The offseason entails a lot of good to give CFB fans their fix while Saturdays aren’t the same. Whatever your opinions on its introduction to the sport, the transfer portal has at least helped fill the air. It presents programs with a chance to be proactive in correcting their wrongs. Conversely, the programs on the other end of these transactions sure feel some type of way. Mike Locksley and his Maryland Terrapins have giveth loads to the portal, but not taketh reciprocally.

The Maryland Terps- forever the bridesmaid, never quite the bride. Barring some sparse moments of prominence, the program has historically been ancillary to their B1G contemporaries. They are often an afterthought in the conference. Under Mike Locksley’s custodianship, things have largely remained the same. In his 7 seasons, they’ve finished with a record above .500 thrice. That was consecutive years between ‘21 and ‘24. However, this uptrending trajectory plummeted with a 4-8 record last season. It feels like a juncture where something’s got to give beckons.

Rightfully or not, the buck always stops at the doorstep of the head coach. A couple of revered College Football voices have passed their judgment on Locksley’s future in College Park. It doesn’t help that he’s got 21 players transferring out. This was largely instigated by QB1 Billy Edwards Jr. hitting the portal. When it rains, it pours. That cliche is transpiring into a resounding reality for Mike Locksley. The warmth of the seat he occupies was mulled over by On3’s Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman.

Over the On3 YouTube channel, Andy and Ari relayed their thoughts live from the Senior Bowl. Stood on the gridiron at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, the discussion entailed a straightforward yet indicting question- Which head coaches are on the hot seat heading into next season? Unfortunately for him, Mike Locksley took precedence as the first one. “If Locksley has a good year this year, he’s fine,” prefaced Andy Staples. This is largely owing to the historic patience Maryland has shown with him through 7 seasons. However, he did bring forth a stipulation in his contract which alleviated Locksley’s duress this time one year ago. But makes his contract a bit of a ticking time bomb. 

Andy Staples stated “The way that Locksley’s contract works is…in 2022 if he won more than 7 games, it would roll over. He’d get an extra year on [the contract]. So in 2023, they go 8-4. He gets signed. That pushes his contract to 2028.” That’s the positive bit. The negative is as follows. “They went 4-8 last year. So now, [Mike Locksley’s contract] has about a $12 million buyout. Things don’t go well this year…they’re a big 10 school…they can afford that. So Mike Locksley, you gotta win,” he remarked.

Stood so precariously, Locksley needs to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Given the circumstances around the transfer portal, things do not bode well right now. Following Andy’s judgment, his partner Ari addressed the elephant in the room. Which has haunted Maryland fans for years, well preceding Locksley even.

The Maryland Terrapins’ issues run deeper than just Mike Locksley

Some schools just look slightly out of place relative to their conference. Post realignment, it’s become even more apparent. Oregon and USC being in the same conference as Rutgers is outright weird, but that’s a whole different can of worms. Teams that have been in conferences historically can also stand out. Vanderbilt, for instance, just never sits with the image that the SEC projects. Begrudgingly, Maryland are perhaps from the same ilk. Just perpetually meandering in a Power conference without threatening to break through the proverbial glass ceiling.

“In terms of perceived superpowers, I think in theory, Maryland could be awesome, right?” asked Ari Wasserman rhetorically. “They had like a 4-year run where they got a 5-star to flip on Signing Day…The problem with Maryland has been that they’ve been unable to retain those players.”

Something that’s happened once again this off-season. He also concurred with something the fans have been preaching. “I’ve always thought that they should be at least better than [they’ve been].” This is owing to the NIL opportunities for the Terps.

In summation, Andy Staples laid out the exact map of Mike Locksley’s future traversal. “The sales pitch from Locksley when he got the job was he will get the good players from this area to stay here and play here. It’s not going to be a superpower. Every once in a while, some of these 5-stars will gel together and you will have a special season,” he said. “I think he probably is going to have to have another 7 [or] 8 win season to make this thing work…I don’t think it has to be perfect.”

If that benchmark indeed holds true, Locksley will do well to reach it given the adversity he’s facing in terms of personnel as part of perhaps the strongest conference in the country. That $12 million buyout won’t look too gaudy come the end of the year when that sweet B1G TV broadcast money comes through each year.