USA TODAY says Maryland owes Mike Locksley about $9.7 million. ESPN printed $9.75 million. On3 printed $9.94 million.

Maryland and Mike Locksley parted ways on Oct. 21, 2026. Maryland Athletics calls it a mutual decision to part ways. USA TODAY and ESPN report it as a firing. The buyout figures published that day do not match.

USA TODAY, from a copy of the contract, reported that Maryland owes Locksley approximately $9.7 million as of Oct. 21. The school owes 65% of the remaining balance. The contract expires Dec. 31, 2028 (USA TODAY, Jordan Mendoza and John Brice, updated Oct. 21, 2026, 3:29 p.m. ET). This page shows about $9.7 million. That figure is the one on the Mike Locksley paid-buyout page.

ESPN reported a buyout of $9.75 million, sources told Pete Thamel. The story says there is no offset or mitigation, so Maryland pays the full amount even if Locksley lands another job (ESPN, Eli Lederman, Oct. 21, 2026).

On3's Pete Nakos reported that Maryland owes Locksley $9.94 million. The story says he is owed 65% of his total remaining compensation. Half of that buyout, $4.97 million, is due in a lump sum within 60 days, and the remainder is paid in equal installments through the end of the contract in 2028. On3 also reports no mitigation or offset (On3, Oct. 21, 2026).

USA TODAY's approximately $9.7 million, ESPN's $9.75 million, and On3's $9.94 million were all published on Oct. 21. None of those stories explains the difference. This page leaves the three figures side by side and shows USA TODAY's about $9.7 million.

By the numbers

• About $9.7 million: what USA TODAY says Maryland owes Locksley as of Oct. 21, from a copy of the contract, at 65% of the remaining balance (USA TODAY)
• $9.75 million: what ESPN says he is owed, sources told Pete Thamel, with no offset or mitigation (ESPN)
• $9.94 million: what On3's Pete Nakos says Maryland owes, including a $4.97 million lump sum within 60 days (On3)
• Approximately $9.95 million: what the Washington Times reported on Sep. 24, 2026, before the parting (Washington Times)
• $18,659,414: FY2025 allocated subsidy on the health page, including $12,230,926 in student fees (Knight-Newhouse)
• $35,502,618: football spending in FY2025 (EADA)
• B: Maryland's financial health grade

What the school announced

Maryland Athletics posted the change at 11:45 a.m. on Oct. 21. The release says that in a mutual decision, Michael Locksley is stepping down as head football coach, effective immediately. The headline reads "Maryland Athletics, Michael Locksley Mutually Agree To Part Ways." He was in his eighth season and posted a 39-54 record. Aazaar Abdul-Rahim is interim head coach. A national search begins immediately. The release does not print a buyout (Maryland Athletics).

USA TODAY reports the move as a firing. It says the last game was a 37-30 loss to Rutgers on Oct. 17, which left Maryland 2-5 and 0-4 in the Big Ten (USA TODAY). ESPN also reports the move as a firing, after a 12th consecutive Big Ten defeat, with the Terrapins at 2-5 (ESPN).

The school release says Abdul-Rahim has served as co-defensive coordinator, associate head coach of the defense, and cornerbacks coach since 2024, in his third season of a second stint. ESPN reports that he was recently promoted to defensive coordinator. His pay is not public, and there is no public buyout figure for the interim head coach. The Maryland buyout page now covers him and shows no dollar until one is published.

The September figure is not this bill

On Sep. 24, 2026, the Washington Times, reviewing Locksley's contract through the Maryland Public Information Act, reported that termination during the 2026 season would owe about 65% of remaining compensation, approximately $9.95 million, with half due within 60 days (Washington Times). That report came before the Oct. 21 parting. The amount on the paid-buyout page is USA TODAY's about $9.7 million.

USA TODAY says his 2026 compensation was $6.4 million, split into $600,000 in base pay and $5.8 million in supplemental compensation, with $6.7 million due in 2027 and $7 million in 2028. ESPN also reports $6.4 million for the eighth season. That was his pay for the season he started. It is not Abdul-Rahim's pay, and it is not the buyout.

ESPN and On3 both report that the buyout has no offset or mitigation. When a contract says a new job shrinks the old school's bill, that clause is tracked on coach free agency. Locksley is off the hot-seat list. That list is coaches still in the job. Money already owed after a coaching change is on paid buyouts. This season's departures are on firings and buyouts.

Where the bill sits in the department

The buyout is one check against a department that already publishes a full year of filings. Those filings are FY2025, the year before this parting.

Maryland athletics reported $128,662,116 in revenue and $128,662,116 in expenses (EADA, unitid 163286). The federal report prints the same dollar on both lines.

That same year, student fees allocated to athletics were $12,230,926, and institutional and government support was $6,428,488 (Knight-Newhouse). Government support is not split out of that second line. The health page adds the two lines to $18,659,414 and labels the sum calculated.

Football brought in $63,070,858 (EADA, men's football team revenues). Football spending was $35,502,618 (EADA, football expenses). Both figures are on the Maryland money page.

The financial health grade is a B.

Maryland has not published a revenue-share total, so the NIL and player-pay page leaves it blank.

More on this site: the dollar on the Mike Locksley paid-buyout page, the rest of paid buyouts, Abdul-Rahim, with no public buyout figure, on the Maryland buyout page, this season's departures on firings and buyouts, coaches still in the job on the hot seat, offset clauses on coach free agency, the department on the Maryland school page, what NC State owes Dave Doeren, and what Baylor owes Dave Aranda.

Takeaway: Maryland Athletics said on Oct. 21, 2026 that Michael Locksley and the school mutually agreed to part ways. USA TODAY and ESPN report the move as a firing. Aazaar Abdul-Rahim is interim head coach. USA TODAY says Maryland owes Locksley approximately $9.7 million. ESPN printed $9.75 million. On3 printed $9.94 million. None of those stories explains the difference. This page shows about $9.7 million. The Washington Times figure of approximately $9.95 million, published Sep. 24, was the report from before the parting. In FY2025 the allocated subsidy was $18,659,414, including $12,230,926 in student fees, football spending was $35,502,618, and the financial health grade was a B.

Sources

1. Maryland Athletics, 'Maryland Athletics, Michael Locksley Mutually Agree To Part Ways,' Oct. 21, 2026, 11:45 a.m.
2. USA TODAY (Jordan Mendoza and John Brice), 'Maryland fires Mike Locksley in first coaching departure of 2026 season,' updated Oct. 21, 2026, 3:29 p.m. ET
3. ESPN (Eli Lederman), 'Maryland fires coach Mike Locksley amid 12-game Big Ten skid,' Oct. 21, 2026, 11:26 a.m. ET
4. On3 (Pete Nakos), 'Mike Locksley buyout: Details of Maryland head coach's contract,' Oct. 21, 2026
5. Washington Times (Sep. 24, 2026), review of Mike Locksley's contract via the Maryland Public Information Act
6. U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act data, 2024-25 (FY2025): GRND_TOTAL_REVENUE and GRND_TOTAL_EXPENSE for the University of Maryland-College Park, unitid 163286
7. EADA 2024-25, men's football team revenues (REV_MEN_Football) and football expenses (TOTAL_EXPENSE_ALL_Football), FY2025
8. Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database, University of Maryland-College Park, FY2025 NCAA MFRS student fees (line 3) and institutional/government support (lines 2+4+6+6A)