Locksley to return as New Mexico coach

New Mexico coach Mike Locksley has won a combined two games in two seasons, but will return to the Lobos next season.

Athletic director Paul Krebs made the announcement Thursday to quiet speculation about Locksley's future after back-to-back 1-11 seasons.

"We realize there have been hardships placed on the program in terms of injuries, scholarship limitations, scheduling, and even in the depth of personnel that coach Locksley inherited two years ago," Krebs said in a statement. "Mike and I expect to see improvement in Year 3, and this administration firmly believes that 2011 will show that improvement on the field."

Make no mistake, a big reason why Locksley is staying is because cash-strapped New Mexico cannot afford to pay the nearly $1.27 million buyout on his contract, which runs through 2014.

There is no question there have been injuries that have been damaging, especially at quarterback this season. Four different quarterbacks played� and there was never any way to establish offensive consistency. Not only that, New Mexico was one of the worst teams in the country in turnover margin and penalties, so it's not as if the Lobos were able to get out of their own way.

Locksley has got to show improvement, although it might not matter much. With a buyout that steep, who knows when or if New Mexico will be able to afford to pay it.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/34506/locksley-to-return-as-new-mexico-coach

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