# College Football Head Coach Fired: 5 Potential Replacements

> Mike Locksley fired from Maryland as Big Ten program seeks new coach.
- Title: College Football Head Coach Fired: 5 Potential Replacements
- Summary: Mike Locksley fired from Maryland as Big Ten program seeks new coach. Mike Locksley was fired by Maryland after the Big Ten program elected to 'part ways'…
- Keywords: mike locksley, maryland, big ten, college football, brian kelly, charles huff, lance taylor, dan mullen, brian hartline, sports, College, Football
- Source: CFB-HQ On SI — https://si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/picks/college-football-mike-locksley-fired-replacements
- Published: 2026-10-21T17:13:16+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: mike locksley, maryland, big ten, college football, brian kelly, charles huff, lance taylor, dan mullen, brian hartline, sports
## Mike Locksley fired
By this time last season, seven FBS college football head coaches were unemployed. By this time this year, it’s just one.
## First domino falls
The first domino has officially fallen, and likely more are to come as schools compare win columns with financial statements.
## Brian Kelly
Any coach with 200 wins at Notre Dame and LSU is worth considering, regardless of how it ended with the Tigers.
## Kelly's financial incentive
LSU owes Kelly a $54 million buyout, so any salary he accepts from Maryland reduces the amount LSU has to pay him.
## Charles Huff
Huff has head coaching stops at Marshall, Southern Miss, and Memphis, with Memphis at 5-2.
## Huff's potential promotion
Memphis is one of the premier rushing teams in college football, within striking distance near the top of the American Conference.
## Lance Taylor
Taylor has coached Western Michigan to a 10-4 record after rebounding from 4-8 in 2023.
## Taylor's NFL experience
Taylor has NFL experience and stints at Notre Dame and Stanford, with expertise building productive offenses.
## Dan Mullen
Mullen has a 117-68 overall record in FBS, won 10 games in three seasons, and finished in the AP top 15 five times.
## Brian Hartline
Hartline recruited Jeremiah Smith to Ohio State and has a pile of NFL receivers from his alma mater.
## Hartline's next step
Hartline is 39 and has been head coach at USF (5-2) for just this season, aiming to replace Ryan Day at Ohio State.
## Key takeaway

Mike Locksley was fired by Maryland after the Big Ten program elected to 'part ways' with him, with five potential replacements emerging for the Terrapins' sideline.