Football
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Phone:
- 205-348-3600
Mike Locksley joined Nick Saban’s staff at The University of Alabama in January of 2017 as the Crimson Tide’s co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach.
Locksley spent the 2016 season on the Crimson Tide’s staff as an offensive analyst. He previously served as the interim head coach at the University of Maryland for the final six games of the 2015 season. Prior to that he served as the Terrapins offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2012-15. Locksley also served as the head coach at the University of New Mexico from 2009-11.
He will inherit a talented group in 2017 with the return of junior Calvin Ridley, who boasts 161 catches and 1,814 receiving yards in his first two seasons. The Crimson Tide also welcome back Cam Sims and Trevon Diggs along with Robert Foster and Derek Kief.
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.
During his time as Maryland’s offensive coordinator, the Terrapins produced balanced and effective results. Locksley’s attack was orchestrated by quarterback C.J. Brown, who became Maryland’s all-time leader in touchdowns responsible for with 58 after totaling 13 passing touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014. He successfully utilized the talent on the outside with wide receiver Stefon Diggs hauling in 62 passes for 792 yards and five touchdowns and earning second team All-Big Ten honors.
In 2013, 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.
A veteran coach with over 20 years of experience Locksley, also served as the offensive coordinator at the University of Illinois from 2005-08. The Illini went from No. 72 nationally in total offense in 2005 to 19th following the 2008 season. They led the Big Ten in rushing in 2006 and 2007 and then led the league in passing in 2008. The rushing attack was twice ranked in the top-10 nationally (No. 10 in 2006; No. 5 in 2007).
Under Locksley’s offense, 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.
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.
Locksley spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons at the University of Florida as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. In 2004, Gators' running back Ciatrick Fason led the SEC and ranked 19th in the NCAA in rushing (105.6 yards a game) on his way to second-team all-league honors.
His first stint at Maryland came form 1997-2002, Locksley enjoyed 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.
He began his coaching career at Towson in 1992 where he coached defensive backs and special teams, followed by two seasons at the U.S. Naval Prep School. He coached outside linebackers at the University of the Pacific in 1995 and then coached wide receivers and tight ends at Army in 1996.
A native of Washington D.C., 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.
Mike and his wife Kia, have four children, three sons (Mike Jr., Meiko and Kai), and one daughter (Kori).
