Fresno State Athletics
Locklin to Kansas
1/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 20, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - For the second time in a week, Fresno State head coach Pat Hill lost an assistant coach to a BCS conference school. This time, the Big 12 came calling to the Bulldog coaching staff.
Kerry Locklin, who had been Fresno State's defensive line coach for the last nine years, has accepted a position at the University of Kansas.
At Fresno State, Locklin coached two different Western Athletic Conference Defensive Players of the Year in Garrett McIntyre and Alan Harper. Those two players along with another Locklin protégé, Nick Burley, each rank in the Fresno State top five for quarterback sacks in a career.
"We are very happy for Kerry and his family," said head coach Pat Hill. "This is a great opportunity for him to go into the Big 12 and it is a great professional opportunity. We appreciate his loyalty to our program for nearly a decade. He has a great family and we wish them well."
Under his guidance, 11 Fresno State defensive linemen earned all-league honors in nine years, including seven first-team selections. Fresno State boasted the WAC's top total and scoring defense in 2004 and 2005. In addition, the Bulldogs played in eight bowl games in his nine-year tenure there.
"Kerry is an outstanding fundamental football coach, who has done a tremendous job coaching the defensive line at Fresno State," Kansas head coach Mark Mangino said. "We are excited to have him as part of our coaching staff."
Locklin started his coaching career at Western New Mexico (1988) before moving to Utah (1989), and Morehead State (1990-93). He then coached one season for Shreveport in the Canadian Football League in 1994. Locklin returned to the college ranks and spent five seasons at Eastern Michigan (1995-99) before moving to Fresno State (2000-08).
Locklin was a four-year letterman as a tight end at New Mexico State where he earned All-America Honorable Mention honors. He was also a two-time athletic all-conference and two-time academic all-conference honoree.
After his playing career at New Mexico State, Locklin was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the sixth round of the 1982 NFL draft. He played three seasons in the NFL -two with Los Angeles and one with Denver - and two in the USFL with the Arizona Wranglers.
"I feel this is a school with a rich tradition and is an up and coming program," Locklin said. "Coach Mangino has done a great job getting the program headed in the right direction. I am excited to be a part of it. Kansas is very similar to Fresno State in getting respect in the conference and around the country."
Hill said he does not expect to finalize his 2009 coaching staff until after National Signing day (Feb. 4).
"It's hard to replace coaches each year but it speaks volumes for our program for the quality of people we have had and those who have used their opportunity here to be upwardly mobile in the coaching profession," said Hill. "We will work three coaches down for now and put all of our energy into recruiting. After the signing day, we will work on getting the staff in place."
