Defensive coordinator Brian Williams left Maryland for the same position at Jacksonville State, the Gamecocks announced Monday afternoon.

Williams had completed his sixth year with the Terps, including the last three as defensive coordinator. He had been hired in 2019 by coach Mike Locksley to mentor the outside linebackers, moved in 2020 to coach the defensive line, added co-defensive coordinator responsibilities in 2021 and was promoted in 2022 to defensive coordinator.

Under Williams’ tutelage, Maryland finished the 2023 season limiting opposing offenses to 22.5 points per game, which marked the fewest number of points allowed since 2010 when that squad surrendered 22.2 points per game. The defense also intercepted 17 passes, which was tied for fourth at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level and second in the Big Ten to Michigan.

That fall ended with six defensive players earning All-Big Ten honors, which was the most in a single season since 2014. Cornerbacks Tarheeb Still (second team) and Ja’Quan Sheppard (honorable mention), linebackers Ruben Hyppolite II (third team) and Jaishawn Barham (honorable mention), defensive end Quashon Fuller (honorable mention) and safety Beau Brade (honorable mention) were cited by the league.

Expectations were similarly lofty last fall as the Terps returned seven of 11 starters. The unit also welcomed back six of its top nine tacklers and five players who combined to intercept 10 of the 17 passes in 2023.

But Maryland (4-8, 1-8 Big Ten) fared poorly under the direction of Williams and Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, the team’s co-defensive coordinator, associate head coach for defense and cornerbacks coach. The defense ranked last in the 18-team conference in total sacks (14), second to last in the conference in points per game (30.4) and third to last in total yards per game (378.1) and total passing yards per game (241.3) and was tied for fourth to last in total takeaways (15).

By joining the Gamecocks of Conference USA, Williams will helm a defense that contributed to the team’s 9-5 overall record and 7-1 mark in the league. Jacksonville State clobbered Western Kentucky, 52-12, to capture the program’s first Conference USA title before getting edged by Ohio, 30-27, in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

Williams will collaborate with a coaching staff led by head coach Charles Kelly, who succeeded Rich Rodriguez after he resigned in early December to return to West Virginia for his second stint. Williams and Kelly worked together at Florida State in 2013 and 2014 when Williams was a defensive analyst and Kelly was the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator in 2013 and the defensive coordinator in 2014.

A new defensive coordinator won’t be the only coaching staff change for the Terps in 2025. The program announced last week that Andre Powell, who coached at Maryland from 2012-2014, is the program’s new special teams coordinator. He comes to Maryland after spending last season as East Carolina’s special teams coordinator and serving in that same role for Pittsburgh from 2015-2023. Outside linebackers coach James Thomas Jr. led Maryland’s special teams unit last season. The group struggled under Thomas’ guide, ranking 121st nationally in special teams efficiency, according to ESPN’s advanced metrics.

Maryland will also have a new offensive line coach in 2025, as Brian Braswell is no longer listed among the team’s coaches. 247Sports reported in November that Braswell was fired during the 2024 season.

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