Maryland football targeting former SEC head coach on defensive staff

Ahmed Ghafir
8 minutes ago
1 min read

Head coach Mike Locksley enters a must-win season in his eight year with Maryland football, and he's looking to add a former SEC coordinator and head coach to his 2026 coaching staff this offseason.

FootballScoop reported on Wednesday night that former Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt is a target to fill a "key defensive role" on the 2026 staff. This would be Pruitt's first known coaching role since serving as a senior defensive assistant with the New York Giants back in 2021, though he most famously served as the head coach at the University of Tennessee for three seasons beginning in 2018 before being fired due to recruiting violations.

But there's also familiarity between Locksley and Pruitt given they overlapped for two years at Alabama where Locksley first served as an offensive assistant before being named co-offensive coordinator and wide receiver coach, while Pruitt served as the Crimson Tide's defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach.

Pruitt would add to a defensive staff that is expected to retain Ted Monachino and co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim in 2026. Prior to his stint with the Giants, Pruitt has served in a coordinator role ever since being named both coordinator and defensive backs coach at Florida State in 2013.

The lone addition to the coaching staff this offseason is Kyle Schmitt, who made the move from a four-time MIAA champion as head coach at Spalding to become the program's new tight end coach where he reunites with several players including star quarterback Malik Washington.

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