Mike Locksley buyout, contract details as Maryland Terrapins coach

Maryland tuned out the noise about coach Mike Locksley's future last year and retained him for an eighth season, resolving to invest more resources into their roster rather than spending on a new head coach.

Four games into 2026, that plan has already gone awry.

The Terrapins suffered one of the worst losses in program history on Saturday, falling 54-3 to UCLA at home and raising more questions than ever before about Locksley's future.

Here are the details on what it would cost Maryland to fire Locksley.

Maryland would owe $9.2 million to Locksley if he's fired during this calendar year, USA Today reported .

While the Terrapins certainly don't have the resources that college football's powerhouses do, that buyout figure isn't dramatic compared to some of the massive buyouts paid out last season across the country, including $54 million for Brian Kelly at LSU and nearly as much for James Franklin at Penn State.

Maryland may not be inclined to make a midseason change, but the Terrapins hit a new low against UCLA and have yet to beat a Power Four opponent this season with road trips to Nebraska and Ohio State next on the schedule.

Locksley is under contract through the 2028 season; he makes $6.4 million this year and is set to make $6.7 million in 2027, followed by $7 million in 2028.

Locksley has been Maryland's head coach since 2019. Hired away from Nick Saban's Alabama staff after the 2018 season, Locksley has only three winning seasons in College Park and went 4-8 in both 2024 and 2025.