Jon Gruden pitched for Maryland job as Terrapins begin search after Locksley exit

Maryland is looking for a new football coach, and at least one columnist thinks the Terrapins should call Jon Gruden. Nobody is reporting that the two sides have talked. The school and Mike Locksley agreed to part ways on Oct. 21, according to University of Maryland Athletics. Athletic director Jim Smith promised a national search, and he said he and university president Darryll J. Pines are "fully aligned" on giving the program the money and resources it needs to win.

The Gruden idea comes from Gary Adornato at Sportsnaut, who says up front that there is no credible reporting of interest on either side. His argument is that a conventional hire would not change how people see Maryland, and Gruden would. The former Tampa Bay and Raiders coach would bring instant national attention, a pitch built on his NFL résumé for recruits in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, and a personality that could bring in donors at a time when roster costs keep climbing.

The drawbacks are just as plain. Gruden resigned from the Raiders in October 2021 after emails surfaced containing racist, misogynistic and homophobic language. He later apologized and went to court over how the emails came out. He has never been a college head coach, so he has never dealt with the transfer portal, NIL deals or university administrators. He is 63, his Super Bowl XXXVII title is more than two decades old, and any school would need to vet him thoroughly. His NFL record across 15 seasons is 117-112 in the regular season, with five division titles.

Whoever gets the job will start from a low point. Sportsnaut puts Locksley's record at 39-54 overall and 16-47 in Big Ten play. His best stretch was three straight bowl wins from 2021 through 2023. This season fell apart quickly.

What it means for Illinois

Maryland's next game is at home against Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 31, on FS1. It will be the first game since the coaching change. The Terrapins are 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the Big Ten, and they have lost five straight. They opened with a 62-0 win over Hampton and a 38-14 win at UConn. Then Virginia Tech won 35-26 in College Park, and the conference schedule went badly.

The defense is the main problem. Maryland has allowed 54 points to UCLA, 48 at Nebraska, 45 at No. 5 Ohio State and 37 to Rutgers. That works out to almost 44 points a game across the losing streak. The offense has scored 19.6 points a game in those five losses, and that average includes three points against UCLA. The Rutgers game was the closest of the four Big Ten losses. Maryland scored 30 and lost by a touchdown, a sign that the offense can keep up when the game stays manageable.

Against Illinois, the team will mostly be judged on whether it can slow the opponent down and give the next coach something to build on. Over a full season, Maryland has been outscored 233-198, and the conference games account for nearly all of that gap. The search will go on whatever happens Saturday. Still, a home win would give a frustrated fan base its first good news in more than a month.

For schedules, results and coverage, see our Maryland team page.