Barlow leads Lobo football toward UNLV

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - George Barlow has been named the University of New Mexico's interim head football coach for the duration of Mike Locksley's 10-day suspension.

Locksley, previously served with verbal and written reprimands, was suspended for his role in a Sept. 20 incident with a member of his coaching staff.

Barlow is the Lobos assistant head coach and also the defensive backs coach. Prior to his arrival at UNM earlier this year, Barlow, 41, spent 10 seasons at James Madison University with the final four seasons as an assistant head coach.

While his current job is nothing new to him, his interim head coaching duties are.

"You hate for it to happen under these circumstances, but we're in the business of making sure these kids are happy and stable," Barlow told KRQE News 13 Tuesday evening. "But I've just got to step into it until coach comes back."

Barlow will run the Lobos' show when they take the field Oct. 24 at University Stadium against the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Barlow conducted his first practice as interim head coach Tuesday afternoon.

"Everybody's buying into the change for the next eight days till the UNLV game," Lobos starting quarterback Donovan Porterie said. "Everybody's still behind coach Locks, and we're just trying to make the best of the situation."

"We're all sad to see coach Locks leave for this time period," added linebacker Carmen Messina. "But we're so focused on what we need to do and what we have to accomplish."

The Lobos are 0-6 on the season.

"It'll be exciting, but we'll just stick to the plan coach Locksley put together," Barlow said. "It makes it kind of easy stepping in.

"Once you're out there on the field, it's just us as players," running back James Wright said. "We're just going to try to get out first win.

"We're not going to let this hold us back or make it a distraction. I think we can learn from it and move forward and gain something."