Maryland Terrapins football under Jim Tatum
During his tenure at Maryland, Tatum became one of the most successful head football coaches in school history. In nine seasons, he led the Terrapins to two national championships, three conference championships, and five bowl game appearances. His teams compiled a 73–15–4 record without a single losing season. To date, he remains the winningest Maryland football coach of the modern era with a winning percentage of 0.819.
Maryland Terrapins football under Jim Tatum
Tatum considered resigning in order to enter business. University president Byrd, a staunch patron of football at the school, was preparing to campaign for governor, and Tatum feared his successor would significantly reduce the number of athletic scholarships available. He and Byrd, however, had also disagreed over the decision to participate in bowl games in violation of conference rules. Tatum was opposed to it, as it greatly increased the difficulty of scheduling and had caused the reduction in number of home games.