Maryland football assistant departs for NFL job

Ahmed Ghafir
3 minutes ago
1 min read

One week after announcing a finalized coaching staff for the 2026 season, head coach Mike Locksley will have another vacancy to now fill with one assistant off to the NFL.

Source confirmed that Chili Davis, who was announced as the team’s new special teams coordinator, is expected to head to the NFL where he will take on an assistant special teams coordinator role with the Minnesota Vikings.

Davis initially joined the program as assistant special teams coordinator ahead of the 2025 season season as the new assistant special teams coordinator under Andre Powell before Powell replaced Louis Swaba as the running backs coach with Davis promoted to a coordinator role.

Davis also previously spent time in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in the same capacity while he had stints at Kansas State, Florida A&M, Washington, New Mexico State, Fordham and Campbell.

While Davis now adds to a strong coaching staff under head coach Kevin O’Connell, it marks a notable departure for Maryland after putting a premium on improving special teams in each of the last two seasons. Maryland has one return for a touchdown during the seven seasons under head coach Mike Locksley when Braeden Wisloski, who eventually transferred to James Madison, notched a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to beat Virginia in 2023. Maryland returns a pair of impact specialists in Sean O’Haire and Bryce McFerson, giving the next special teams coordinator a strong room to inherit.

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