Maryland football expected to hire former NFL assistant Pep Hamilton as offensive coordinator

Ahmed Ghafir
Jan 31
2 min read

Head coach Mike Locksley is inching closer toward officially filling one of its staff vacancies as veteran NFL coach Pep Hamilton is expected to be named Maryland football’s offensive coordinator. Ian Rapaport of NFL Network first reported the signing of the program's new offensive coordinator.

Hamilton replaces Josh Gattis, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the month after parting ways with head coach Mike Locksley following the 2024 season.

Hamilton was also among the candidates who drew an interview from the New England Patriots, three days before Locksley interviewed for the New York Jets head coaching vacancy.

Hamilton began his coaching career after playing at Howard when he became the Bison’s quarterback coach then offensive coordinator before moving onto the NFL in 2003. Hamilton has not coached since 2022 when he served as the Houston Texans’ offensive coordinator while he previously had stints with the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets.

But the longtime NFL assistant is also plenty familiar with Maryland after he's been spotted at practices at times during both the 2023 and 2024 season while sources told IBG that Hamilton filled in as a "special advisor" for Locksley during the 2024 season.

While he also served as the head coach and general manager of the DC Defenders in 2020, this also marks a homecoming for Hamilton after previously emerging as a head coaching candidate for the program following Randy Edsall’s dismissal. This also marks Hamilton’s first offensive coordinator role at the college level since 2012 in his second season as Stanford’s play-caller where he coached QB Andrew Luck, TE Zach Ertz and TE Coby Fleener among others.

Hamilton’s son, Manvel (Tx.) QB Jackson Hamilton, also arrived on campus the weekend of Jan. 17 as one of two incoming quarterbacks alongside Spalding (Md.) four-star Malik Washington.

With the key offensive staff vacancy filled, Maryland will look to rebuild its identity heading into 2025 with UCLA QB Justyn Martin likely leading a unit that returns RB Nolan Ray, WR Octavian Smith and in addition to transfer wide receivers Jalil Farooq and Kaleb Webb, offensive linemen Jayvin James and Rahtrel Perry along with Martin.

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