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LOCKSLEY SACKED End-game record: 2-26 September 26, 2011
The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
Butts arrested on DWI charges in coach’s vehicle
Lobo football’s ups and downs in last 3 years
by Nathan Farmer
sports@dailylobo.com A possible Lobo football recruit, Joshua Butts, was arrested Saturday on charges of aggravated DWI in a car registered to former head football coach Mike Locksley. According to the police report, the vehicle was registered to Michael and Kia Anika Locksley and had a UNM license plate.
“I didn’t know he was drinking and he did not seem drunk. He played it off really well. He seemed perfectly fine.” ~Brian Salazar eyewitness Butts was also accused of reckless driving, being a minor in possession of alcohol and driving without a license. Three other individuals, Brian Salazar, Desiree Cordova and Ashley Wellito, all under the age of 21, were reportedly intoxicated in the car. Wellito was arrested after being belligerent and hostile to officers. She threatened that she would use her father’s power to find out where the police officers lived, the report said. Cordova said Wellito is the girlfriend of current Lobo football player Meiko Locksley, Mike Lockley’s son. Salazar and Cordova cooperated with the officers and were released at the scene after being given misdemeanor citations. According to the police report, Butts was pulled over after speeding and nearly hitting a pedestrian in front of University Stadium. After being pulled over, Butts failed a field sobriety test and blew a 0.16 blood alcohol level, twice the legal limit, the report said. The vehicle, a 2002 Ford SUV, was towed from the scene. According to the police report, Butts told officers that Mike Locksley brought him in from Chicago to play for the Lobos. Butts was a teammate of Meiko Locksley while they both attended Centennial High School in Champaign, Illinois. Butts attended Joliet Junior College in Chicago last year and played in eight games as a wide receiver. He is not on the Joliet roster for this year, which makes him eligible to be recruited for the Lobos. UNM released a statement saying that Butts was Meiko Locksley’s friend and was borrowing his car. UNM said he was not a recruit and had no
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 116
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Junfu Han / Daily Lobo Former UNM football head coach Mike Locksley talks to the players during a timeout during the game against Texas Tech on Sept 17, at the University Stadium. affiliation with the Lobo football team. Salazar, a junior at UNM, said that Butts told him in the car that he was planning on playing at UNM. “He said in the car that he was a recruit from Chicago and that he was going to be a player for UNM,” he said. “He also said that he was Locksley’s son’s best friend.” Salazar said he lived close to the stadium, and for the short time that he was in the car he did not see Butts show any signs of being intoxicated. “I live only a five-minute walk away from the stadium, but took the ride as opposed to walking,” he said. “I didn’t know he was drinking and he did not seem drunk. He played it off really well. He seemed perfectly fine.” Cordova, also a UNM student, said Butts left with Wellito from the Sun Village Apartments and then picked her and Salazar up. She said she did not notice Butts driving erratically. “I did not see him driving badly, but they pulled him over and did a Breathalyzer test and he ended up getting arrested,” she said. “Ashley wasn’t cooperative with the police and they ended up arresting her, too.”
Defensive coordinator George Barlow to coach for interim Staff Report Mike Locksley is no longer head coach of the Lobo football team. Paul Krebs announced Sunday that Locksley has been relieved of his duties and that defensive coordinator George Barlow will take over as interim coach for the rest of the year. Locksley’s Lobo career was riddled with scandals off the field, including an altercation with former assistant coach J.B. Gerald. He leaves the program with a 2-26
record, a winning percentage just above 7 percent. The writing was on the wall after the Lobos started off the season 0-4 with big losses to Arkansas and Texas Tech and an overtime loss on Saturday to Sam Houston State, a Division 1-AA team. On Saturday afternoon a possible recruit was pulled over and charged with a DWI in a car registered to Locksley. The team held a meeting Sunday afternoon, at which Locksley told the players he would no longer be their head coach.
George Barlow Age: 43 Position: Interim head coach/ defensive coordinator Experience: three years at UNM Alma Mater: Marshall University, 1990
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Dec. 9, 2008: Locksley is introduced as the UNM football head coach. May 15, 2009: Administrative assistant Sylvia Lopez quits and files sexual harassment and age discrimination suits against Locksley. She claims she was fired because she is not young enough. The case is settled out of court. June 14, 2009: Byron Bell and Quintell Solomon are arrested after an altercation at the Library Bar and Grill downtown. They are suspended, but are later reinstated after a plea agreement, in which the football team agrees not go to downtown bars. Sept. 5, 2009: Lobos lose first game under Locksley: Texas A&M 41, UNM 6. Sept. 20, 2009: Locksley is involved in a physical altercation with former wide receivers coach J.B. Gerald. He accuses Locksley of choking and punching him, and Locksley gets a 10-day unpaid suspension. Nov. 21, 2009: Locksley gets his first win: UNM 29, Colorado State 27. Nov. 28, 2009: Season ends with a TCU 51, New Mexico 10 game. Season ends 1-11. Aug. 25, 2010: Running back Brandon Lewis’ dorm is burglarized. The two suspects are on the football team and, while no one is charged, Julian Blair, a possible suspect in the case, is later kicked off the team for violating team rules. Sept. 4, 2010: UNM loses to Oregon 72-0 in the first game of 2010. Nov. 6, 2010: Locksley gets his second win: UNM 34, Wyoming 31. Nov. 26, 2010: Lobo football players Joie Harris, Bryant Williams, and Julian Conley are involved in a fight with bouncers at Lotus Nightclub. Criminal charges are brought up on all three and they are suspended for the final home game of the season against TCU. Nov. 27, 2010: UNM loses its final game against TCU 6617 to have back-to-back 1-11 seasons. Sept. 3, 2011: UNM loses its opening game of the season to Colorado State, 14-10. Sept. 24, 2011: During a game against Sam Houston State a possible recruit is pulled over and charged with DWI while driving a car registered to Locksley. Sept. 25, 2011: Locksley is relieved of his coaching duties.
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