Mike Locksley said he is at peace with his dismissal as Maryland head coach and is now targeting opportunities in the NFL or as a college football coordinator.
Speaking to ESPN a day after the decision was announced Wednesday, the 56-year-old made clear he does not expect to lead another college program.
Locksley wants a position that offers a chance to compete for a championship without the demands of rebuilding a team from the ground up.
He finished his eight-season Maryland tenure with a 39-54 record, including a 10-21 mark since the start of the 2024 season.
Despite that record, Locksley believes the program is in better condition than when he arrived.
Locksley Reflects on Departure and Program Challenges
Locksley said he anticipated the possibility of being dismissed but did not know when it would happen.
He pointed to the program's stabilization and three bowl appearances during his tenure, while acknowledging that name, image and likeness compensation created additional challenges.
"To be honest I kind of knew it was coming, just didn't know when," Locksley said. "I'm not mad about leaving.
I'm not."
"I'm at peace with it because I know it's better than what it was when I got here," he added, referencing a player's death before his arrival and the program being "burnt to the ground."
Locksley said he met with Maryland athletic director Jim Smith on Sunday before clearing out his office Wednesday evening.
He described prioritizing the university and its players over his personal interests during discussions about his future.
"I said, 'Jim, I understand, and if you have to do what you need to do, I care more about Maryland and these kids than my ego,'" Locksley said.
"But what I won't do is resign."
Locksley identified assistant-coaching retention as a major weakness during his tenure.
He cited Scottie Montgomery, Jon Hoke and Dan Enos among the elite assistants he wanted to keep, pointing to financial limitations, uncertainty surrounding his future and negative attention as contributing factors.
"The hardest thing I dealt with here was not recruiting players -- it's being able to get the right coaches and assistants with me," Locksley said.
He explained that attracting players was not his biggest challenge; maintaining a strong coaching staff was more difficult as successful assistants left for other opportunities.
According to sources cited by ESPN's Pete Thamel, Locksley was scheduled to earn $6.4 million in his eighth season under a contract running through 2028.
He is also owed a $9.75 million buyout with no offset or mitigation provisions, meaning Maryland must pay the full amount even if he accepts another job.
Locksley said he would likely explore television commentary, potentially with the Big Ten Network, to gain experience and determine whether broadcasting suits him.
He also maintained that Maryland can win games but has struggled to sustain success over time.
"It's actually not hard to win at Maryland; it's hard to win consistently at Maryland," Locksley said.
