Maryland football coach Mike Locksley fired defensive coordinator Ted Monachino on Sunday, October 18, following a five-game losing streak that has left the Terrapins struggling in the Big Ten. The decision came one day after Maryland lost 37-30 to Rutgers at SECU Stadium in College Park, dropping its record to 2-5.
Monachino, who also coached outside linebackers, was in his second season with the program. Maryland announced that Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will serve as defensive coordinator for the remainder of the season, with inside linebackers coach Zac Spavital taking over as co-defensive coordinator.
The coaching change follows a difficult stretch in which Maryland has surrendered 219 points across five consecutive defeats. The Terrapins have allowed at least 35 points in every loss, raising serious concerns about their ability to compete against Big Ten opponents.
Locksley announced the dismissal through the university's athletic department, thanking Monachino for his contributions while explaining why he believed a change was needed.
"I appreciate Ted's hard work and dedication to our program during his time in College Park," Locksley said. "As I evaluate our program, I believe this change is necessary. We wish Ted all the best moving forward."
The university did not announce any additional coaching departures. Locksley remains Maryland's head coach, although the team's disappointing results have increased scrutiny of his leadership.
Rutgers Defeat Exposes Maryland's Defensive Problems
Saturday's loss to Rutgers provided another example of Maryland's inability to protect a lead and finish games. The Terrapins entered halftime ahead 23-13 but were outscored 24-7 in the second half.
Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Scarlet Knights secure their first Big Ten victory of the season. Wide receiver KJ Duff contributed 113 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Running back Clay Thevenin added 109 rushing yards and two total touchdowns. Maryland struggled to contain the Rutgers offense as the visitors erased a 10-point halftime deficit.
The outcome continued a troubling pattern for the Terrapins. Maryland has been outscored 92-13 in the second half of its first four conference games, making its inability to maintain momentum a major problem.
Freshman quarterback Malik Washington helped Maryland establish an early advantage against Rutgers. However, the offense struggled to sustain drives in the second half, leaving the defense facing additional pressure.
Maryland mounted a late comeback attempt, but a potential game-tying touchdown was ruled incomplete because the receiver landed out of bounds. Rutgers held on for the seven-point victory.
The loss extended Maryland's Big Ten losing streak to 12 games. It also meant the Terrapins had gone nearly two years without winning a conference game at home.
Defense Has Allowed 219 Points in Five Losses
Maryland began the 2026 season with victories over Hampton and Connecticut. The Terrapins defeated Hampton 62-0 in their opener before beating UConn 38-14 on September 12.
The season changed dramatically when conference competition approached. Maryland lost 35-26 to Virginia Tech on September 19 before suffering a 54-3 defeat against UCLA the following week.
The defense continued to struggle during October road games. Nebraska defeated Maryland 48-23 on October 3, and Ohio State followed with a 45-16 victory on October 10.
The Rutgers loss brought Maryland's five-game total to 219 points allowed, an average of 43.8 per game. Across all seven games, opponents have scored 233 points against the Terrapins.
Those results represent a sharp decline from the defensive production Maryland achieved during Monachino's first season. In 2025, the Terrapins ranked among the nation's strongest teams at creating turnovers.
Maryland finished that season with 19 interceptions, the fourth-highest total nationally, and ranked second in the Big Ten with 21 takeaways. The defense also scored four touchdowns, placing third nationally in that category.
Monachino's dismissal reflects the contrast between those earlier accomplishments and the team's current difficulties. The Terrapins have struggled to prevent explosive plays, contain opposing rushing attacks and produce consistent defensive stops.
Monachino Brought Extensive NFL Experience
Maryland hired Monachino in March 2025 after he spent two seasons at the University of North Carolina. He worked as a defensive analyst in 2023 before becoming the Tar Heels' defensive line coach in 2024.
His appointment was part of Locksley's effort to strengthen Maryland's coaching staff with experienced professional football assistants. Monachino arrived with more than three decades of coaching experience, including 16 seasons in the NFL.
He previously served as defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Earlier in his career, he coached linebackers for the Baltimore Ravens and was part of the organization when it won Super Bowl XLVII.
Monachino also held positions with the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons. His work included coaching prominent defensive players such as Khalil Mack, Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil and C.J. Mosley.
Maryland initially presented his professional experience as an important asset for developing its defensive personnel. His first season produced several successful individual performances and recognition for the team's younger defenders.
Those achievements were not enough to overcome the results of the 2026 season. Sunday's announcement ended his tenure after seven games of his second year with the program.
Abdul-Rahim Takes Control of the Defense
Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will now lead Maryland's defense through the remainder of the season. He previously served as co-defensive coordinator and associate head coach for defense while also working with the team's cornerbacks.
Abdul-Rahim's promotion allows Maryland to make an immediate change without bringing in an outside coach during the regular season. His familiarity with the players and defensive system should help the staff manage the transition.
Spavital will support him as co-defensive coordinator while continuing his responsibilities with the inside linebackers. Their first challenge will be preparing the defense for Illinois after Maryland's scheduled bye week.
The university has not announced whether the new arrangement will continue beyond the 2026 season. Both coaches will have an opportunity to demonstrate whether different leadership can improve the team's defensive results.
Maryland's remaining schedule presents several difficult assignments. After Illinois, the Terrapins travel to Purdue on November 7 before hosting Wisconsin on November 14.
They will then visit USC on November 21 and close the regular season against Penn State in College Park on November 28. Maryland must win its final five games to become eligible for a bowl game.
Locksley Faces Increasing Pressure
Monachino's departure comes during another difficult season for Locksley, who returned to Maryland as head coach ahead of the 2019 season. He previously served on the university's coaching staff and briefly held the interim head coaching position in 2015.
Under Locksley, Maryland achieved three consecutive bowl victories from the 2021 through 2023 seasons. Those accomplishments helped establish expectations that the program could become more competitive within the Big Ten.
However, Maryland has struggled to sustain that progress since 2024. Repeated conference losses and defensive problems have increased questions about the program's direction.
The decision to fire Monachino demonstrates that Locksley is willing to make changes during the season. It does not establish that the university has decided to replace its head coach, and Maryland has made no such announcement.
The Terrapins have an open date on October 24, giving Abdul-Rahim and the defensive staff additional time to prepare. Maryland will return to action against Illinois on October 31 at SECU Stadium.
That game will provide the first opportunity to evaluate the new defensive leadership. With five regular-season games remaining, Maryland must reverse its losing streak while showing improvement against conference opponents.