Big Ten Program’s NIL Struggles Turn Into Blessing in Disguise as Transfer Portal Woes Open New Doors Big Ten college football program gains spotlight months after hitting the wall in the transfer por

Mike Locksley returned home to become the University of Maryland’s 37th head football coach in December 2018. And since then, there has been no looking back for the Terrapins. Under Locksley, Maryland posted three consecutive winning seasons from 2021-23 and won bowl games in each of those seasons, the first time in the program history. Last season, despite the struggles, they posted key wins over rival Virginia and Big Ten newcomer USC. Looks like the Locksley charm worked in the 2025 season. Maryland has had a solid start, cruising with a 4-0 record after defeating FL Atlantic, Northern Illinois, Towson, and Wisconsin. But there is a key difference between them and other teams in their conference.

The 2025 transfer season has been pretty tough for Locksley. Maryland lost 32 players, in