It Doesn't Matter How Much Maryland Sucks This Year, Mark Turgeon Won't Be Fired Thanks To The Football Team
One of the things I get asked the most about is whether or not I think Maryland will fire Mark Turgeon. Talking about coaches getting fired is one of my least favorite topics mostly because it’s due to someone losing their job and an entire family dealing with it. But, with the recent Steve Alford news and looking at Maryland’s schedule, I figure let’s get into it.
It would take a miracle for Maryland to actually fire Mark Turgeon this season and that’s thanks to the football program and a terrible contract extension. First off what I mean is Maryland is already paying two football coaches, they can’t afford to pay a third coach in Turgeon.
The other reason is the contract extension that Maryland gave Turgeon back in 2016 that put him under contract through the 2022-23 season. That made no sense – to a degree. Mostly, it showed that Maryland itself was okay with what Turgeon was doing. That was bringing in good recruiting classes, making the NCAA Tournament and making a couple of Sweet 16s. It might sound familiar.
That’s because it sounds exactly like Steve Alford and UCLA. I was listening to Gary Parrish of CBS compare the two and it makes perfect sense. Between the relationship of the coach to the fans (Alford’s was way worse) and the expectations of the fanbase, it’s a great comparison.
Now, here’s the thing. Tonight’s game vs Nebraska is essentially a must-win for Maryland. The Terps are 1-1 in Big 10 play and losing this game means they could legit start 2-7 or 3-6 in conference play. After this game they have Rutgers and Minnesota on the road before hosting Indiana and Wisconsin and then going back on the road vs Ohio State and Michigan State. How many of those games will Maryland be favored in? Not many.
The fact is, Turgeon is safe. Yes, you can be upset about his development of players and the team as the season goes on. It’s his biggest weakness when you look at his career at Maryland. But, he’s not getting fired.