It's official. The New Mexico Lobos have officially fired Mike Locksley as their head football coach. The firing came after potential UNM recruit Joshua Butts was arrested for aggravated DWI while driving Locksley's car. The car was pulled over because Butts nearly hit a pedestrian on a crosswalk near the UNM campus (allegedly). Oh, and there were three other minors in the vehicle who appeared to be impaired and/or intoxicated (allegedly). Let me repeat that. A recruit. Was driving drunk. In Mike Locksley's car.
Oh, and UNM lost to FCS Sam Houston State 48-45 just a few hours later.
And, so ends one of the most disastrous coaching era's possibly ever in college football history. Am I overreacting? Not at all. Here's a list of Mike Locksley's Greatest Hits. Keep in mind this all happened in just over two football seasons.
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2-26: On the field, all you really have to know is that Locksley was 2-26 as the UNM head coach. That includes a stunning 2-15 record in MWC play. He beat Colorado State in 2009. He beat Wyoming last year. Against New Mexico State, Locksley was 0-2. This season, the Lobos were already 0-4.
- The Lawsuit Part I: Locksley was the subject of a claim of sexual harassment/age discrimination claim by longtime UNM staffer Sylvia Lopez. The claims were later withdrawn in a settlement that allowed Lopez to keep her job at UNM.
- The Lawsuit Part II: Yes, I almost called this section "The Punch Heard 'Round the ABQ." Also in his first season, Locksley literally punched his assistant coach J.B. Gerald after the two engaged in a shouting match. Locksley received a written reprimand from the school after Gerald went to the police and pressed charges. The event led to a lawsuit against Locksley and the UNM Regents.
- Yes, A Student Writer: Last season, Locksley was accused of going on a profanity laden tirade against Ryan Tomari, the sports editor of the UNM student newspaper, the Daily Lobo. Locksley was upset because Tomari wrote that the UNM football program was in "shambles."
So, yes in two and a half years in the ABQ, Mike Locksley has two wins and two lawsuits. Associate head coach Mike Barlow will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season. The next obvious question is, who will UNM look at to replace Locksley? Last time we thought he was fired, there were reports that UNM was interested in Mike Leach. Let's see if those rumors pick up steam again.