Former Maryland inside linebacker Chance Campbell is transferring to the University of Mississippi, he announced Monday, reuniting with former Terps coach DJ Durkin.

“Excited for the next step!” the Calvert Hall graduate and Towson resident wrote on Twitter with a photo of himself in a Rebels uniform.

Durkin, who was fired in 2018 in the wake of the heatstroke death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair, just finished his first season as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Ole Miss. Durkin, who signed a five-year, $12.5 million contract with the Terps in December 2015, received $3.2 million from Maryland during the 2019 fiscal year and was owed $2.1 million after that.

Campbell, a former three-star prospect in the Class of 2018 who was recruited by Durkin, announced in late January his intention to transfer. He was an All-Big Ten honorable mention this past fall after ranking second in the conference in tackles per game (11.0) and third in solo stops per game (5.7). In four starts, he led Maryland (2-3) in tackles (43) and tackles for loss (5 1/2), had 1 1/2 sacks and returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown in an upset win over Penn State.

During the season, coach Mike Locksley called Campbell “a huge bright spot” on a defense that had been one of the worst in the conference.

“Maryland was the first school to believe in me and for that I’ll always be thankful,” Campbell wrote last month when he announced his intention to transfer. “This university has given me so much, and I have tried to repay that debt every day through doing things right, working hard, playing harder, and treating people with respect and care. There have been some amazing people in every area of the building, and I can only hope they know the impact they’ve had on me.”

Campbell is expected to graduate from Maryland in May and will be immediately eligible for the Rebels, who ranked 117th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in points per game allowed last season (38.3). Ole Miss, coached by Lane Kiffin, opens the season against Louisville on Sept. 6 in Atlanta and will play a full eight-game schedule in the Southeastern Conference.

While a significant loss, the Terps will have talent and depth at the position entering the 2021 season, with returning players such as Fa’Najae Gotay and Ruben Hyppolite II. Locksley’s 2021 recruiting class is also headlined by five-star inside linebacker Terrence Lewis, who enrolled early and will participate in spring practice.