Maryland football hires search firm to help with finding new HC after Mike Locksley firing

As the Maryland football team fired head coach Mike Locksley after another disappointing season, the program is making efforts to find the next best option for the school. While rumors surround the Maryland football team regarding the next head coach, the latest development details the next step in finding the next head coach.

According to college football insider Pete Nakos of On3 Sports, the Terrapins have hired "search firm ZRG Turnkey" to help with the search for the school's future head coach after Locksley.

"Maryland has hired search firm ZRG Turnkey to assist with its head football coaching search, sources tell [On3]," Nakos wrote Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter.

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Athletic director Jim Smith spoke about the decision, saying that the school "will get a really good coach," according to The Baltimore Sun.

"I was fortunate enough to [have] the bye week," Smith said. "So there wasn't the immediate urgency. There aren't also a lot of bye week changes. As you saw this week, there were two coaches let go, and it was immediate. So I had a little bit more time. I wanted to make sure I was not making an emotional decision, and we came to the right conclusion for the program when we announced on Wednesday."

The news of Maryland football firing Mike Locksley was a "stunner"

When it comes to the players' reactions to the news, outside linebacker Sidney Stewart would be honest in saying how much of a "stunner" it was to see Locksley fired.

"For it to actually happen, it definitely was a stunner for me and the rest of the team," Stewart said. "I have a lot of love for him. I really appreciate him. He's impacted me on and off the field. But ultimately, I know that the people that are still here and are part of this program made the right choice…so I'm just riding the ship."

Locksley has coached the Terrapins since 2019, amassing a 39-54 record with the program. With Aazaar Abdul-Rahim as the interim head coach, he'll look to lead Maryland (2-5) on Saturday against Illinois, hoping to snap the five-game skid.