Looking to Lubbock for fresh start
In light of the recent news swirling around Lobo football, many might wonder if it can get any worse for head coach Mike Locksley and the UNM football team.
Well, Las Vegas odds makers think so.
The Lobos, 35.5-point underdogs, are off to Lubbock, Texas, to face pass-happy Texas Tech.
Even in the direst of circumstances, Locksley remains focused on preparing his team for combat.
Linebacker Carmen Messina celebrates after catching an interception during Saturday’s game against NMSU. Messina leads the nation in tackles. The Lobos will face Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday.
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“We’re hoping this week to build off of the positives of last week’s game,” Locksley said. “We will try to get rid of the unforced errors that have plagued us all year long. I thought our guys responded and played well, giving us a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, and we didn’t do that.”
Linebacker Carmen Messina said he knows the defense will have to work to stack up against the finesse of the Red Raiders’ offense.
“They’re a very talented team,” Messina said. “We have to be assignment-sound and don’t create any mistakes on our side.”
Mistakes can’t be a part of the equation if the Lobos want to have any chance of pulling the upset at Jones AT&T Stadium.
The Red Raiders are second in the nation in passing yards with 413.5 per game. Quarterback Taylor Potts has already thrown for more than 1,600 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.
“They put up chunks of yardage,” Locksley said. “The good thing is they aren’t a team that beats you up physically. Most of the time they are going to horizontally spread you out and try to create mismatches with linebackers on receivers.”
In the absence of Michael Crabtree, former receiver who led the team in receptions in 2007 and 2008, head coach Mike Leach’s offense has spread the wealth in the passing game more this season. Three wide receivers have 20 or more receptions, most notably Lyle Leong. Leong is second on the team with 21 receptions and leads the team in total touchdowns with five.
But Locksley said he’s most impressed with Tech’s defensive development.
“The biggest growth I have seen in Texas Tech over the last couple of years is how they have played defense,” Locksley said. “They have really become better on defense under (defensive coordinator) Ruffin McNeill. Ruffin has done a great job on defense to get them in great positions (to make plays).”
The Lobos have also had great defense play this season from Messina.
Messina leads the nation in tackles per game and has racked up 57 total tackles so far this season.
“Carmen Messina is going to be a great player for us,” Locksley said. “The best part is that we still have him for a couple more years.”
Best of all, Messina’s confidence hasn’t been shaken by the Lobos’ sluggish start or off-the-field commotion.
“I have just been put in a great position to makes plays with this new defense,” Messina said. “I have great teammates all around me. I have a great defensive linemen taking up blocks and filling up those blocks. I got the cornerbacks who have been closing the edge, so I am able to run to the ball carrier. Really, I am just surrounded by talent and it’s allowing me to make plays.”
*Football vs. Texas Tech
Saturday
1:30 p.m.
Lubbock,
Texas*
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MIKE LOCKSLEY IS IN OVER HIS HEAD
• New Mexico finished the season 1-11, its worst record since the 1980’s. Many of those losses were blowouts.
• Coach Locksley admitted striking an assistant coach during a “physical altercation”.
• As of 10-10-09, Locksley had been blown out in 5 out of 6 games.
• Loss at home to undermanned and less talented NMSU squad.
• Poor leadership and example for student athletes — physical violence in the workplace.
• Talented recruiting class not yet in the works, despite Locksley’s supposed expertise as recruiter.
• Rapid decline in football game attendance, and general apathy toward program under Locksley.
• Segment by ESPN Outside the Lines alleges cover up and previous anger management issues.
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Despite big promises and big words, University of New Mexico Lobo head football coach Mike Locksley delivered only a single victory in 2009, at a cost of $750,000 to the taxpayers of New Mexico. That’s right, $750,000 per victory — what a bargain. The Lobos finished near the bottom of the NCAA in most important offensive and defensive statistical categories — so much for Locksley’s bragging assertion that another number would need to be added to the scoreboard — if it was needed, it was needed on the opposing team’s side this year. Coach Locksley was hit with an EEOC complaint earlier in 2009 that has now been settled, with his former employee being given a newly created, higher-paying position, back pay, lifetime season tickets to UNM sporting events, and an undisclosed, behind the scenes settlement. Coach Mike Locksley has admitted to striking assistant coach J.B. Gerald in a “physical altercation”, and it appears possible that this incident may result in a lawsuit against UNM, as Coach Gerald has opted to leave the team, and retain an attorney. Locksley has also failed to land the recruits he could supposedly deliver, losing two of his top three recruits in 2009 to their failure to qualify. Another one of Locksley’s highly touted recruits briefly left the program and returned because of the controversy surrounding the gerald situation.
The University of New Mexico pays Coach Mike Locksley $750,000 annually, or approximately $14,423.08 per week. Has Coach Mike Locksley done anything to demonstrate that he is qualified to be a head football coach at this level? Is Mike Locksley representative of the values of the University of New Mexico Lobos, or the state of New Mexico? Does he really deserve this kind of money, based on performance, or should the University of New Mexico have terminated him for cause when they had the opportunity to do so? We feel the answer is a resounding “yes”, based on his record, performance, and behavior. Mike Locksley was a very bad hire.
The taxpayers of New Mexico and fans of University of New Mexico Lobo football deserve more coaching and more integrity for their money. It is time to recognize the mistake made by Paul Krebs in hiring Coach Locksley, and sever ties with Coach Locksley, before the program suffers irreparable damage. New Mexico Lobo football cannot survive 5 more years of Mike Locksley, and this style of management, or lack of coaching ability. Our student athletes deserve better leadership.
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