Maryland AD Jim Smith on retaining Locksley, Buzz Williams media availability

Ahmed Ghafir
10 hours ago
2 min read

Athletic director Jim Smith confirmed what was quietly the expectation ahead of Maryland football's 2025 season - a coaching change was never considered.

"I was always bringing him back," Smith told Michael Howes of the Baltimore Sun.

Maryland finished with consecutive four-win seasons in what proved to be a deflating year, but it was a different picture in 2025 than the season prior. The 2024 season was highlighted by multiple veterans leading the way as the program produced six selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, making a four-win season a stark disappointment for a program coming off three consecutive bowl appearances. The 2025 season was highlighted by the wave of freshmen, including quarterback Malik Washington and edge rushers Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis, paired with multiple portal additions with multiple years of eligibility. Retaining them would be the difference to start the offseason, but head coach Mike Locksley did exactly that as Maryland now enters the 2026 season returning the second-most production among FBS teams.

Yet Smith did say that a report from known troll account, @RobReinhart on Twitter/X, influenced his decision in how to announce that Locksley was already set to return in 2026. Roughly two weeks later, Smith penned a letter to the fanbase finalizing Locksley's return while noting the financial commitment to the program ahead of a pivotal offseason.

“You can’t let that take a life of its own to the end of a season when we had no intention of making a change,” he told Howes.

Maryland added a handful of pieces through the transfer portal to round out the roster, including a pair of wide receivers with high expectations in Na'eem Gladding and Chris Durr Jr along with four interior linemen to pair with Eyan Thomas and Bryce Jenkins. All eyes will be on how it materializes into improved on-court results this fall, but Smith also pointed to Locksley's relationship with the locker room.

“No one sees the relationship between him and the players,” Smith said.

Smith also touched on men's basketball coach Buzz Williams, who drew criticism through the second half of the 2025-26 season for limited media availabilities despite pushing back on that in his non-postgame press conference in two months. That's expected to change in year two.

“It has to be different for this upcoming year,” he said. “I think Coach understands that, and is going to.”

Of course, all eyes will be on the on-court results after turning the page from the worst season in program history following a 12-21 (4-16) finish in 2025-26.

“All coaches are unique in their own way and have their own style … Everybody learns the environment they’re in, and then it brings their style to that environment,” Smith said. “It’s about being in the job a second year and not and having a much better grasp on the roster that he has.”

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