Lobos’ Locksley suspended for fight with assistant

New Mexico football coach Mike Locksley opened his portion of Tuesday's league conference call by talking about the fortuitous timing of this week's bye, saying it would give his staff a chance to "evaluate everything we do in the program."

The Lobos will have to evaluate things without Locksley.

The first-year coach was suspended for 10 days and won't be allowed to have any contact with the team until Oct. 25, one day after New Mexico (0-6) hosts UNLV. Defensive backs coach George Barlow temporarily replaces Locksley.

Locksley, 39, allegedly struck receivers coach J.B. Gerald at a Sept. 20 staff meeting. Gerald filed a police report and has not returned to the team.

"Obviously for us, any suspension ... would not be a good thing for the team, but I also recognize if there are consequences for my actions, I'll accept them, deal with them and move forward," Locksley said before the suspension was announced.

New Mexico athletic director Paul Krebs initially stood by Locksley after last month's incident, saying a reprimand was sufficient.

But after an avalanche of negative publicity over the way the situation was handled, the school's human resources department launched an investigation.

• BACK IN THE POLL -- Utah returned to The Associated Press poll this week at No. 24, putting three Mountain West Conference teams in the Top 25 again.

Utes coach Kyle Whittingham was asked if the conference would be better off if teams beyond the big three of Texas Christian, Brigham Young and Utah became serious contenders.

"I'd rather nobody emerge but us," Whittingham said. "It seems like when you have parity and everybody beats up on each other, it does you no good on the national scene. If you have a team go 5-3 (in conference play) as the champion, you don't have a chance on the national scene."

• COOL QB -- TCU coach Gary Patterson marvels at junior quarterback Andy Dalton's efficiency despite playing in poor weather.

Dalton has thrown just three interceptions, and one of those throws bounced off a tight end's shoulder pads, to help the No. 12 Horned Frogs to a 5-0 record.

"It's very hard to manage a game when you have two games in downpours and one in 6 degree weather on the road," Patterson said.

Dalton is clearly TCU's offensive leader.

"He's a guy who instead of asking what to do in the huddle, he demands," Patterson said. "He's settled in to be the kind of player we expected out of high school."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Read the latest UNLV football updates at lvrj.com/blogs/unlv_sports.