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/maryland-fires-mike-locksley-after-disastrous-start-to-season-12601847"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Maryland Terrapins have terminated the contract of head coach Mike Locksley following a poor start to the football season, reports ESPN's Pete Thamel. The decision comes after the Terrapins suffered their fifth consecutive loss, dropping their record to 2-5. This loss to Rutgers extended the team's losing streak to 12 games in conference play, a troubling trend for a program that was once a powerhouse in college football. Locksley, who took over as head coach in 2019, had a 39-54 overall record during his tenure, including three consecutive bowl victories from 2021 through 2023. Despite these achievements, the program failed to maintain momentum, with Maryland finishing 4-8 in the two seasons prior to Locksley's dismissal. The coach dismissed defensive coordinator Ted Monachino earlier this week, acknowledging the need for change after another poor defensive performance. However, even with this significant coaching shift, the Terrapins struggled to turn things around. The university is currently on a bye week and is scheduled to face Illinois on October 31, with no decision yet made on who will replace Locksley as head coach.",
  "summary": "Maryland has reportedly fired head coach Mike Locksley after a 2-5 start and five consecutive losses.",
  "key_points": [
    "Maryland fires head coach Mike Locksley after 5 consecutive losses.",
    "Terrapins drop to 2-5 record, 12-game losing streak in conference.",
    "Locksley had 39-54 record, 3 bowl victories during tenure."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}