Meet Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, Maryland football’s new interim head coach

Aazaar Abdul-Rahim was named the interim head coach of the Maryland football program after Michael Locksley was fired Wednesday. That comes despite just being promoted to defensive coordinator Sunday — after the firing of former defensive coordinator Ted Monachino — in a meteoric rise through the Terps’ program.

But who is the Terps’ new leader?

Abdul-Rahim began his coaching career at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington, D.C., where he founded the high school’s football program in 2003. During his 10 years as head coach, Abdul-Rahim turned the program into a national powerhouse, recording 62 wins and developing more than 100 college football recruits.

That success led him to become Alabama’s defensive analyst and assistant director of player personnel during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The Crimson Tide’s defense allowed just 16.7 points per game during those two years, with a pair of CFP playoff appearances.

After Alabama won the national title in 2015, Abdul-Rahim was hired by previous head coach DJ Durkin as the defensive backs coach at Maryland. He spent two years in that role, primarily focusing on the team’s cornerbacks. The Terps had two players in the secondary earn All-Big Ten recognition in 2017 and 2018.

Abdul-Rahim spent a season at UMass as the defensive coordinator in 2019. He then worked at Boston College from 2020-2023, serving as the defensive backs coach and later being named the associate head coach during the 2021-22 season. Abdul-Rahim was elevated to co-defensive coordinator in his final season at Boston College.

While Abdul-Rahim returned to College Park in 2024 for his second stint, he started as the cornerbacks coach. Maryland allowed 241.3 and 226.5 passing yards per game during his first two seasons, the Big Ten’s third-most, respectively. But the defense has regressed significantly through the first seven games in 2026.

The Terps have allowed at least 35 points during their five-game losing streak, most recently blowing a 10-point second-half deficit to Rutgers Saturday. Maryland, leading 23-13 at halftime in what Michael Locksley called the team’s most complimentary half, allowed Rutgers to score 24 unanswered points.

Second-half collapses have been a regular occurrence for the Terps this season, though; they blew a 23-14 lead against Nebraska with 34 consecutive points allowed. During Maryland’s four Big Ten games, they have been outscored, 92-13, in the second half.

The Terps, off to their worst start since 2015, have the Big Ten’s longest active losing streak in the conference. They haven’t won a home Big Ten game in two years.

Abdul-Rahim will lead the program through the final five games of the season, starting on Oct. 31 against Illinois after Maryland’s bye week. Pressure will be on the 49-year-old to halt the Terps’ spiraling season.