18 replies to this topic

[BSLZackKiesel]

Maryland is reportedly set to hire Aazaar Abdul-Rahim as their new co-defensive coordinator and associate head coach. He’ll likely replace Kevin Sumlin on the staff.

Abdul-Rahim is one of the DMV’s top recruiters, and was on DJ Durkin’s staff at Maryland from 2016-18.

EDIT: Sounds like Henry Baker is actually the one leaving the staff, which makes sense as Abdul-Rahim is a defensive backs coach.

[Mackus]

Very against bringing back anyone from that staff, they're all complicit, IMO.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Maryland finished the '23 season ranked 37th overall according to CBS... 

https://www.cbssport...cbs-sports-133/

[BSLZackKiesel]

IMS: Mike Locksley says Maryland football third-stringer demanded $100,000 NIL deal

https://247sports.co...-nfl-226888601/

 

"Your third-team tailback coming in and saying, ‘I need $100,000 or I'm going into the portal.’ And you're like, ‘Where does this magic $100,000 number come from?’ And it just, I mean, I sat in my office and every meeting I had was basically – and we're seven wins and going to a bowl and taking the next step – but everything coming in was like, ‘I want this. I want that.’ And the greatest team sport has now become kind of individualized."

[BSLChrisStoner]

I think the pivot for MD, should be trying to add big numbers in the portal each year via the FCS, AAC, CUSA, Mid-American, Mountain West, and the Sun Belt. 

 

Get the guys who want to move up a level in quality of play (to showcase their abilities vs. better talent); but aren't going to cost the most NIL wise. 

And HS recruiting wise, I think you've got to mainly go with developmental types you can spend time coaching / building up. Who add depth, but aren't going to immediately bolt.   If you get higher end talent in, they've got to play immediately. Get out of them what you can, expecting them to leave after a year or two.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I get the sense that $100k comment might have been a bit hyperbolic. But I’m sure it’s a challenge for a coach like him who’s fighting with one hand tied behind his back when it comes to NIL.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Defensive analyst NaVorro Bowman is reportedly being targeted by the Chargers to become their linebackers coach. 2023 was his first season on Locksley's staff.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Defensive analyst NaVorro Bowman is reportedly being targeted by the Chargers to become their linebackers coach. 2023 was his first season on Locksley's staff.

 

Played LB under Harbaugh at SF, so there's a connection.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Maryland announces that they'll hold their homecoming on October 19th, when the football team is set to play USC for the first time in program history.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Cornerbacks coach Henry Baker is leaving the program to become the cornerbacks coach at Marshall. This was expected after the addition of Abdul-Rahim to the staff.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Maryland's annual Red-White Spring Game will take place on April 27th.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Nothing has been officially announced yet, but it seems like wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Gunter Brewer is leaving the program to take an off-field role with Virginia Tech. Big loss for Maryland’s coaching staff.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Maryland reportedly set to hire James Madison’s Damian Wroblewski as their new offensive line coach. He served as the Dukes’ interim head coach in their bowl game this season and had initially been retained by the new coaching staff.

Hadn’t heard that Brian Braswell was moving on, but assume he’s set to depart the staff.

EDIT: Braswell will actually be retained, with Wroblewski taking a generic assistant coach role. Josh Gattis will serve as the offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach, and Mike Locksley will coach the quarterbacks.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Maryland reportedly set to hire James Madison’s Damian Wroblewski as their new offensive line coach. He served as the Dukes’ interim head coach in their bowl game this season and had initially been retained by the new coaching staff.

Hadn’t heard that Brian Braswell was moving on, but assume he’s set to depart the staff.

EDIT: Braswell will actually be retained, with Wroblewski taking a generic assistant coach role. Josh Gattis will serve as the offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach, and Mike Locksley will coach the quarterbacks.

Wroblewski’s official title will be Assistant Offensive Line Coach.

[BSLChrisStoner]

@ChuckDouglas_

Embarrassing for Terp Nation. Maryland is dead last in Football Revenue per Fan in the Big Ten. Lack of Game Day revenue + attendance is the ONLY thing holding this program back from being a perennial Top 25 program and CFB playoff contender. Do Better. These young men and Coach Locks deserve your support.

https://twitter.com/...887594842157347

[BSLMikeLowe]

I would not say attendance is the *only* thing holding the program back. There's only so long you can keep expecting people to show up to watch 50-point blowouts against Penn State or see the team sleepwalk against Purdue and Illinois.

[BSLZackKiesel]

I sure hope Chuck is contributing major NIL dollars, because he’s by far the most annoying booster on social media.

Attendance is far from the only thing holding this program back. It’ll always be more difficult to get folks out to Maryland games than many other programs because of the wealth of alternative options.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I was hoping the source of this story was The Onion, but it does in fact appear that MD has hired Brian Ferentz as an offensive analyst. If he's there strictly to work with OL/TE, then he could be a decent asset. If he's doing any offensive game-planning, then they need to take the Costanza Approach and do the exact opposite of what he advises.

 

https://247sports.co...role-231040492/

[BSLZackKiesel]

I was hoping the source of this story was The Onion, but it does in fact appear that MD has hired Brian Ferentz as an offensive analyst. If he's there strictly to work with OL/TE, then he could be a decent asset. If he's doing any offensive game-planning, then they need to take the Costanza Approach and do the exact opposite of what he advises.

https://247sports.co...role-231040492/

Definitely an odd move, but between Locksley, Gattis, and Sumlin I can’t imagine Ferentz will have a significant role in gameplanning. Locks’ staff building has been one of his stronger attributes as a head coach, so definitely willing to trust his judgment here.