Who is Mike Locksley?

Maryland offensive coordinator Mike Locksley signed a three-year extension on Tuesday. (Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall/U.S. Presswire)

After a disappointing stint as Maryland’s head coach, Randy Edsall was finally relieved of his coaching duties. As this era came to a close, what is next for the Maryland football program? In the interim, the future begins with offensive coordinator Mike Locksley taking over. But who exactly is Locksley?

Locksley began his career on the defensive side of the ball, working as a defensive assistant for the United States Naval Prep School. After working at both the University of the Pacific and Army, Locksley made his first appearance in College Park as a running backs coach in the late 1990s.

Locksley remained with the program until 2003, when he moved from the ACC to the SEC to work for the University of Florida. Locksley then moved with Ron Zook from Florida to his next move as a part of the Big Ten at Illinois as an offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008. Finally, Locksley got his shot to become a head coach at the University of New Mexico. After a disappointing two year stint, where Locksley’s team went 2-26, Randy Edsall brought him home to Maryland in 2012.

In 2015, Locksley has been the offensive mind behind the Terrapins bleak offense. With three quarterbacks in Daxx Garman, Perry Hills, and Caleb Rowe, none of them can seem to grasp Locksley’s vision like former quarterback C.J. Brown did. In addition to a successful offense under Brown, Locksley notably coached Illinois quarterback Juice Williams to an All Big Ten season, helped lead this team to a Rose Bowl in 2007, and was an integral part of a strong offensive performance at Florida.

As a recruiter, Locksley is as dynamic as they come, and really has the pulse of the DMV. Whether or not Locksley will remain the head coach following this interim situation remains to be seen. However, it is likely that Maryland could keep him for his ability to recruit local standouts. He has recruited players such as Vernon Davis, Stefon Diggs, Deon Long, Damian Prince, and newly prized 2o16 quarterback Dwayne Haskins to College Park.

Locksley is a coach with a fantastic offensive mind, and excellent recruiting experience. Whether Locksley remains the head coach after this temporary period or not, however, he epitomizes the future of Maryland football: a young, dynamic team which embodies the “Stay Home” movement.

Next: Three things we'll remember about the Randy Edsall era