Alabama Offensive Coordinator Michael Locksley Returns To UMD As New Head Football Coach

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) — Michael Locksley will be University of Maryland's next head football coach, director of athletics Damon Evans announced Tuesday.

The announcement comes just hours after Locksley was named the winner of the 2018 Frank Broyles Award, annually given to the nation's top assistant coach in football.

Terps Football welcomed Locksley back home to Maryland on Tuesday.

Locksley, a Washington, D.C. native, is bringing in 20 years of coaching experience, including two stints at Maryland, including serving as interim head coach at UMD.

This brings good news for a program that has battled numerous controversies in the last few months, including the Board of Regents' unpopular move to reinstate Coach DJ Durkin after one of his players, Jordan McNair, died from heat stroke.

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Durkin was eventually fired.

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"I am thrilled to be returning home and to have the opportunity to lead the Maryland Football program," said Locksley. "This has always been a special place for me and my family, and I am honored to take on this role at the state's flagship institution. Our goal is to create an atmosphere and environment focused on the total development of our student-athletes. Our focus will always be to help them become more successful in all areas of their life through their association with our program.

He has spent the last three years working under Nick Saban at the University of Alabama, where he worked as the co-offensive coordinator and won a national championship last season before he was promoted to offensive coordinator in February 2018 and helped Alabama return to the College Football Playoff.

"On the field, Michael orchestrated one of the country's most prolific offenses at the University of Alabama and has long been regarded for his recruiting prowess. Today he was recognized as the nation's top assistant coach in the country, and I'm excited for him to be leading our program." Evans said.

His return will be bittersweet, however. His 25-year-old son Meiko Locksley was murdered in Columbia, Howard County last year.

Despite that tragedy, Locksley said he looks forward to "rejoining the Maryland family," for perhaps one of the biggest challenges of his career.

A press conference is planned at 11 a.m. Thursday morning.

This story is developing.

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