Locksley stands by his story

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - New Mexico Lobos Head Coach Mike Locksley said he didn't like the way ESPN portrayed him on a recent episode of "Outside the Lines."

Locksley asserted that their slant made him look like a bad guy, but conceded that he wasn't always in the right.

"Am I disappointed the way my image was portrayed, of course, but i also know I made a huge mistake," Locksley said.

On Friday, ESPN aired a story about an altercation between Locksley and receiver's coach J.B. Gerald that occurred during an offensive coaches meeting on Sept. 20.

Gerald told ESPN that Locksley choked and punched him.

University of New Mexico Vice President of Athletics Paul Krebs and Locksley have maintained all along that no punches were thrown.

Photos released by UNM of Friday show Gerald with a bruised neck, cut arm and a cut lip.

News 13 also obtained hand written notes taken during interviews with coaches who witnessed the scuffle.

The notes show offensive line coach Mike Degory told an investigator that Locksley reached out and started chocking Gerald at the meeting. Degory also said he "held Locks back as he was swinging at Gerald."

When asked about the notes, Locksley said he wasn't involved with those interviews and didn't know what the other coaches said.

Locksley still stands by his story and said he did not punch Gerald.

"That is his opinion. Throughout this investigation I have been very honest about my account of my actions, whether it was a choke or a punch, if I felt I punched him, I would have said I punched him," Locksley said. "As in any type of investigation when you have four or five different people's opinion of what happened, there will be discrepancies i would imagine."

The embattled coach said he was certain about one thing on Sunday.

"I know I have work to do to restore the confidence of the lobo family and me being the leader of the program," Locksley said.

UNM President David Schmidly has yet to comment on the ESPN report. Spokeswoman Susan McKinsey said Schmidly is at a long planned accreditation site visit at Oregon State and will be back in town on Tuesday.

McKinsey said he'll be available to comment on the case sometime Wednesday.