Maryland Fires Defensive Coordinator After Fifth Straight Loss
37 sourcesUpdated Oct 19, 20261 min read
Maryland fired defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino after the Terrapins’ 37-30 loss to Rutgers, their fifth consecutive defeat. The defense has struggled throughout the season, ranking near the bottom nationally in points allowed, and gave up 24 unanswered points in the second half against Rutgers. Co-defensive coordinator Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will lead the defense, with inside linebackers coach Zac Spavital serving as co-defensive coordinator. The move leaves head coach Mike Locksley’s future unresolved as Maryland enters its bye week; Locksley is 39-54 at the school.
Where do you stand?
What each side asserts, disputes — or leaves out entirely.
Whose framing of this story rings truest to you?
Putting Abdul-Rahim and Spavital in charge is a decent interim move but they need results fast to steady things.
Locksley might be safe for now but keeping him while the losses pile up risks the whole season falling apart.
Firing Monachino after five straight losses seems overdue given how the defense collapsed again against Rutgers.
