Maryland football hires Kevin Sumlin as co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach

Feb 15, 2023 - 5:47 PM

Maryland football has hired Kevin Sumlin as its co-offensive coordinator, associate head coach and tight ends coach, the program announced Wednesday.

Sumlin replaces voids left by former tights ends coach Mike Miller and offensive coordinator Dan Enos, who left Maryland for offensive coordinator roles at Charlotte and Arkansas, respectively.

“Kevin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our staff and I couldn’t be more thrilled that he’s joining our program,” Maryland head coach Mike Locksley said in a release. “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 agreement with the school, obtained by Testudo Times via a Freedom of Information Act request, spans two years and guarantees annual compensation of $450,000 — $300,000 in annual base salary and $150,000 in annual supplemental income. It also includes performance-based incentives that would be activated if the Terps play in the Big Ten Championship Game, participate in a bowl game with a record of at least 6-6 or qualify for the College Football Playoff; victories in those games would equate to larger bonuses.

The 58-year-old Sumlin was most recently a head coach and general manager in the United States Football League (USFL), but has had various stops as a college football head coach, including stints at Houston, Texas A&M and Arizona. Sumlin is most well-known for his time at Texas A&M, where he coached for six seasons and amassed a 51-26 overall record. Sumlin coached Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel in 2012, Sumlin’s first year with the Aggies that earned him SEC Coach of the Year honors.

Following Texas A&M’s 7-5 season in 2017, Sumlin was fired. He was hired by Arizona on Jan. 4, 2018 — his most recent stint as a collegiate head coach — and did not enjoy the same success in the Pac-12. From 2018-20, Sumlin compiled a 9-20 record heading the Wildcats and never reached a bowl game. He was let go following the 2020 season finale.

Sumlin has previous offensive coordinator experience at Oklahoma (2006-07) and Texas A&M (2002). Locksley and Sumlin have never previously coached together at the collegiate level.

Sumlin will have plenty of offensive weapons to work with for the 2023 season, most notably quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who announced his return for his senior season in January. Tagovailoa holds program records in career passing yards (7,879), passing touchdowns (51), completions (665), and total offense (8,067 yards), among other statistical categories.

The Terps’ offense has plenty of other dynamic pieces, too, including young stars like running back Roman Hemby and wide receivers Octavian Smith Jr. and Tai Felton, plus tight end Corey Dyches. Wide receiver Jeshaun Jones has yet to make an official decision on whether he will return for a sixth and final season, however he is on the team’s official spring practice roster.

Locksley also brought in wide receiver transfers Kaden Prather (West Virginia) and Tyrese Chambers (FIU) in addition to offensive linemen Marcus Dumervil (LSU), Gottlieb Ayedze (Frostburg State) and Corey Bullock (NC Central) to help make up for losses at those respective positions.

It remains unclear who will join Sumlin as co-offensive coordinator. Internally, wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Gunter Brewer, running backs coach Elijah Brooks and offensive line coach Brian Braswell remain as offensive staffers from 2022.