Maryland football head coach Mike Locksley is shaking things up with his defense. According to ESPN’s Chris Low, Maryland is finalizing a deal to hire longtime SEC coach Kevin Steele as their defensive coordinator.
Steele, 63, has an extensive coaching background that started in 1980 at Tennessee as a grad assistant after playing two seasons for the Volunteers. He is most notable for being the head coach of Baylor from 1999-2002 and later serving as defensive coordinator at Alabama, Clemson, LSU, and most recently Auburn from 2016-2020.
Steele was reportedly considered to replace Gus Malzahn as Auburn head coach in 2020. However, Auburn ultimately hired Bryan Harsin for head coach.
Under Steele Auburn ranked as high as second in the SEC in yards allowed per play and no lower than sixth. At Clemson he had a defense that ranked third (2009) and second (2010) in the ACC in total yards allowed per game.
However, he was fired following the 2010 season by Dabo Swinney after Clemson’s defense had a down year highlighted by giving up 70 points to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl.
He was Alabama’s defensive coordinator in Nick Saban’s first two years with the Crimson Tide. Alabama ranked first in total defense in the SEC in 2008. That season Steele was co-defensive coordinator with Kirby Smart.
Steele will replace Brian Stewart at Maryland. Stewart will be demoted and remain on the Terrapins’ staff. Stewart returned to Maryland in 2021 as defensive coordinator — his second stint in the position at the school. He previously held the position from 2012 until 2014.
Last season Maryland’s defense allowed 401.8 yards per game — 12th out of 14 teams in the Big Ten Conference. They were also 12th in yards allowed per play in the conference. Nationally, the Terps defense was 83rd in yards allowed per game and 77th in yards allowed per play.
Maryland was 7-6 in 2021. The seven wins were the program’s most since 2014. Their success was tied an explosive offense. However it was in spite of the team’s defense. Hopefully, the addition of Steele allows the defense to catch up with the offense in stature.
