Can't Wait For Saturday Former Illinois OC Locksley won't go down without a fight
· Yahoo Sports
Oct. 1—***
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It wasn't always easy for Mike Locksley as Illinois offensive coordinator in the early 2000s. People forget, the Washington D.C. native wasn't a part of Zook's original staff in Champaign-Urbana. Zook went at first with Larry Fedora as offensive coordinator, but came back to Locksley after Fedora left for more money at Oklahoma State.
In their first two seasons at Illinois, Zook and Locksley only won two games each year.
In the third season at Illinois, the program turned, beating No. 1-raned Ohio State and earning a spot in the Rose Bowl. Locksley was suddenly a hot commodity as a head coach prospect, a move he made after the 2008 season.
He has had some notable success at Maryland, including three seasons in a row that ended with a bowl victory.
But the progress hasn't continued with two four-win seasons in a row. Then, a 51-point loss to UCLA at home last weekend, dropping Maryland to 2-2 and putting Locksley at the top of the hot seat lists.
There is time for the team to turn its season around and save its coach, starting with a trip to undefeated Nebraska on Saturday. The next week, the odds will be very long for the Terps at Ohio State. But there are winnable games down the stretch against Rutgers, Illinois, Purdue and Wisconsin. Get to six wins and reach another bowl and Locksley can be back in 2027.
Maryland doesn't want to make a change. Locksley is personable and has an excellent reputation as a recruiter. Plus, his offenses have worked at a high level. Don't give up on him just yet.