- LOCATION: Albuquerque, New Mexico (population 564,559)
- CONFERENCE: Mountain West
- 2022 RECORD: 2-10, 0-8 in Mtn. West
- HEAD COACH: Danny Gonzales, 4th season (7-24, 3-20 in Mtn. West)
- STADIUM: Turner & Margaret Branch Field at University Stadium (capacity 39,224)
2022 Results
- W, 41-0 vs Maine
- L, 14-31 vs Boise State
- W, 27-10 vs UTEP
- L, 0-38 @ LSU
- L, 20-31 @ UNLV
- L, 14-27 vs Wyoming
- L, 9-21 @ New Mexico State
- L, 9-41 vs Fresno State
- L, 10-27 @ Utah State
- L, 3-35 @ Air Force
- L, 10-34 vs San Diego State
- L, 0-17 @ Colorado State
2023 Schedule
- Sept. 2 @ Texas A&M
- Sept. 9 vs Tennessee Tech
- Sept. 16 vs New Mexico State
- Sept. 23 @ Massachusetts
- Sept. 30 @ Wyoming
- Oct. 14 vs San Jose State
- Oct. 21 vs Hawai’i
- Oct. 28 @ Nevada
- Nov. 4 vs UNLV
- Nov. 11 @ Boise State
- Nov. 18 @ Fresno State
- Nov. 25 vs Utah State
Bold indicates Mtn. West game.
2023 Recruiting Class – High School
- Hunter Wiggins, S (Lincoln HS – San Diego, California)
- Devon Dampier, QB (Saguaro HS – Scottsdale, Arizona)
- Jayden Wilson, LB (Austin HS – El Paso, Texas)
- Aidan Armenta, QB (La Cueva HS – Albuquerque, New Mexico)
- Skylar Cook, S (Central Union HS – El Centro, California)
- Dereck Moore, S (Woodbridge HS – Irvine, California)
- Matthew Toilolo, OL (Orem HS – Orem, Utah)
- Nic Trujillo, WR (Cleveland HS – Rio Rancho, New Mexico)
- Evan Wysong, WR (Cleveland HS – Rio Rancho, New Mexico)
- Edward Blacklock, CB (Klein Forest HS – Spring, Texas)
2023 Recruiting Class – Transfer Portal
- Sam Telesa, OL (Georgetown/Waipahu, Hawai’i)
- Bryson Washington, S (Oklahoma/Houston, Texas)
- D’Arco Perkins-McAllister, S (TCU/Nashville, Tennessee)
- Caleb Medford, WR (TCU/Henderson, Texas)
- Gabriel Lopez, DE (Washington State/Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Marvin Covington, S (TCU/Mansfield, Texas)
- Xavier Van, WR (San Diego/San Diego, California)
- D.C. Tabscott, QB (Appalachian State/Nashville, Tennessee)
- Dylan Hopkins, QB (UAB/Maryville, Tennessee)
- Andrew Henry, RB (Louisiana-Monroe/Dallas, Texas)*
- Ryan Davis, WR (UAB/Roswell, Georgia)
- Jeremiah Hixon, WR (Alabama State/Spanish Fort, Alabama)
- Magnus Geers, TE (Temple/Zürich, Switzerland)
- Travis Gray, OL (Colorado/Aurora, Colorado)
- Max Lantzsch, TE (TCU/Dresden, Germany)
- Noa Pola-Gates, S (Nebraska/Gilbert, Arizona)
- Kaydin Pope, WR (Mississippi State/Savannah, Tennessee)
- Taurrian Stafford, OL (Alabama State/Miami, Florida)
- Jacory Merritt, RB (Alabama State/Montgomery, Alabama)
*also lettered at Fort Scott CC
2023 Recruiting Class – Junior College Transfers
- D.J. Washington, WR (Iowa Central CC/Belle Glade, Florida)
- Everett Hunter, TE (Modesto JC – CA/Modesto, California)
- Ikani Tuiono, OL (Independence CC – KS/Salt Lake City, Utah)*
- Devon Smith, OL (Jones College – MS/Biloxi, Mississippi)
- Dimitri Johnson, LB (Santa Rosa JC – CA/Rohnert Park, California)
- Dorian Lewis, RB (Coffeyville CC – KS/Rio Rancho, New Mexico)
- Mihalis Santorineos, LB (Sierra College – CA/Rohnert Park, California)
- Reese Steele, OL (Iowa Central CC – Des Moines, Iowa)
- Aaron Smith, S (Mt. San Antonio College – CA/Long Beach, California)
- Hunter Rapolla, DE (Mt. San Jacinto College – CA/Temecula, California)
*also lettered at Snow College
ASSISTANT COACHES
- Bryant Vincent, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
- Troy Reffett, defensive coordinator/cornerbacks
- Jamie Christian, special teams coordinator/running backs
- Jerome Haywood, defensive line
- David Howes, safeties
- Jake Rothschiller, linebackers
- Heath Ridenour, offensive assistant – quarterbacks
- Cam Blankenship, offensive line
- Joe Scelfo, tight ends
- Cornelius Williams, wide receivers
THREE KEY PLAYERS
- QB Dylan Hopkins (Sr.)
His spring game performance still left the door open for other contenders (like Appalachian State transfer D.C. Tabscott), but Hopkins is familiar with Bryant Vincent’s offense—having followed him from UAB—and boasts 4,750 career passing yards and 31 touchdowns on his resumé.
- RB Christian Washington (Soph.)
Washington led the Lobos with over 800 all-purpose yards as a true freshman. The San Diego product also returned a kick 100 yards for a score in a loss to Boise State.
- P Aaron Rodriguez (Jr.)
The former Missouri transfer averaged over 44 yards per punt.
THREE KEY LOSSES
- S Jerrick Reed II
Reed was a three-year starter for the Lobos, racking up 265 career tackles and bailing out a young secondary many times. The Mississippi native was a sixth-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks.
- S A.J. Haulcy
Haulcy was thrown into the fire as a true freshman and mostly held his own, finishing third on the team with 87 tackles, while adding two picks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He had an epic 24-tackle game in the loss to Fresno State, but then entered the portal in December, later landing at Houston.
- LB Cody Moon
The Albuquerque native and former walk-on led UNM with 105 tackles, while also adding 4.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss, then abruptly entered the portal the day after defensive coordinator Rocky Long left.
THREE KEY ADDITIONS
- LB Mihalis Santorineos (Soph.)
Santorineos may have locked down a starting spot at middle linebacker in the spring after several Lobos players transferred and several others were recovering from injuries. He made 56 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss during his lone season at Sierra College in northern California.
- WR Caleb Medford (Jr.)
He played in only five career games in two seasons at TCU, but Medford was still part of a winning program and looked great in his first spring practice at New Mexico.
- S Hunter Wiggins (Fr.)
Wiggins played for a Lincoln High team in San Diego that won its first-ever Class 2A state championship in 2022. Although undersized at 6’0”, 195 pounds, Wiggins was a three-star prospect who chose UNM over the likes of Oregon State, Arizona, Colorado and San Diego State.
QUOTE
“Do we have an opportunity to compete with them, or will we have an opportunity to spoil? Do we have an opportunity to be in that conversation? It’ll all play itself out.”
—Coach Danny Gonzales, on UNM’s chances in the Mountain West
2023 Preview – Offense
A year after averaging 12.2 points per game—the worst mark in school history—the UNM offense averaged a mere 13.1 points per game in 2022. Coordinator Derek Warehime was dismissed after four games, and quarterbacks coach Heath Ridenour, who had never coached at any collegiate level before, took over as interim offensive coordinator.
In the offseason, Gonzales brought in Bryant Vincent, formerly OC and interim head coach at UAB, and he brought a few familiar faces with him: tight ends coach Joe Scelfo, wide receivers coach Cornelius Williams and offensive line coach Cam Blankenship, who all either played for or coached with Vincent in Birmingham.
But of course, it all revolves around the situation up front and quarterback, neither of which were strengths for UNM in 2022.
For the third straight season under head coach Danny Gonzales, the Lobos started multiple players and the stats were horrific: in this case, three different QBs combined for less than 1,300 passing yards and threw three touchdowns against nine interceptions.
One out of three returns: junior Justin Holaday, who played in multiple games and did not have a touchdown pass.
The Lobos signed two freshmen in December: Devon Dampier and Aidan Armenta, and also brought in D.C. Tabscott, a transfer from Appalachian State, but it’s expected that UAB transfer Dylan Hopkins, a three-year starter, will be handed the keys to the offense.
In addition to his prior relationship with Vincent, Hopkins has solid mobility. However, Hopkins had a shaky showing in the spring game, potentially opening the door for Tabscott to take the reins. Stay tuned.
Last fall, Lobo quarterbacks were too busy dodging pass-rushers behind a porous offensive line that gave up 43 sacks while breaking in an entirely new starting five. Four starters now return up front, including junior center C.J. James, and improvement there is imperative.
Gonzales brought in three junior college players, a grad transfer and an early enrollee freshman to help provide more competition and depth. One of them, Mississippi JUCO transfer Devon Smith, quickly found a starting spot at right tackle in spring practice.
The Lobos do have some talent and depth at running back, which will be important in Vincent’s run-first scheme. That was made more difficult when it was revealed in the spring that leading returning rusher Nate Jones had quit the team.
Sophomore Christian Washington brings significant speed, and Sherod White tied for the lead with three rushing TDs for the Lobos. Andrew Henry, a grad transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, has the most FBS experience out of the group, although redshirt freshman Zach Vigil, a former New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year, shined in the spring.
Wide receiver always seems to be a position of need for UNM, and junior Luke Wysong is a handy possession receiver (68 career catches), but he had only one touchdown last season. This team sorely needs a deep threat who can stretch the field. Help is on the way: UAB transfer Ryan Davis and TCU transfer Caleb Medford are both being given every chance to contribute. Medford looked great in the spring, according to coaches, and 6’4″ JUCO transfer D.J. Washington has terrific athleticism.
Tight end is unproven. Elijah Queen and Will Dennis played a little bit last year, but Gonzales again looked to transfers to provide competition. California JUCO transfer Everett Hunter and Temple grad transfer Magnus Geers, who’s originally from Switzerland, will provide a boost to the two-deep.
2023 Preview – Defense
For a unit that was on the field for far too long, Rocky Long’s defense continued to develop in 2022, giving up 28 points per game and showing a knack for timely takeaways. However, the secondary still took a beating and the Lobos must replace veterans at every level (defensive end Justin Harris, linebacker Reco Hannah and safety Jerrick Reed II, just to name a few).
Altogether, UNM returns four starters and lost multiple players to the portal. Even worse, Long bolted for Syracuse the week before Christmas. Looking to keep continuity, Gonzales promoted cornerbacks coach Troy Reffett from within, and he has 15 prior years of experience in the DC role, including previously at UNM (in 2008), UTEP, Louisiana-Monroe and North Texas.
After Cody Moon and Dion Hunter left via the portal, they’ll have a few veterans trying to pick up the slack in his absence at linebacker.
Sy Riley (36 tackles in eight games) has potential, sophomores Alec Marenco and Marquis Jones got their feet wet in 2022, and junior Ray Leutele is healthy again after being hobbled with a foot injury. Marenco missed the spring with a shoulder problem, which allowed JUCO transfer Mihalis Santorineos to possibly nail down a starting spot after enrolling early in Albuquerque, where he’s reuniting with his old high school teammate, Dimitri Johnson.
The secondary is more of a concern, as the Lobos lose veterans like Jerrick Reed II to the NFL, as well as A.J. Haulcy and Ronald Wilson to the portal.
TCU transfer Marvin Covington could help out at safety, while corner Donte Martin is undersized, but experienced. UNM successfully experimented with converted receiver Bobby Wooden at safety in the spring, and he could at the very least provide leadership to a thin group. Sophomore Christian Ellis could be a darkhose candidate to emerge, as could true freshman Hunter Wiggins.
Up front, priority number one for New Mexico is finding capable replacements at defensive end for the departed Jake Saltonstall and Justin Harris (combined five sacks and 10.5 TFL).
Kyler Drake, Omar Darame and Bryce Santana return on the interior, and they’ll need to take a step forward while the Lobos try to locate playmakers around them. Some other possible names could include New Mexico native Tyler Kiehne, who began his career at UCLA, JUCO transfer Hunter Rapolla and Washington State transfer Gabe Lopez.
2023 Preview – Special Teams
In a season full of lowlights, the emergence of kicker Luke Drzewiecki was a bright spot after years of kicking game woes for the Lobos.
The junior from Michigan made 10-of-14 field goals, with a long of 44, and he was a perfect six-for-six on PATs.
Similarly, punter Aaron Rodriguez saw the field far too often, but the former Missouri transfer made the most of it, averaging 44.2 yards per boot, with only six touchbacks in 81 attempts.
Washington emerged as a dynamic kick returner, returning one 100 yards to the house in an early-season loss to Boise State.
Summary
As has become the recurring theme of the Gonzales era, a stagnant offense has been what’s kept UNM in the Mountain West cellar. Last season was more of the same, as a quarterback carousel once again ensued and a solid defense had to carry way too much of a burden.
A 2-10 mark was the worst for the Lobos yet under Gonzales, a loyal alum, and then things got worse. Lobo legend Rocky Long, their ex-head coach (1998-2008) and defensive coordinator, left Albuquerque for Syracuse, and an already-young roster was gutted by the transfer portal.
After being unafraid to play true freshmen out of necessity during his first three seasons, Gonzales signed more transfers than ever, searching for immediate solutions and hoping to breathe life into an overhauled offense. He dismissed all but two offensive assistant coaches as well, and promoted cornerbacks coach Troy Reffett from within to take over Long’s unique 3-3-5 defense.
While athletic director Eddie Nuñez has assured the media that Gonzales’s job is secure, the Lobos simply need to show more life as they try to avoid a seventh straight season without a bowl. They’ve lost 20 of their past 23 conference games and haven’t made a bowl game since 2016.
Letters from Las Cruces 