Maryland hires Brian Stewart as D-coordinator

Published Jan. 17, 2012 3:26 p.m. ET

foxsports

Maryland has hired Brian Stewart to be its new defensive coordinator.

Stewart spent the past two seasons overseeing the defense of the Houston Cougars, who went 13-1 in 2011 and ranked 35th in the nation in scoring defense.

Terrapins coach Randy Edsall announced the hiring Tuesday, saying Stewart will bring an ''aggressive style'' to a unit that struggled last season under Todd Bradford.

The 47-year-old Stewart went to Houston after an eight-year run as an NFL assistant, including two years - 2007 and 2008 - as the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.

Stewart spent the 2009 season as a defensive special assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Maryland went 2-10 last season, Edsall's first since replacing head coach Ralph Friedgen.