Mike Locksley earns $6.4 million in 2026 at Maryland, and the school would owe him about $9.2 million if it fires him this calendar year, according to USA Today. His contract pays 65 percent of what remains if he is let go without cause. The question sharpened on Sept. 26, 2026, when Maryland lost 54 to 3 to unranked UCLA, leaving Locksley 38 and 46 in Maryland after back to back 4 and 8 seasons.
| Salary | $6.4 million in 2026, $6.7 million in 2027, $7 million in 2028 |
| If Maryland fires him | 65 percent of his remaining guaranteed pay, about $9.2 million if done in 2026 |
| Why it runs through 2028 | His 2023 extension added years automatically after seven win seasons; 2026 was originally set to be the last year |
| Last year | Maryland would have owed about $13 million in 2025 and kept him, promising more NIL money for 2026 |
| Record | 38 and 46 at Maryland, with three straight winning seasons from 2021 to 2023 |
Figures are from USA Today’s salary database as reported by Fox Sports and the Associated Press. More on college football coach buyouts.
The Bottom Line
Mike Locksley makes $6.4 million in 2026, and Maryland would owe him about $9.2 million to fire him this year, one of the smaller buyouts in the Big Ten. Follow the Terrapins on the Maryland football schedule and Maryland score today.