Maryland football close to hiring former Baltimore Ravens, UNC assistant coach
Maryland football will enter next season with new coordinators on both sides of the ball after the exits of Josh Gattis on offense and Brian Williams on defense. Mike Locksley already replaced Gattis with Pep Hamilton and now it appears he has his defensive coordinator to replace Williams.
Maryland football will enter next season with new coordinators on both sides of the ball after the exits of Josh Gattis on offense and Brian Williams on defense. Mike Locksley already replaced Gattis with Pep Hamilton and now it appears he has his defensive coordinator to replace Williams.Maryland is expected to hire Ted Monachino to run its defense, multiple sources familiar with the situation told Inside Maryland Sports. Monachino, a longtime NFL coach who served as UNC's defensive line coach last season, has been in College Park recently and appears to be Locksley's choice for the vacancy created when Williams left to become defensive coordinator at Jacksonville State. He would also likely serve as their linebackers or defensive line coach.
Monachino, 58, is a Missouri native and former Mizzou player. Last season, UNC's defense ranked third in the ACC in sacks. While he's an unknown as a recruiter, that's not Locksley's biggest need right now. With Maryland needing a boost in 2025 after going 4-8 this past season and recruiting already surging, the program needs coaches who can improve on-field results.
Monachino got his first NFL coaching job in 2006 as the defensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars under Jack Del Rio. He helped build one of the league's strongest run defenses, but locals might remember him better for his time in Baltimore. From 2010-2015, he coached the Ravens' linebackers, working closely with Hall of Famer Ray Lewis and future Hall of Famer Terrell Suggs and winning Super Bowl XLVII.
Suggs thrived under Monachino, winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2011 after racking up 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Developing elite pass rushers became Monachino's calling card. In 2016, he was promoted to defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts, a role he held for two seasons before returning to position coaching in the NFL with teams like the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons.
Monachino moved to college football in 2023, joining Missouri's staff before spending a year at UNC as an analyst. He was later promoted to defensive line coach, but Mack Brown was fired and Belichick cleaned house, putting him back on the market.
"I really think Jeff Collins and Monachino had the defensive line playing at a much higher level," a source close to the UNC program said. "The reality was, Mack Brown started the season in a tough spot, and the staff needed to pull off something special to stick around."
