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Hall of Famer [22387]
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What about Mike Locksley, Maryland's OC?
Dec 2, 2014, 9:37 AM
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http://www.umterps.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=207385299
Mike Locksley returns for his third season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and his ninth overall season at Maryland.
A native of Washington, D.C., Locksley returned home to rejoin the Terrapins after the 2011 season. He was an assistant coach at Maryland for six seasons (1997-2002).
Last season, Locksley guided an offense that eclipsed 5,000 yards (5,160) for only the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2003. The passing game excelled totaling 3,231 yards, the third-highest total in school history.
Under center, Locksley helped quarterback C.J. Brown become the first Maryland signal-caller to throw for over 2,000 yards (2,242) and rush for over 500 yards (576) in a single-season despite missing two of the team’s top wide receivers in Stefon Diggs and Deon Long, who missed the final six games of the 2013 season due to injury.
Utilizing the depth at wide receiver, Locksley’s unit had five players with 30 or more receptions led by Levern Jacobs with 47 catches for 640 yards (13.6 ypc). The unit averaged 14.05 yards per catch, which tied for the 15th-highest average nationally.
In 2012, his first season back in College Park, Locksley coached five different quarterbacks, including three true freshmen and a converted linebacker after an unprecedented string of injuries hit the position.
Despite the constant shuffling at quarterback, Locksley found a way to get the ball in his playmakers’ hands. Stefon Diggs led the team with 54 receptions for 848 yards (15.7 ypc), the most ever by a Maryland freshman. Diggs also caught six touchdowns and was named ACC Rookie of the Week three times.
Locksley’s offense also featured a strong running attack with four different backs earning a start. Redshirt freshman Brandon Ross set career highs, rushing for at least 100 yards in two of the final three games, including 141 yards in the final contest at North Carolina.
A veteran coach with over 20 years of experience, Locksley previously spent four seasons (2005-08) as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for the University of Illinois and two-plus years (2009-2011) as head coach at the University of New Mexico.
He possesses a well-rounded coaching resume, having tutored every offensive or defensive position except offensive line.
Locksley is also known for strong recruiting skills. He was listed as a top-25 recruiter in the nation three different times (2003, 2005, 2006) and was a finalist for 2007 recruiter of the year by Rivals.com. He also engineered top-10 recruiting classes during each of his two seasons (2003-04) as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Florida.
Locksley's first stint as an offensive coordinator was quite a success. He took over an Illinois offense which was ranked No. 86 nationally in total offense (338.1 yards per game) and gradually improved it to a top-20 unit.
The Illini went from No. 72 nationally in total offense (354.6 ypg) in 2005 to No. 19 (438.3 ypg) in 2008. They led the Big Ten in rushing in 2006 (188.8 ypg) and 2007 (256.7 ypg), and in passing (269.3 ypg) in 2008. The rushing attack was twice ranked in the top-10 nationally (No. 10 in 2006; No. 5 in 2007).
Under Locksley’s tutelage, quarterback Juice Williams passed for more than 6,000 yards and rushed for over 2,000 in his three years under Locksley and was a 2008 All-Big Ten choice. Williams set school records for rushing yards by a quarterback and single-season total offense. Williams led the Big Ten in passing (3,173 yards) and total offense (3,892 yards) in 2008 and was third in passing efficiency (136.15 rating).
Wide receiver Arrelious Benn was a first team all-conference pick as a sophomore in 2008 after leading the league in receiving yards (1,055). He went on to become a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 NFL Draft.
The 2007 Illinois offense became just the third unit in school history to surpass the 5,000-yard mark and first to top 3,000 rushing yards. Led by Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Rashard Mendenhall, the Illini led the league in rushing for the second straight year and finished fifth nationally at 256.7 yards a game.
Mendenhall, who averaged 129 rushing yards, was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 NFL Draft.
While at Illinois, Locksley helped develop running back Mikel Leshoure, who was taken in the second round (57th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He also mentored offensive linemen Jon Asamoah and Jeff Allen, who were both drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. Asamoah was selected in the third round (68th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft, and Allen was taken in the second round (44th overall) in 2012.
Illinois played USC in the 2008 Rose Bowl and finished the season ranked 18th in the nation in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll and 20th by the Associated Press following a 9-4 season.
In 2006, Locksley led an Illinois offense that paced the Big Ten and ranked 10th in the nation in rushing, averaging 188.8 yards. He tutored versatile running back Pierre Thomas, a two-time honorable mention all-league pick, who wrapped up his career as the No. 6 all-time rusher at Illinois and has gone on to star with the New Orleans Saints.
Locksley helped put the players in place to aid in Illinois' resurgence. He was named the No. 5 recruiter in the Big Ten and ranked among the top-20 in the nation by Sports Illustrated. In 2005, Rivals.com named him a top-25 recruiter.
Prior to his arrival at Illinois, Locksley worked two seasons for head coach Ron Zook at Florida, serving as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Both of those seasons ended with bowl-game appearances.
In 2004, Gators' running back Ciatrick Fason led the SEC and ranked 19th in the NCAA in rushing (105.6 yards a game) en route to second-team all-league honors.
That season, Florida finished first in the SEC in both passing yards (271 per game) and total offense (426.9 ypg) and was second in scoring (31.8 points per game).
The year prior, three Gator rushers logged more than 500 rushing yards and each averaged at least 5.5 yards per carry.
Locksley had success both recruiting and grooming players in his first stint in College Park. He oversaw the running backs during his entire tenure, including the final five as recruiting coordinator.
Three different running backs - Chris Downs, Bruce Perry and LaMont Jordan - gained more than 1,000 yards and were named first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference.
Jordan spearheaded a 1999 rushing attack that led the ACC (234.1 ypg) and ranked 12th in the nation. Jordan was the runner-up for 1997 ACC Rookie of the Year and finished as a Doak Walker semifinalist. He went to be selected in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft and totaled more than 3,700 yards for four teams in a nine-year professional career.
Perry was the 2001 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, a first for a Maryland running back, and the first sophomore to win the award. Both Perry and Jordan earned All-America honors under Locksley's watch.
Locksley played safety at Towson University, where he was the team's defensive MVP as a senior in 1991. He finished his career ranked 19th on the school's all-time tackles list and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing.
He got his coaching career started the following year at Towson, overseeing the defensive backs and special teams unit. He went on to coach at the U.S. Naval Prep School (1993-94), Pacific (1995) and Army (1996), where he helped the Black Knights reach the 1996 Independence Bowl.
Locksley and his wife, Kia, have four children: three sons (Mike, Jr., Meiko and Kai) and one daughter (Kori).
The Locksley File
Personal
Date of Birth: Dec. 25, 1969 Hometown: Washington, D.C.. Alma Mater: Towson 1992
Coaching Experience
Maryland 2012-Present: Assistant Coach- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks New Mexico 2009-11: Head Coach Illinois 2006-08: Assistant Coach- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks 2005: Assistant Coach- Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Florida 2003-04: Assistant Coach- Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator Maryland 1998-02: Assistant Coach- Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator 1997: Assistant Coach- Running Backs Army 1996: Assistant Coach- Wide Receivers/Tight Ends Pacific 1995: Assistant Coach- Outside Linebackers U.S. Naval Prep School 1994: Assistant Coach- Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line 1993: Assistant Coach- Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Towson 1992: Assistant Coach- Defensive Backs/Special Teams
Playing Experience
Towson 1989-91: Defensive Back
Recruiting Area • Primary: Maryland, Southwest and Central Florida, and Washington, D.C. • Local: Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties
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CU Guru [1330]
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Re: What about Mike Locksley, Maryland's OC?
Dec 2, 2014, 9:39 AM
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Heck no. Great recruiter, but a terrible play caller.
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Amateur [48]
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CU Guru [1043]
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Re: What about Mike Locksley, Maryland's OC?
Dec 2, 2014, 10:29 AM
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Questionable character too
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110%er [7169]
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Re: What about Mike Locksley, Maryland's OC?
Dec 2, 2014, 11:10 AM
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####! Thas a lot of crap just to ask about a maryland coach. Short answer=NO
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Replies: 4
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