Mike Locksley 'at Peace' After Maryland Firing, Eyes NFL or College OC Role

Mike Locksley says he is 'at peace' after being fired as Maryland's head football coach, telling ESPN he does not expect to lead a college program again but is open to working in the NFL or as an offensive coordinator at a 'championship' school.

The dismissal came after a 12-game Big Ten losing streak, ending Locksley's tenure in College Park. Speaking to ESPN on Wednesday, he said he saw the move coming. 'To be honest I kind of knew it was coming, just didn't know when,' he said. 'I'm not mad about leaving.'

Locksley, who was in his eighth season and set to earn $6.4 million on a contract running through 2028, said he met with athletic director Jim Smith on Sunday before clearing out his office. 'I said, Jim, I understand,' he said, 'and I care more about Maryland.'

Looking back, Locksley said his toughest challenge was assembling the right roster. 'The hardest thing I dealt with here was not recruiting players — it's being able to get the right ones,' he said. 'It's actually not hard to win at Maryland; it's hard to win consistently at Maryland.'

'I'm done with the heavy laboring of building,' he added, explaining he would rather take an assistant or NFL role than oversee another rebuild.