Maryland Terrapins football under Jim Tatum
From 1947 to 1955, Jim Tatum served as the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins football team, which represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college football. Maryland hired Tatum to replace Clark Shaughnessy after the 1946 season. Tatum had created both success and controversy during his one season as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners football team. During his nine-year tenure, Tatum became one of the most successful head football coaches in Maryland history, and the Terrapins compiled two national championships, three conference championships, and five bowl game appearances. His teams compiled a 73–15–4 record without a single losing season, and as of the end of 2016, he has the highest winning percentage of any Maryland football coach who coached at least seven games. In 1954, the University of Maryland appointed a new president, Dr. Wilson Elkins, who chose to de-emphasize football. Following the 1955 season, Tatum took a pay cut to coach at his alma mater, North Carolina, and he died four years later.
Dave Cottle
The Terrapins finished each of his nine seasons with a winning percentage of no less than 0.625. The team also has advanced to the NCAA tournament eight out of nine years. Cottle received criticism, however, due to his inability to lead his team to the NCAA finals. The Terrapins have not secured a national title since 1975, despite being the largest school in the state of Maryland, a traditional bastion of lacrosse talent. In 2001, some Maryland supporters had been critical of the athletic department's selection of Cottle over interim head coach Dave Slafkosky or former Syracuse star Gary Gait, who was an assistant for the Maryland women's team at the time.