Overview
- Maryland fired coach Mike Locksley and named co-defensive coordinator Aazaar Abdul‑Rahim the interim head coach while launching a national search for a permanent replacement.
- Biff Poggi told the Baltimore Sun he wants the job but said he has not spoken with athletic director Jim Smith or other people running the search.
- Poggi proposed a rebuild driven by heavy use of the transfer portal, pursuit of high-profile assistants, and an estimated $25–$28 million annual plan for player compensation.
- His candidacy rests on strong Baltimore-area high-school credentials and Michigan staff experience, tempered by a 6–16 head-coach record at Charlotte that raises questions about his college-level durability.
- The search is drawing other national names such as Brian Kelly and Dan Mullen while Maryland must weigh Locksley’s reported roughly $9–10 million buyout and the near-term risks to recruiting and roster stability under the interim regime.