Brian Kelly Emerges as Leading Candidate After Maryland Interview

Overview

• Multiple outlets reported that Brian Kelly, the former Notre Dame and LSU coach, recently interviewed for Maryland’s head coaching job and is viewed as a top candidate.
• Maryland opened a national search after parting ways with Mike Locksley and has not announced a hire while Aazaar Abdul‑Rahim remains the interim coach with the team 1-1 under his leadership.
• Kelly’s résumé includes 12 seasons at Notre Dame and a later stint at LSU, and he has spent 2026 working as a CBS Sports analyst while publicly saying he wants a return to coaching.
• Reported contract and buyout figures—about $9–10 million tied to Locksley’s exit and a reported roughly $54 million figure linked to Kelly’s LSU departure—are likely to shape negotiations and timing.
• Maryland’s appeal in the Big Ten and the DMV recruiting base are central to the search, but the program faces short-term risks to roster stability and recruiting while the decision is pending.