Maryland’s decision to part ways with Mike Locksley was expected to open a new chapter for the football program. Instead, news that Brian Kelly has interviewed for the vacant head coaching position has added another point of debate for a fan base already frustrated by the Terrapins’ recent results and uncertain about the program’s direction.
Maryland began the season 2-5 and suffered a homecoming loss to Rutgers. Locksley was dismissed after the Terrapins lost their 12th consecutive Big Ten game, bringing an eight-year tenure to an end. Fans may have welcomed the decision to make a change, but Kelly’s potential candidacy has not generated the enthusiasm the program may have hoped for.
Kelly, who has coached at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, and LSU, has a career record of 297-109-2. He was fired by LSU midway through the 2025 season and has been away from coaching since then. He has said he would consider returning to college football if the opportunity and the fit were right.
“I’ve got 35 years of head coaching experience. I’ve had success in building programs,” Kelly said on College Sports Radio on SiriusXM. “This is not a mini commercial for Brian Kelly. This is just giving you an understanding of what it’s been like. I want to listen to opportunities if they’re available and if the fit is right. Certainly, from my perspective, I would love to be able to be a head football coach again. And now it’s just a matter of whether there’s a right fit out there for me.”
Kelly has also previously described the possibility of coaching Florida State as “an honor.” His reported interview with Maryland suggests he is exploring another opportunity to lead a program, but the possibility has drawn a sharp response from some Terrapins supporters.
One fan argued that Maryland should consider candidates such as Charles Huff or Kane Womack instead, warning that choosing Kelly could lead supporters to withdraw their name, image, and likeness (NIL) backing. Another wrote, “We’re good; we don’t want him.” Other comments included, “Would be the end of my Terrapin Club support,” and, “I didn’t know they had fired Buzz yet.”
A key concern for some fans is the death of Notre Dame student videographer Declan Sullivan in 2010, when Kelly was the Fighting Irish’s head coach. Sullivan, 20, was filming an outdoor practice from an elevated hydraulic lift during exceptionally windy conditions. Wind gusts reportedly exceeded 50 mph, and the lift collapsed. Sullivan died in the accident. The tragedy raised serious questions about the decision to hold practice in those conditions and the safety procedures surrounding the filming.
Maryland also has a deeply painful history involving player safety. In 2018, offensive lineman Jordan McNair suffered exertional heat stroke during a football workout. He died about two weeks later, at age 19. His death prompted extensive scrutiny of the program’s medical response and its practices for protecting players.
The two incidents are distinct, but their connection to the coaching discussion helps explain why Kelly’s name has prompted such a strong reaction among some Maryland fans. One commenter referred to Sullivan’s death while expressing concern for the university’s film department, writing, “Praying for the kids in the Maryland film department.”
Maryland hired Locksley in part because of his close ties to the football community and the hope that he could help rebuild trust after McNair’s death. His departure now leaves the university with a difficult task: selecting a coach who can improve the team while also addressing the concerns and expectations surrounding the program.
The next head coach will inherit more than a struggling roster. Maryland has lost ground in the Big Ten, and supporters are looking for evidence that the program can regain stability and compete consistently. The university will also need to demonstrate that player well-being and the lessons of the past remain central to its decisions.
Kelly’s experience and record may make him an appealing candidate from a football standpoint, but the response from fans shows that the search involves more than wins and losses. Whether Maryland pursues Kelly or another candidate, the administration’s choice will shape the program’s future and influence whether a disillusioned fan base is willing to support its next chapter.
