By Mark S. McDonald, dipped and vaccinated wise guy
Woah. The recent arrest of UTEP’s starting senior quarterback Kai Locksley is not only a national story, it sent ripples to very edges of Miners Nation.
Charges against Mr. Locksley range from driving while intoxicated, unlawful carrying of a weapon, weed and threatening to kill local residents. A QB is often the team leader, if for no other reason than he relays play-calls to the offense and handles the ball on every play. These are the choices of a team leader?
It is not against the law to lack commitment. You cannot be arrested for being a selfish dumbass, but you can be suspended from the team while more facts surface. Which is what Head Coach Dana Dimel has done.
Iffy behavior pattern: Locksley signed with Texas, left the team during his first season, bounced from a JuCo in Arizona to Iowa Western Community College where he had a big year, before coming to UTEP.
Hopes for him were high, but Locksley was no Kyler Murray while playing behind a banged-up offensive line.
Watching Kai in practices, I never got the impression he is (was) much of a team guy. My spies in Austin say Locksley was (is) immature and all about “me” rather than “we.”
You Miners Forever have no mixed feelings about this one … In the past seven years we have sat around these campfires together, only the sudden departure of Coach Sean Kugler generated such an uproar. You have spoken, like so:
“I do not believe he will be back in an orange and blue uniform. Going forward, the starter will most likely be Brandon Jones.”
“What a loser. Hope Dimel kicks him out for good.”
“Too bad kids blow opportunities.”
“Good riddance to a genuine loser.”
“I always wonder about a kid who goes to several schools. Stupid kid is old enough to know better.”
“Hasta la bye-bye, Kai Locksley.”
“Pathetic. I am so disappointed.”
“Locksley will not be missed. On your way out, amigo, don’t let the door hit you in the butt.”
{McDonald is a UTEP journalism grad and two-year starter in football. During his lukewarm playing career, if he had been kicked off the team, nobody would have noticed.}
