Insights As Mike Locksley gave a personal take on a new rules emphasis in college football.

If you’ve followed college football in 2024, you might have noticed stricter enforcement of rules this season. Officials are increasingly penalizing players for celebrations that mimic the use of guns and other weapons, handing out 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties without hesitation.

“There’s a list of automatic unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, and one of them in our rule book is simulating the firing of a weapon,” explained Steve Shaw, the NCAA’s national coordinator of officials, in an interview with the AP’s Pete Iacobelli on October 8. “That’s not really a judgement call.”

While fans may view these penalties as trivial, Maryland coach Mike Locksley sees it differently on a personal level.

“Let me clarify my feelings on this,” Locksley told his team recently, as reported by Barry Svrluga of The Washington Post. “I lost a son to gun violence. Pretending to shoot a gun is not amusing to me or my family. If that’s how you want to celebrate a big play, then this program may not be the right fit for you.”

Locksley’s son, Meiko, was tragically shot and killed in Columbia, Maryland, on September 3, 2017, at the age of 25.

During his tenure with the Terrapins, Locksley has prioritized gun violence education beyond football, in addition to leading the team to three bowl game victories.

“Those are significant issues that resonate deeply with me and my family,” Locksley stated.