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In unsurprising fashion a week ago, Alabama head coach Nick Saban officially announced the promotion of wide receivers coach Mike Locksley to offensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa.

Locksley, 48, has spent the past two seasons with the Crimson Tide and served as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2017. And many expected the former New Mexico head coach to be a rare, in-house play-caller hire by Saban this offseason.

But to the freshmen that learned under Locksley’s tutelage in their first year of college, the new offensive coordinator helped them transform into key contributors at Alabama as freshmen.

“I’ve progressed a lot,” wideout Jerry Jeudy told BamaOnLine at Alabama’s media day session in New Orleans. “I learned a lot of new things coming into college. Coach Locksley taught me a lot of new things. I just got better with my game. ... He teaches me a lot. I’ve become a route-runner, become a better blocker and you need all those tools to play for Bama.”

Locksley inherits an offense that returns starters along the offensive line (4), at tight end (2), at running back and the two quarterbacks that played in the 2017 season. The trio of freshmen that contributed in the title game, which Locksley coached, are also back.

Appearing in all 14 games, Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith combined to catch 33 passes for 649 yards and 11 touchdowns in their first seasons in crimson. And none were bigger than Smith’s 41-yard reception against Georgia to win the Tide’s fifth national championship in nine seasons in January. Locksley helped him develop into a player to make that catch.

“Coach Locksley helped me a lot with everything,” Smith told BamaOnLine at Alabama’s media day session in Atlanta. “Since I’ve been here, from when I got here till now, I learned so much because of Coach Locks. He’s a great teacher, and I thank him for that.”

Not only did Locksley help the young receivers grow as players that were heavily utilized as true freshmen, but he was there for them and their teammates off the field as a motivator, as well.

Alabama OC Mike Locksley

“He helped out a lot,” Ruggs told BamaOnLine in New Orleans. “He kind of doesn’t let me get down. He knows what kind of guy I am, he doesn’t let me get too far down, he keeps me up. He keeps the spirit up and never lets anybody have a bad day.”

And the wide receivers attempted to return the favor when tragedy struck the Locksley family.

Locksley’s son, Meiko Locksley, was shot and killed in Columbia, Md., on Sept. 3, 2017 -- one day after Alabama’s 2017-18 season opener against Florida State. He was 25 years old.

“We’re all family,” Ruggs said. “The team is a family, but the wide receivers stick together. When he went through that, we kind of just kept it up for him, and we all told him we’re his kids.”

Smith added: “He’s a funny guy, so we’d be there laughing with him. But when things happen, you don’t want to be all up on people too much because sometimes that doesn’t help to calm things down. So, we gave him his room and we were there for him when he needed us.”

Locksley will now oversee the entire offense while newcomer Josh Gattis serves as receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator. The duties as play-caller, however, aren’t new to Locksley.

After filling the role of interim head coach at Maryland for the final six games of the 2015 season, he served as the Terrapins offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2012-15. Locksley also spent time as the head coach at New Mexico from 2009-11.

During his time as Maryland’s offensive coordinator, the Terrapins produced balanced and effective results. The 2013 offense eclipsed 5,000 yards of total offense for only the fourth time in program history, while accounting for 3,231 yards passing (third most all-time).

Locksley also served as the offensive coordinator at Illinois (2005-08). While he was there, the Illini went from No. 72 nationally in total offense in 2005 to 19th following the 2008 season.

“He’s been a great addition to our staff,” Saban said of Locksley at the Senior Bowl. “He’s been a coordinator before, he’s been a head coach. He’s great with the players, he’s a very good teacher, he’s a good recruiter. He’s got great knowledge of several offenses.

“Some of the stuff that we do were things that he was able to implement and have knowledge of. So, we’re excited about what he brings.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).