Report: Maryland to add longtime SEC assistant to coaching staff

Lance Thompson – a longtime college football assistant coach who’s held positions at many different schools, including a handful in the SEC – is now heading to Maryland to join the Terrapins’ coaching staff, according to ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel. Thompson is currently the inside linebackers coach at Florida Atlantic in Conference USA.

While Thompson, a Riverdale, Georgia native, spent the 2021 season at FAU, he also served on Will Muschamp’s staff at South Carolina for three seasons and worked under Gus Malzahn at Auburn in 2015. Additionally, Thompson has also held roles at Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, UCF and Georgia Tech throughout his coaching career.

An assistant coach with much familiarity in the SEC, Thompson will now transition into the Big Ten landscape for the 2022 season with a Maryland team that went 7-6 overall and 3-6 in league play last year.

Maryland parting ways with former defensive coordinator

Maryland is making big changes to its defensive staff. After a change in his role, On3’s Matt Zenitz reports former Maryland defensive coordinator Brian Stewart is leaving the Terrapins.

“Maryland and Brian Stewart have parted ways, sources tell @On3sports,” tweeted Zenitz. “Stewart was Maryland’s defensive coordinator last season and had been set to remain on the staff in a non-DC capacity.”

An experienced coach, Stewart spent one season as the Maryland defensive coordinator prior to parting ways. Evidently, the fit simply wasn’t right for Stewart with the Terrapins.

In the past, Stewart has held multiple high-ranking defensive assistant jobs, both in college and in the NFL. At multiple different stops, he’s been a defensive coordinator, including the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Cougars.

What’s next for Brian Stewart remains to be seen, but Maryland is on the hunt to fill their own defensive coordinator position. After being spurned by Kevin Steele, the job is open, and Terrapins faithful is wondering where their team is going to pivot.

On3’s Stephen Samra contributed to this report.