The shake-up
Maryland football is officially in damage control mode. The Terrapins fired defensive coordinator Ted Monachino on Sunday, pulling the trigger after the defense let up 37 points in a 37-30 loss to Rutgers. The vibes are officially off for the Terps, who are sitting at a disappointing 2-5 record this season.
The reality check
The defense has been lowkey disastrous. Maryland currently sits at 83rd in total defense, 84th in pass defense, and 85th in rush defense, but the real L is that they rank 127th in scoring defense. Coach Mike Locksley released a statement saying he appreciated Monachino’s work but felt the change was necessary. Aazaar Abdul-Rahim and Zac Spatival are stepping up to take over defensive play-calling duties as interim co-defensive coordinators.
The pressure is on
Real talk: Mike Locksley is firmly on the hot seat. After back-to-back 4-8 seasons, he entered 2026 needing a major bounce-back to keep his gig. With a 2-20 Big Ten record since 2024 and no Power Four wins in over a year, the clock is ticking. Maryland is on a bye this week before hosting Illinois on Halloween—it's giving make-or-break energy.
Why it matters
Firing a coordinator is usually a last-ditch effort to save a head coach's job. With Locksley’s career at Maryland on the line, this defensive overhaul is his final chance to prove he can turn the program around before the front office pulls the plug.
