Mike Locksley

The University of New Mexico hired Mike Locksley as its new head football coach.

The school seems to have found an exiting, innovative coach. Locksley comes equipped as a great recruiter and a fine offensive mind. UNM needed both. The Lobos talked about wanting to find a new leader with a strong presence on the offensive side of the ball and it seems like Locksley fits the bill.

I just wonder about the expectations on UNM football. Will Locksley do more with the program than Rocky Long did? I know many would prefer to differ on this one, but I always thought that Long's Lobo teams played the game the right way and, for the most part, overachieved. He took the program to a number of bowl games and the team was always well prepared and solid defensively. Even this year, in a transitional season and with their starting quarterback hurt, the Lobos battled and competed more often than not.

Now Locksley comes in with the expectations that he can do more. One of the knocks on Long was that while he got average talent to over-perform, he struggled bringing elite talent in Albuquerque. Locksley comes with the reputation that he can in fact bring in some standout ball players into Lobo land. Will he be able to take the program to the next level? Easier said than done.