Maryland football announces staff change on defense

3 hours ago

1 min read

Maryland football has announced a staff change fresh off its latest loss and ahead of the bye week.

Defensive coordinator Ted Monachino has been relieved of duties, the team announced on Sunday.

“I appreciate Ted’s hard work and dedication to our program during his time in College Park,” Locksley said via release. “As I evaluate our program, I believe this change is necessary. We wish Ted all the best moving forward.”

Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will now shed the 'co' tag and assume duties as defensive coordinator for the remainder of the season, while Zac Spavital will now add the co-defensive coordinator title to his inside linebacker duties.

The news comes as Maryland's defense has proven to be among the worst in the country. The 33.3 points allowed per game ranks last in the Big Ten, while Maryland has allowed over 366 yards of offense per game in 2026. Through the four conference games, Maryland ranks 17th in the conference with 453.3 yards allowed per game.

The news also comes as the only expected staff news immediately after the 37-30 loss vs. Rutgers, marking the fifth consecutive loss in the 2026 regular season.

Related Links