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Maryland Football Coaching Staff
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Nov 16, 2024
College Park
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College Park
Mike Locksley
Head Coach
Michael Locksley returned home to become the University of Maryland’s 37th head football coach in December 2018. Locksley, a Washington, D.C. native with deep personal and professional connections to the area, brings over 20 years of coaching experience, including two separate stints at Maryland, totalling 10 years with the Terps.
The winner of the 2018 Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach, Locksley has spent the last three years working under Nick Saban at the University of Alabama. He served as the Crimson Tide’s co-offensive coordinator and won a national championship last season before being promoted to offensive coordinator in February of 2018 and helping Alabama return to the College Football Playoff.
Locksley, known for strong recruiting skills, was listed as a top-25 recruiter in the nation three different times (2003, 2005, 2006) and was a finalist for 2007 recruiter of the year by Rivals.com. He also engineered top-10 recruiting classes during each of his two seasons (2003-04) as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Florida.
Brian Williams
Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach
Brian Williams joined the Terps staff as the outside linebackers coach in February 2019. In February of 2020, Williams transitioned to defensive line coach. Williams came to College Park after three years at UAB and time at the University of Georgia and Florida State University.
Williams is regarded as one of the best recruiters in the nation, currently ranking as the No. 5 recruiter in the nation and No. 1 recruiter in the Big Ten, by 247Sports. Williams' immense impact on the recruiting trail has helped Maryland secure a top-25 class in the country in 2021 and be one of only 11 programs nationally that have signed a five star prospect in both 2020 and 2021 (Rakim Jarrett & Terrence Lewis), according to 247Sports.
Maryland's defensive line saw drastic improvement under Williams in 2020, led by All-Big Ten performer Mosiah Nasili-Kite, who led the Big Ten and ranked 23rd nationally in 2020 with 0.80 sacks per game, recording four. In just five games, Maryland had more sacks than it did in nine Big Ten games the year prior, tallying 14 in 2020, the second-best per game mark in the Big Ten, averaging 2.60 per game. Three different defensive lineman: Nasili-Kite, Ami Finau and Sam Okuayinonu all recorded at least a half sack.
As the head of the outside linebacker unit in 2019, Williams coached graduate transfer Keandre Jones to a career year, where he earned All-Big Ten plaudits. Jones led Maryland and ranked 27th in the nation (seventh in the Big Ten) with 15.0 tackles for loss and led the Terps with seven sacks, three forced fumbles and three quarterback hits, while recording 74 tackles (49 solo).
Williams helped lead UAB to a Conference USA Championship and the program’s first ever 11-win season in 2018 under Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Bill Clark.
Under Williams guidance, redshirt senior Chris Woolbright earned all-conference honors after leading the Blazers with 83 tackles and two interceptions while tallying 13.5 tackles for loss.
In 2017, Williams helped lead the Blazers to a successful campaign which was highlighted by the development of senior Tevin Crews.
Crews stayed at UAB during the program’s two-year hiatus and once he was back on the field, Williams coached him to career numbers and All-Conference USA accolades.
Crews was the only player in Conference USA to rank in the top 10 in both tackles per game (7.8) and tackles for loss (12.0). He finished the season with a career-high and team-best 102 tackles to go along with his 12 TFLs, three sacks, three pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble.
Williams also developed sophomore Fitzgerald Mofor into one of UAB’s most consistent players as Mofor started all 13 games for the Blazers and finished third on the team with 71 tackles. Meanwhile, true freshman Thomas Johnston gained valuable experience in playing all 13 games and finishing the season with 32 tackles.
Overall, Williams helped UAB return from a two-year hiatus in 2017 to set the program record for FBS wins (8), Conference USA wins (6) and finished with a perfect 6-0 record at home for the first time ever. The Blazers’ appearance in the Bahamas Bowl was just the second bowl game in program history.
Although 2017 was Williams’ first year coaching games at UAB, he joined the Blazers coaching staff in January of 2016 to help bring the program back.
Prior to UAB, Williams was at the University of Georgia in 2015 as the player relations director for the Bulldogs’ defense. Before that, he was on staff at Florida State for two years as a defensive analyst and was a part of the Seminoles’ 29-game winning streak which included winning the 2013 National Championship.
The Florida State defense finished the 2013 season allowing just 12.1 points against, anchored by linebackers Telvin Smith and Reggie Northrup. Smith led the team with 90 tackles and 9.5 TFL. Williams contributed to FSU’s defense that ranked second in total defense, first in passing defense and third in rushing defense.
Williams had a very successful high school coaching career before jumping to the collegiate level. His first coaching stop was at Rickards High School in Tallahassee. He then returned to his alma mater of Miami Carol City High School where he spent seven years coaching football and teaching math and special education.
After one year in Georgia, Williams moved back to Tallahassee to begin a three-year stint at Godby High School as the Defensive Coordinator. Williams helped Godby win the Florida state title in 2012 as the Cougars finished with an overall record of 15-1.
Williams played high school ball at Miami Carol under legendary Florida coach Walt Frazier. He earned a scholarship at Albany State University in Georgia and then transferred to Florida A&M where he finished his college degree.
Williams is married to the former Diasha Walker.
Josh Gattis
Offensive Coordinator
Josh Gattis was named Maryland’s Offensive Coordinator in March of 2023. Gattis, who won the Broyles Award in 2021 as the nation’s top assistant coach, brings over 13 years of coaching experience with him to the Terps.
In addition to winning the nation’s top assistant honor in 2021, Gattis mentored a Biletnikoff Award winner, multiple All-Americans and all-conference players. He has been a part of four conference championship-winning teams and has coached in multiple College Football Playoff games.
Gattis arrives in College Park after spending the 2022 season as the Offensive Coordinator at the University of Miami. Prior to his stint in Coral Gables, Gattis spent the previous three seasons (2019-21) at Michigan as the Wolverines Offensive Coordinator.
In 2021, Gattis was recognized with the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach after guiding Michigan to its first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. Gattis’ offense was one of the nation’s top-performing units, ranking No. 16 nationally in scoring offense, No. 25 in total offense, No. 15 in rushing offense, No. 16 in third down conversion and No. 24 in red zone offense. Michigan won the 2021 Big Ten title and garnered a bid in the College Football Playoff in Gattis’ final season in Ann Arbor.
In 2020, Gattis’ unit averaged 28.3 points and 381.8 yards per game. The Wolverines gained over 350 yards of offense in four of six contests and went over 450 yards of offense three times. Running back Hassan Haskins averaged more than six yards per carry (No. 24 in NCAA), while four players averaged 10-plus yards or better per reception – including receivers Ronnie Bell (15.4 yards per catch) and Cornelius Johnson (15.9).
In his first season at Michigan, Gattis led the Wolverines offense to a 5,000-yard season (5,220 yards), averaging more than 400 yards of offense per game. The Wolverines averaged 31.7 points and 401.5 yards per contest buoyed by a stretch which saw Michigan out-gain and out-score four league opponents and Notre Dame by a combined +1,101 yards and +114 points. Thirteen different Wolverines were named All-Big Ten on offense under Gattis.
Gattis coached wide receivers Nico Collins (37 catches, 729 yards, seven touchdowns) and Bell (48 catches, 758 yards, one touchdown) to career-best seasons along with quarterback Shea Patterson. Collins’ 19.7 yard-per-catch average led the Big Ten Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (six touchdowns) was also a big end zone factor, and five pass-catchers registered at least 25 receptions each. Patterson became the third Michigan quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season (3,061), throwing for the third-most yards (384) and the second-most touchdowns (five) in a single game during the course of the year. U-M had two rushers over 600 yards in Zach Charbonnet (726 yards, 11 TDs) and Haskins (637 yards, 4 TDs) and Charbonnet’s 11 rushing scores were a freshman record at Michigan.
Prior to his arrival in Ann Arbor, Gattis worked alongside Locksley as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Alabama in 2018. He and Locksley helped the Crimson Tide reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game and mentored All-American receiver Jerry Jeudy, the 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner, who caught 68 passes for 1,315 yards (19.3 avg.) and 14 touchdowns. In addition, Gattis and Locksley developed Jaylen Waddle, who earned first team All-American honors by Pro Football Focus. The Crimson Tide had four receivers and a tight end surpass 500 yards receiving on the year.
Prior to his position with the Crimson Tide, Gattis spent four seasons as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Penn State (2014-17). He also led the program’s offensive recruiting efforts, helping the Nittany Lions ink four straight top-25 recruiting classes, including a pair of top-15 classes. Gattis was selected as the 2015 Big Ten Recruiter of the Year by Scout.com for his efforts. On the field, he tutored All-Big Ten receivers DaeSean Hamilton (2014, ’17) and Chris Godwin (2015-16).
Gattis spent two years as wide receivers coach at the Vanderbilt University (2012-13) before moving into the Big Ten Conference. During his time with the Commodores, Gattis coached Jordan Matthews to All-America honors twice. Matthews ended his career as the SEC’s leader in receptions and receiving yards while also setting the single-season mark receptions with 107 in 2013.
He spent the 2011 season at Western Michigan as the wide receivers coach, mentoring Jordan White to consensus All-American honors. White led the NCAA in receptions with 140 for 1,911 yards during the 2011 season and broke numerous Mid-American Conference receiving marks. Gattis began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant coach at North Carolina in 2010.
Gattis played collegiately at Wake Forest, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2006. He was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference safety in 2005 and 2006. Gattis was a fifth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2007 NFL Draft. He spent part of the 2007 season with Jacksonville before moving on to play for the Chicago Bears during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Aazaar Abdul-Rahim
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks
Aazaar Abdul-Rahim returns for his second stint at Maryland in 2024. He will serve as the Co-Defensive Coordinator, Associate Head Coach for Defense and coach the Terrapin cornerbacks.
Abdul-Rahim, a Washington, D.C. native who has deep ties to the DMV area, coached at Maryland from 2016-18. He has experience at the high school and collegiate levels, with stops including Alabama, Boston College and serving as the Head Coach at Friendship Collegiate Academy in DC from 2004-13.
Abdul-Rahim arrives back at Maryland after spending four years coaching at Boston College. He was elevated prior to the 2023 season to serve as BC’s co-defensive coordinator, while retaining his coaching responsibilities with the Eagle defensive backs.
The Boston College secondary flourished under Abdul-Rahim’s tutelage, ranking fourth in the ACC by allowing just 197.1 yards per game through the air in 2023. Abdul-Rahim mentored First Team All-ACC selection Elijah Jones, who led the conference in interceptions (5) and passes defended (13).
A pair of BC defensive backs earned All-ACC honors in 2022 with Jones and safety Jaiden Woodbey claiming Honorable Mention accolades. As a team, the BC secondary was fifth in the ACC at 211.1 passing yards allowed per game.
Adbul-Rahim and his secondary helped BC rank third nationally in passing yards allowed (173.5 per game) during the 2021 season. The Eagles were also top-30 nationally in six other defensive categories: total defense, red zone defense, first downs allowed, third down percentage, team passing efficiency, and defensive touchdowns.
Abdul-Rahim oversaw the development of Josh DeBerry into an All-ACC cornerback. DeBerry was named All-ACC Honorable Mention in 2020 and earned All-ACC Second Team honors in 2021. He was rated 19th nationally among all cornerbacks according to Pro Football Focus for the 2021 season. Cornerback Brandon Sebastian earned a spot on the All-ACC Third Team after leading the conference in interceptions (4), while safety Jaiden Woodbey was All-ACC Honorable Mention.
In his first season in Chestnut Hill, Abdul-Rahim made an instant impact in coaching the Eagles’ defensive backs and helping improve the defense 52 spots in the national rankings in total defense. Boston College allowed 62 fewer yards per game on defense in 2020 compared to the previous year.
On the recruiting trail, Abdul-Rahim showed his prowess as one of the top recruiters in college football, helping to secure two of the top recruiting classes in school history while at BC. The 2021 and 2022 signing classes earned ESPN's best ranking in program history since its rankings began in 2006. BC also earned its best showing in the 247Sports rankings and was awarded its first Rivals top-30 class since 2004.
Abdul-Rahim came to Boston College after spending the 2019 season at UMass as defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Prior to UMass, Abdul-Rahim spent three seasons at Maryland working in the secondary. Abdul-Rahim developed Maryland’s defensive backs into one of the strongest units in the Big Ten, with all-conference recognition given to Darnell Savage, Jr. and Antoine Brooks, Jr. in 2017 and 2018, JC Jackson in 2017 and Tino Ellis in 2018.
In addition to his coaching duties, Abdul-Rahim was instrumental in the Terps’ recruiting efforts. He was a key factor in Maryland signing a consensus top-20 recruiting class in 2017 and a top-30 group in 2018. During his final two years as a member of the staff, Maryland inked 17 four-star student-athletes and eight members of the ESPN300 to National Letters of Intent. As a result, Abdul-Rahim was recognized by 247Sports in 2018 as one of the top recruiting assistant coaches in the Big Ten.
Overall, 2018 was a rousing success on the recruiting trail and in the secondary for the Terrapins. Abdul-Rahim assisted with the recruiting efforts as Maryland collected a consensus top-30 class before helping the Terps’ defense develop into one of the most disruptive in the nation. The defense recorded 23 turnovers forced, including 18 interceptions and five fumble recoveries, and added 32 pass breakups. The 18 interceptions ranked tied for the fifth-most in FBS during the season.
In 2017, Abdul-Rahim was vital in aiding the Terps in landing nine of the top 20 players from the state of Maryland and three of the top nine players from Washington, D.C. Rivals.com and 247Sports recognized him as one of the top 25 recruiters nationally for the class of 2017.
Abdul-Rahim also made an impact coaching Maryland's defensive backs. In 2017, the Terps posted 10 interceptions on the year, which ranked as the most for a Maryland team since 2003.
Abdul-Rahim joined the Maryland staff in 2016 after a two-year stint at Alabama where he first served as a defensive analyst in 2014 before he was promoted to the assistant director of player personnel in 2015.
During his two seasons at Alabama, the Crimson Tide were selected for the College Football Playoffs in both years and won the national championship in 2015. Additionally, Alabama collected the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the nation during each season, according to 247Sports.
Abdul-Rahim made his mark in his hometown as the head coach of Friendship Collegiate Academy. After he founded the school’s football program in 2004, Abdul-Rahim turned it into a national powerhouse and accumulated 62 wins during his tenure while he also led the team to a District of Columbia State Athletic Association championship in 2012. He helped over 100 players earn scholarships to play college football.
Abdul-Rahim is also the founder “Cover One”, a defensive back training academy that works with dozens of NFL players on skill development.
Abdul-Rahim played three seasons at San Diego State (1997-1999) after a stint at Mesa Community College. After college, the Dunbar High School standout competed for the San Diego Riptide of the Arena Football League.
Kevin Sumlin
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach
Sumlin, a veteran coach of over 30 years, arrives at Maryland after serving one year as the Head Coach and General Manager for the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL). Sumlin has been a head coach at the Division I level for 13 seasons.
“Kevin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our staff and I couldn’t be more thrilled that he’s joining our program,” said Locksley. “My relationship with Kevin goes back over 25 years. He has a tremendous football mind, along with a proven track record of developing players and winning at the highest levels. I’m excited to welcome him and his family to College Park.”
Sumlin’s head coaching history at the college ranks includes stops at the University of Houston (2008-11), Texas A&M University (2012-17) and the University of Arizona (2018-20).
At Texas A&M, Sumlin compiled a 51-26 record including three bowl victories in six seasons and a top-five end of season ranking and Cotton Bowl win in 2012. At Houston, Sumlin amassed a 35-17 record in four seasons. In his 10 seasons as a head coach prior to Arizona, Sumlin compiled an 86-43 record and his teams played in bowl games in nine of those 10 seasons.
During his time at Texas A&M, Sumlin averaged over eight victories per season and won at least seven games each year. His 44 wins over his first five seasons in College Station marked the second-fastest coaching start in school history, behind only R.C. Slocum's 49 wins from 1989-93. Sumlin was the first Aggie head coach to lead his first six teams to a bowl game. In addition, Sumlin guided Johnny Manziel to a stellar freshman season that saw him throw for 3,419 yards and 24 TDs, while running for 1,181 yards and 19 TDs en route to winning the 2012 Heisman Trophy.
Despite his defensive background as a linebacker at Purdue in the mid-1980s, it was Sumlin’s offenses that were his calling card as a head coach in the SEC. In his six seasons at Texas A&M, his offenses led the conference in passing, scoring and total offense twice. His 2012 offense became the first to break the 7,000-yard plateau in total offense with 7,261 yards, and his 2013 unit was just a yard shy of the milestone.
Sumlin has been named a finalist for the AFCA’s National Coach of the Year Award (2011) and for the Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year (2009). He’s coached in 16 bowl games, including all four traditional New Year's Day games.
In his 10 seasons as a head coach, Sumlin's offenses have averaged more than 400 yards of total offense every season, including more than 500 yards five times. His teams have scored more than 500 points five times, including an incredible 690 points in 2011.
Sumlin's record against non-conference teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 was a perfect 5-0 (wins over No. 22 Louisiana Tech and No. 11 Oklahoma in 2012, No. 22 Duke in 2013, No. 15 Arizona State in 2015 and No. 16 UCLA in 2016). His Aggies defeated at least one AP Top 25 opponent away from Kyle Field in each of his first five seasons, and his 12 victories over Top 25 teams rank among the most in college football.
Among those wins over ranked opponents were three road victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll -- 29-24 over No. 1 Alabama in 2012, 52-29 over No. 9 South Carolina in the 2014 season-opener and 41-38 over No. 3 Auburn in 2014. Sumlin is the only Aggie head coach to post more than two AP top 10 road wins.
The Aggies' success on the field coincided with the team's continued upward trend in the classroom. The Texas A&M football team's 2013-14 multi-year Academic Progress Rate of 974 was an all-time high for the school, and the 2014-15 APR was 967. The Aggies also finished the 2015-16 school year with an overall team GPA above 2.70 and had more than 30 players named to the Athletics Director Honor Roll (requires a 3.0 GPA or higher) both semesters.
Sumlin was hired at Texas A&M after a successful stint as head coach at the University of Houston. His final Cougar squad set a school record with 13 victories (12 prior to Sumlin's departure to Texas A&M) in 2011 and notched the program's highest finish in the Bowl Championship Series standings. He was named the Region 5 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association that year and was one of five finalists for the AFCA's National Coach of the Year award. Sumlin guided the Cougars to berths in the 2011 Ticket Center Bowl and the 2008 and 2009 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls.
His final season in Houston was one of the finest in the history of the Cougar football program. Sumlin's Cougars raced through the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record before falling in the Conference-USA Championship to Southern Miss. The Cougars led the nation in passing, total and scoring offense and featured the nation's leader in passing and total offense, quarterback Case Keenum. UH set NCAA FBS team records for total offense and passing yards.
His lone team to not reach a bowl was in 2010. Houston entered the season with high expectations but injuries to their top two quarterbacks, including Keenum, contributed to a 5-7 campaign.
In 2009, Sumlin was a finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the Year Award after leading the Cougars to a 10-4 record, which included wins over No. 5 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., and BCS conference teams Texas Tech and Mississippi State. Statistically, UH led the nation in passing (433.7), total (563.4) and scoring offense (42.2). Houston also became just the third team in NCAA history to post a 5,000-yard passer and three 1,000-yard receivers in one season.
Taking over the reins of the UH program in December 2007, Sumlin guided the Cougars to an 8-5 record in 2008 and became the first UH coach in 28 years to lead his team to a bowl victory, as Houston topped Air Force 34-28 in the Armed Forces Bowl. He was one of only 10 first-year Football Bowl Subdivision coaches to guide his team to a bowl game and one of only six to win the bowl contest.
Sumlin went to Houston after seven seasons as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator in the Big 12. He spent five seasons at the University of Oklahoma under head coach Bob Stoops, where he served as both the co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach (2006-07) and special teams coordinator/tight ends coach (2003-05).
Before his arrival in Norman, Sumlin spent two seasons at Texas A&M under head coach R.C. Slocum, where he served as the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach for the Aggies (2001-2002).
During his previous stint in Aggieland, Sumlin coached several of the top receivers in school history, including Bethel Johnson, Terrence Murphy and Jamaar Taylor, who still rank in the top 10 in career catches and receiving yards.
Early in the 2002 season, Slocum promoted Sumlin to offensive play caller after the Aggie offense struggled in the first three games of the season. With Sumlin calling the plays, the Aggie offense flourished, averaging 33.0 points and 419 yards per game for the remainder of the season after posting just 16.0 points and 286 yards per game previously. A highlight of the season included a 30-26 win over top-ranked Oklahoma with the Aggies gaining 404 total yards to key the victory.
Sumlin's coaching career has also seen stops at his alma mater Purdue (1998-2001), Minnesota (1993-97) and Wyoming (1991-92).
Purdue's 1998 receivers set school records with 377 receptions for 4,208 yards and 43 touchdowns. The Boilermakers' Chris Daniels set a Big Ten record with 121 catches and recorded another Big Ten record with 21 receptions in one game.
In addition to Stoops and Slocum, Sumlin served as an assistant coach under Joe Tiller at Purdue and Wyoming, Jim Wacker at Minnesota, Glen Mason at Minnesota and Mike Price at Washington State.
Sumlin has coached in 16 bowl games, including all four traditional New Year's Day games.
A four-year letterman as a linebacker at Purdue from 1983-86, Sumlin finished his career as one of the top tacklers in Boilermaker history. He was named to Sports Illustrated's All-America walk-on list as a freshman after leading Purdue with 91 tackles.
He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as a senior, while ranking fifth in the league with 114 tackles, and helped lead Purdue to the Peach Bowl.
The Indianapolis native graduated from Purdue in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in both criminology and criminal justice. Sumlin has four children: daughters Courtney and Shelby, and sons Jackson and Joey.
Brian Braswell
Offensive Line Coach
Braswell brings five seasons of NFL experience to Maryland, spending 2014-18 in the AFC North, as an Assistant Offensive Line and Quality Control Coach for the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals made the playoffs in each of the two seasons that Braswell worked in Cincinnati as the Assistant Offensive Line and Quality Control Coach and won the AFC North in 2015, putting together an impressive 22-9-1 record over those two years.
The Georgia native also spent the spring and summer of 2010 with the Steelers and spent part of 2013 working with the Bengals as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Minority Internship coaching program.
Braswell served as a volunteer analyst for the Terps during the 2020 season, working with the offensive line. Prior to that, he coached in the XFL, serving as the Offensive Line Coach for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Before his time with the Browns and Bengals, Braswell coached at Morehouse College, an NCAA Division II school in Atlanta, Ga. From 2008-13, he served as the Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator. He also coached the field goal and extra point teams, and he developed and installed strength programs for athletes at the school.
Braswell graduated from Hampton (Va.) University, where he played center and tackle on the football team.
Zac Spavital
Safeties Coach
Zac Spavital was hired as Maryland’s safeties coach in March of 2023.
Spavital comes to Maryland after four seasons as the defensive coordinator for Texas State. In 18 years as a defensive coach for Texas State, Texas Tech, Houston and Oklahoma, Spavital has overseen defenses that have six times finished top-25 in turnovers forced, twice finishing in the top-10. A 2022 Broyles Award nominee, Spavital guided a defensive unit that improved 56 spots in the national rankings from 2021 to 2022 in total defense and set FBS program records in tackles for loss and nearing the record in sacks and turnovers gained.
Spavital has been part of nine bowl teams during his coaching career and helped lead Oklahoma to two Big 12 Championships in 2006-07, making the Fiesta Bowl in each season.
In 2022, Spavital coached defensive lineman Levi Bell to Third Team All-American plaudits as he totaled a career-high 66 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and 7 quarterback hurries in 12 games. His 13.5 TFLs were an FBS program record for a single season and ninth-most ever by a Bobcat. Spavital’s rushing defense only allowed 116.2 yards per game this past year, a top-25 mark in the nation.
Caeveon Patton and Jordan Revels both earned All-Sun Belt honors under Spavital’s tutelage in 2021. Patton played in 11 games and recorded 51 tackles, including 21 solo stops, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and three quarterback hurries in 2021, while Revels recorded 59 tackles, including 29 solo stops, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, and seven quarterback hurries in 12 games.
Texas State ranked 47th in forced turnovers (15) and No. 25 in forced fumbles (8) in 2020. The Bobcats ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference after surrendering just 199.3 passing yards per game in 2019.
His defense produced a pair of All-Sun Belt Conference defensive players, Jarron Morris and Nico Ezidore, in 2020. Morris was a Second-Team selection as a defensive back, while Ezidore earned Third-Team honors as a defensive lineman.
Texas State boasted five All-Sun Belt Conference players in 2019. Heading the list were First-Team linebacker Bryan London II, who ended his career as Texas State’s all-time leading tackler, and Third-Team linebacker Nik Daniels. In addition, defensive tackle Caeveon Patton, cornerback Jarron Morris, and Khambrail Winters were Honorable Mention selections.
Zac Spavital went to Texas State after serving as a co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Texas Tech in 2018. It was Spavital’s fourth season as linebackers coach for the Red Raiders.
He helped transform Texas Tech into one of the nation’s top turnover-causing teams in 2017. The Red Raiders ranked sixth nationally in forced turnovers (29), fourth in fumble recoveries (15) and eighth in defensive touchdowns (4). The defensive output helped Texas Tech lead the Big 2 and rank 13th nationally with a plus-11 turnover margin, the highest margin for the Red Raiders since 1997.
One of his linebackers Dakota Allen was a two-time All-Big 12 selection, earning First-Team honors in 2018 and Second-Team in 2017. Allen recorded 73 tackles and recovering two fumbles in 2018 after leading Tech with 102 tackles and picking off a pair of passes.
Another linebacker, Jordyn Brooks was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12 after leading the Red Raiders in tackles for the second time in three years in 2018 (84). He became the first freshman to lead Texas Tech in tackles during the school’s Big 12 era (86) in 2016.
Brooks garnered All-Big 12 honorable mention accolades and was named to the True Freshmen All-America Team by 247Sports.com in 2016 after finishing fifth among freshmen nationally in solo tackles per game (5.1).
Tech forced 25 turnovers during Spavital’s first season in 2015 as the Red Raiders went from a minus-13 in the turnover margin prior to his Spavital arrival to a plus-2 advantage.
Spavital has been part of nine bowl teams during his coaching career. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 2005. Tech made a postseason appearance in the 2015 AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl and 2017 Birmingham Bowl with Texas Tech.
Prior to joining the Red Raider staff in January 2015, Spavital spent seven seasons at Houston coaching defensive backs for the Cougars while also serving as recruiting coordinator under both Kevin Sumlin and Tony Levine.
Spavital, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, coached an all-conference performer in each of his final three seasons at Houston. Adrian McDonald and William Jackson both earned all-conference honors in 2014 after McDonald totaled five interceptions and three fumble recoveries to garner first-team accolades while Jackson was named to the second team.
The Cougars closed Spavital’s final season in Houston ranked 19th nationally in total defense (334.6 yards per game), 11th in scoring defense (19.5) and ninth in turnovers gained (30). Houston also allowed just 136.3 rushing yards per game to rank 31st nationally.
Houston led the nation with 43 turnovers during the 2013 season to help lead the nation with a plus-25 turnover margin. Spavital’s defensive backs unit accounted for 29 of Houston’s 43 turnovers that season as Trevon Stewart set a Houston record with six fumble recoveries while Adrian McDonald led The American with six interceptions. Steward and cornerback Zach McMillian, who also had five interceptions, were both named to the All-American Athletic Conference Second-Team.
In 2012, Spavital’s unit produced three players with All-Conference USA honors, as D. J. Hayden was a First-Team selection, Stewart was on the league’s All-Freshman Team and McMillian earned C-USA Honorable Mention honors. In addition, Stewart was on the FWAA Freshman All-America team as he led all freshmen nationally with 126 tackles. McMillian led Conference USA with five interceptions while Hayden was second with four. In all, Spavital’s group accounted for 14 interceptions.
Under Spavital’s leadership, Hayden became the first Houston player selected in the NFL Draft’s First Round since 1997 when he was selected 12th overall by the Oakland Raiders in 2013.
Houston’s defense was vastly improved in 2011 and ranked third nationally with 21 interceptions. Hayden was the Conference USA Defensive Newcomer of the Year and was a Second Team All-C-USA pick. Overall the secondary allowed 16 yards less per game through the air despite breaking in three new starters and allowed two less touchdown passes in two more games played.
During the 2010 season, Spavital’s four safeties combined for 213 tackles, four interceptions, 3.5 tackles for loss and eight passes broken up.
The Cougars recorded 11 interceptions in 2009 with cornerbacks Jamal Robinson and Brandon Brinkley finishing first and second on the team. Brinkley posted four pickoffs for 108 yards was an All-Conference USA Second Team selection. Robinson sealed a victory at No. 5/6 Oklahoma State with a 26-yard return for touchdown. Brinkley finished his career ranked among the Cougars’ all-time career leaders in interceptions, games played and pass breakups.
During Spavital’s first season in 2008, Houston’s defensive backs picked off 13 passes with the four interceptions by Brinkley and Loyce Means leading all players.
Spavital went to Houston after serving three seasons as the defensive graduate assistant on Bob Stoops’ staff at Oklahoma. There, he worked with the defensive secondary and the scout team. During that span, the Sooners won a pair of Big 12 titles and made two appearances in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Statistically, in each of his three seasons at OU, the Sooners’ defense ranked at the top of the Big 12 and among the elite units in the country for total defense. Oklahoma never finished outside of the top two in total defense in the Big 12, leading the league in both 2005 and 2006, while ranking second in 2007. Nationally, the Sooners ranked 13th in total defense in 2005, 16th in 2006 and 26th in 2007.
While at Oklahoma, Spavital helped coach six All-Big 12 performers and five players who signed NFL contracts, including 2007 third-round NFL Draft pick Reggie Smith.
Before beginning his coaching career, Spavital played football at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for two seasons before playing two years at Murray State in Kentucky. He was an All-Conference and All-Region selection and a Gridwire Scholar All-American.
Spavital graduated from Murray State in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He has two children, Leah and Hayden.
Latrell Scott
Running Backs Coach
Latrell Scott possesses over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, including eight seasons as a head coach at the FCS and Division II levels at Richmond, Virginia State and Norfolk State. The coaching veteran was most recently the Passing Game Coordinator/Tight Ends/Inside Receivers Coach at East Carolina for two seasons.
Scott possesses a 46-43 record as head coach, including a 19-3 record at Virginia State in 2013-14. The Trojan's won their first outright CIAA championship since 1996 and recorded the program's first-ever NCAA playoff appearance and victory during the 2014 Division II Championships, earning Scott CIAA Coach of the Year honors.
In 2013, Scott earned Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) College Division State Co-Coach of the Year and the Touchdown Club of Richmond's state Division II/III Coach of the Year accolades after guiding the Trojans to a 9-1 overall record and perfect 7-0 CIAA ledger, which also included a team-first Top 25 ranking in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) weekly poll.
At East Carolina, Scott played a crucial role in the Pirates having a top-25 offense in 2022 by averaging 461.1 yards per game. His passing offense averaged 290.5 yards per game, the 16th-best mark in the country. In his two years in Greenville, East Carolina won 15 games and eclipsed 400 yards of offense in 16 different games, including 500-plus yards in eight different games.
At Norfolk State from 2015-20, Scott led NSU to its best season in eight years by winning five games against a 2019 schedule that featured a pair of FBS opponents. Scott oversaw an offensive unit that turned in its most prolific performance in the school's Division I history by averaging 28.9 points per game, while ranking second and third in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in passing and rushing, respectively. Scott had 56 players earn All-MEAC recognition while at Norfolk State.
Before serving as a head coach for eight years, Scott held collegiate assistant coaching positions at Western Carolina (2001), Virginia Military Institute (2002-04), Richmond (2005-07), Tennessee (2008), Virginia (2009) and James Madison (2012) – all on the offensive side of the ball. Scott began his coaching career at the prep school level at Fork Union Military Academy in 1999.
A Richmond native with deep Virginia ties, Scott was a three-year starter at tight end during his playing days at Hampton University and was part of one CIAA championship team and two additional MEAC title winning squads. He also was part of a Pirates team that qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
James Thomas
Special Teams Coordinator/OLB Coach
James Thomas Jr. will serve as the Terrapins Special Teams Coordinator and Outside Linebackers coach.
Thomas spent the 2021 season as a Special Teams quality control analyst for the Terps before briefly joining the University of Florida’s staff earlier this year in a quality control role working with the Gators cornerbacks.
Prior to Maryland, Thomas Jr. served two seasons (2019-20) as co-defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at Angelo State University. Under his guidance, the Rams defense was one of the top-performing units among Division II schools, ranking third nationally in scoring defense (14.8 PPG), fifth in defensive pass efficiency (93.17), and 10th in interceptions (17).
Thomas Jr. also spent three seasons at Clarion University (2016-18), where he served as the Golden Eagles defensive coordinator. In 2018, Clarion's defense ranked sixth in interceptions, eighth in takeaways and 14th in red zone defense.
A native of Orlando, Fla., Thomas Jr. started his career at Western New Mexico in 2010, where he coached the receivers his first two seasons (2010-11), and served as special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach (2012-13), and defensive coordinator (2014-15).
Thomas Jr. is a graduate of Graceland University, where he played cornerback from 2004-08 and earned his degree in physical education and health in 2009. He also has a master's degree in educational leadership from Western New Mexico.
Lance Thompson
Inside Linebackers Coach
Lance Thompson joined the Maryland football coaching staff as the Terrapins Inside Linebackers Coach in February 2022.
Thompson arrives in College Park with a plethora of championship level coaching experience, serving as a member of national championship staffs at Alabama, Georgia Tech and LSU. He was a member of four SEC championship coaching staffs, two ACC championship staffs and one Conference USA divisional winner.
Additionally, he either coached or recruited players who participated in eight National Championship games, winning seven of those contests (Georgia Tech, LSU twice and Alabama four times).
Thompson was ranked as the No. 1 recruiter in the nation on the Ultimate ESPN 300 recruiting power rankings for 2014 when he was coaching at Alabama, and was named Rivals National Recruiter of the Year in 2008, also with the Crimson Tide.
In his career that has spanned over 30 years, Thompson has served as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech, Alabama, LSU, UCF, Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina and Florida Atlantic.
Thompson has coached and/or recruited several players who have been selected highly in the NFL Draft, including Julio Jones, Mark Barron, Trent Richardson, D.J. Fluker, Chance Warmack, Marco Coleman, Cornelius Griffin, Marquise Hill, Laron Landry, Tyson Jackson, Coutney Upshaw and Coleman Rudolph.
Most recently at Florida Atlantic, Thompson joined the Owls in the spring of 2019 as the team’s defensive line coach and the program’s recruiting coordinator. In his first year, he mentored a veteran defensive line that combined for 43 tackles for loss, 22 of which were sacks, as well as recording 28 quarterback hurries. The front line also headed up a rushing defense that improved 50 spots nationally from 2018 to 2019, moving from 89th to 39th in the country while giving up 52.3 fewer yards per game. The team's overall scoring defense was 59 spots better, ranking 33rd, and the squad finished 19th in FBS in red zone defense as well.
In 2021, Thompson served as the Owls' linebacker coach, where he was received by an experienced group, including the team's leading tackler in Chase Lasater, who recorded 72 tackles in nine 2020 games played, and Caliph Brice, who finished his 2020 campaign with 54 tackles, good enough for third on the squad.
Thompson spent three seasons at South Carolina from 2016-18, where he worked under the direction of head coach Will Muschamp, as the assistant head coach of defense and defensive line coach. In his second season, Thompson helped groom Dante Sawyer into a second-team All-SEC selection, while senior Taylor Stallworth had his finest season for the Garnet & Black. Additionally, junior college transfer Javon Kinlaw developed into a force, proving his skill in 2018 with 38 tackles, including 10 for a loss of 40 yards.
Thompson worked at Alabama three different times, from 1999-2000, 2007-08 and 2012-14. He helped Alabama's 2013 defense to hold opponents to 13.9 points per game, the fifth-best mark in Division I college football. His Alabama recruits included Julio Jones, A.J. McCarron, Mark Barron, D.J. Fluker and Trent Richardson.
A Nick Saban disciple, Thompson worked with the coaching legend at Alabama and LSU. He was the assistant head coach in charge of recruiting and the tight ends coach when LSU won the 2003 national title. He also coached the defensive line at LSU.
Thompson also logged stints at Tennessee (2009-11), Georgia Tech (1988-98, 2001), and Central Florida, where he was defensive coordinator from 2004-06. In 2005, UCF won the Conference USA Eastern Division title. At Georgia Tech, he held various roles, including defensive line coach, defensive ends coach, tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator and director of football operations. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Yellow Jackets in 1988.
Thompson is a 1987 graduate of The Citadel, where he was a four-year letterwinner as a defensive lineman, and earned his bachelor's degree in education and mathematics.
A native of Riverdale, Ga., he is married to the former Mary Ann Guzy. Thompson has five children -- Allie, Christina and Lane Thompson, and Alli and Taylor Guzy.
Brian Simerville
Director of Athletic Training/Head Football Athletic Trainer
Brian Simerville returned to the University of Maryland in Feb. 2019 as the Director of Athletic Training/Head Football Athletic Trainer.
Prior to returning to College Park, Simerville served as the Head Football Athletic Trainer for the Appalachian State Mountaineers.
Simerville started at Maryland in 2013 as the Assistant Football Athletic Trainer. Simerville provided athletic training coverage for the Maryland football team and served as the Insurance Coordinator for all the University of Maryland Student-Athletes.
Simerville came to Maryland after three years at the United States Naval Academy, where he served as the assistant athletic trainer with Ice Hockey, Football, Women’s tennis and Golf teams. Prior to that, Simerville worked as an Associate Athletic Trainer at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida from 2007-2010.
Simerville received his Master of Arts degree in Exercise Science from the University of South Florida in 2007. While at USF Simerville served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer with the Men’s Soccer team. Brian received his Undergraduate degree in Sports Medicine Athletic Training from Eastern Michigan University in 2005.