Tag: new mexico

New Mexico Lobos running back Javen Jacobs (21) is taken down on a punt return as Auburn Tigers take on New Mexico Lobos at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. Auburn Tigers lead New Mexico Lobos 17-13 at halftime.

Hank Brown steals spotlight as Auburn rolls over New Mexico

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Hank Brown threw four touchdown passes and Jarquez Hunter rushed for 152 yards and scored two touchdowns as host Auburn held off New Mexico for a 45-19 nonconference victory on Saturday night.

Brown replaced Payton Thorne, who threw four interceptions in a loss to Cal last week, as the Tigers’ starting quarterback and completed 17 of 25 passes for 235 yards. Hunter caught one of Brown’s TD passes and rushed for another score for the Tigers (2-1).

Devon Dampier completed 22 of 44 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown to lead the Lobos (0-3). Dampier was picked off twice.

Auburn received the second-half kickoff and drove to Brown’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Micah Riley that gave the Tigers a 24-13 lead.

Brown’s 14-yard scoring pass to Hunter increased the lead to 31-13 by the end of the third quarter.

Dampier threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Medford to pull the Lobos within 31-19 early in the fourth. Four plays later, Brown threw a 26-yard TD to Rivaldo Fairweather to increase the Auburn lead to 38-19.

New Mexico missed a scoring opportunity later in the fourth after Auburn muffed a punt and the Lobos gained possession at the Tigers 32, as the visitors ended up turning the ball over on downs.

Auburn’s Damari Alston soon ran 22 yards for a touchdown that completed the scoring with 5:51 remaining.

On the first possession of the game, New Mexico drove to Luke Drzewiecki’s 33-yard field goal, and Auburn answered on the ensuing drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Camden Brown for a 7-3 lead.

NaQuari Rogers’ 3-yard scoring run gave the Lobos the lead before Hunter’s 2-yard touchdown run gave Auburn a 14-10 edge at the end of the first quarter.

Towns McGough kicked a 24-yard field goal for the Tigers, but Drzewiecki’s 21-yard field goal trimmed Auburn’s lead to 17-13.

Drzewiecki missed a 37-yard field-goal attempt and Auburn blew a scoring opportunity when it lost a fumble at the Lobos 15, keeping the score at 17-13 at halftime.

–Field Level Media

Aug 31, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) celebrates a touchdown during first quarter at Arizona Stadium. at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-USA TODAY Sports

WR Tetairoa McMillan (304 yards), No. 21 Arizona outlast New Mexico

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Tetairoa McMillan caught 10 passes for a school-record 304 yards and four touchdowns to help No. 21 Arizona pull away to beat New Mexico 61-39 on Saturday night in Tucson, Ariz.

McMillan, a preseason first-team AP All-American, scored on a 69-yard reception on Arizona’s third snap of the game and never stopped. He added scoring receptions of 17, 78 and 40 yards, in addition to a 31-yard gain in which he was pulled down at the 1.

New Mexico (0-2) stayed close through the first half, thanks to athletic quarterback Devon Dampier, who accounted for five touchdowns. The Lobos were up 24-17 before Arizona (1-0) scored the final 10 points of the first half and added three more touchdowns in the third quarter.

Dampier completed 24 of 42 passes for 260 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 130 yards and two scores for the Lobos, who lost their opener 35-31 at home to Montana State last week.

Arizona’s Noah Fifita completed 19 of 31 passes for 422 yards to help coach Brent Brennan win his debut with the Wildcats, who were playing their first game as a member of the Big 12 Conference.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, in his first season at Arizona after transferring from New Mexico, rushed for 106 yards on 13 carries, scoring on a 36-yard run with 2:24 to go. Arizona’s Quali Conley, who followed Brennan from San Jose State, rushed for 90 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries.

McMillian broke the school record of 283 receiving yards, held by Jeremy McDaniel against California in a four-overtime game on Nov. 2, 1996. McMillan was 10 yards short of the Big 12 single-game record of 314, set by Baylor’s Terrance Williams against West Virginia on Sept. 29, 2012.

McMillan had 208 yards and three touchdowns at halftime, but the Wildcats had to scramble for the final 10 points of the half to take a 27-24. Tyler Loop connected on a 46-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the half to give Arizona the lead. Loop also hit from 54 in the first half.

–Field Level Media

Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (11) throws a pass in the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

No. 21 Arizona entertains old rival in Brent Brennan’s debut

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No. 21 Arizona opens the Brent Brennan coaching era on Saturday night in a nonconference game against New Mexico in Tucson, Ariz.

The Wildcats are ranked in the preseason AP poll for only the second time since 1999 – they were 22nd in 2015 – and the biggest reason for that is the internal recruiting Brennan did when hired in January to replace Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington.

Brennan, previously the head coach at San Jose State, held on to the bulk of the key players from Arizona’s 10-3 team, including wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and quarterback Noah Fifita.

“They made an incredibly unselfish choice,” Brennan said of the pair’s decision to turn down NIL opportunities at other schools. “They made the rare choice.”

Fifita (2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns, six interceptions) and McMillan, a preseason first-team All-American after catching 90 passes for 1,402 yards and 10 TDs last year), lead a potent offense that averaged 34.6 points per game last season.

New Mexico (0-1) has the benefit of having played a game, albeit with a painful result in head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s debut. The Lobos coughed up a 17-point fourth-quarter lead and fell 35-31 at home to FCS opponent Montana State.

New Mexico allowed 567 yards, including 362 yards rushing.

“Pretty consistently a gap off here, a gap off there, a missed tackle here, missed tackle there,” Mendenhall said of his team’s run defense. “But enough to where it was really inconsistent.”

Arizona could take advantage of that run defense with a revamped but deep running back group that includes Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who rushed for 1,190 yards and 17 TDs on 189 carries last season … at New Mexico. He and San Jose State transfer Quali Conley (842 rushing yards last season) figure to lead the backfield.

The Lobos’ offense is led by athletic quarterback Devon Dampier, who completed 18 of 26 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown against Montana State. He also scored on a nifty 34-yard naked bootleg that was one of the highlights from Week 0 of college football.

New Mexico receiver Luke Wysong caught six passes for 95 yards last week, while Eli Sanders ran 17 times for 87 yards.

“They look like they play hard. They’re definitely creative defensively. Offensively, they’ve got some weapons,” Brennan said of the Lobos. “I feel like they were one catch away from it being over. They’re going to be ready to play.”

In addition to Merritt, another tie between the schools is Danny Gonzales, who was New Mexico’s head coach from 2020-23, going 11-32. He is now Arizona’s linebackers coach.

Arizona might be a bit of a mystery with Brennan in charge, aided by longtime U of A assistant Duane Akina (now the defensive coordinator) and former Syracuse coach Dino Babers as the new offensive coordinator.

“It does take extra time,” Mendenhall said of the preparation for potential tweaks to Arizona’s schemes, “but, really, the personnel they have warrants so much of the attention.”

The programs are old rivals, dating to 1908, although they haven’t played since 2015. Arizona leads the series 44-20-3.

–Field Level Media

Mar 28, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson (R) talks to TV commentators Grant Hill (L) and Bill Raftery (C) during practice at American Airline Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

University of Houston hires UNM’s Eddie Nunez as athletic director

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The University of Houston announced the hiring of Eddie Nunez, formerly of the University of New Mexico, as its athletic director on Saturday.

The school announced the five-year contract for Nunez, including the title of vice president for intercollegiate athletics. Vice president was a title he previously carried with the Lobos following a promotion in 2021.

Nunez will be formally introduced at a press conference in Houston on Wednesday.

“Eddie Nunez brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success during a time of great transformation in college athletics,” president Renu Khator said. “His leadership will be critical as we continue to elevate our athletics programs, enhance the student-athlete experience and build on the tremendous momentum at the University of Houston.”

Serving as New Mexico athletic director since 2017, Nunez oversaw 22 Mountain West Conference championships and 53 NCAA Tournament appearances across the school’s athletics programs.

Prior to that, Nunez worked in the athletic department at LSU for 14 years, helping to spur facility renovations and multimedia negotiations.

A native of Miami, Fla., Nunez played college basketball for the University of Florida under Billy Donovan, appearing in 13 games over two seasons (1996-98).

The Cougars’ previous athletic director was Chris Pezman, with whom the school parted ways in June..

–Field Level Media

Nov 20, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Bronco Mendenhall looks on from the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Report: New Mexico targeting Bronco Mendenhall

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New Mexico is targeting former BYU and Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall to fill its coaching vacancy, ESPN reported Tuesday.

Mendenhall, 57, compiled a 135-81 record in 17 seasons as the head coach of the Cougars (2005-15) and the Cavaliers (2016-21).

He led BYU to 11 straight bowl games and took Virginia to three in a row, including the Orange Bowl during the 2019 season. His teams were 7-7 in bowl games.

When Mendenhall stepped down at Virginia in December 2021, he said he was not retiring from coaching.

New Mexico fired head coach Danny Gonzales last month after he compiled an 11-32 record in four seasons at his alma mater, including a 4-8 record in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Sep 2, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; New Mexico Lobos running back Christian Washington (22) is tackled during the second quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

No. 23 Texas A&M cruises to 52-10 win over New Mexico

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Conner Weigman threw for 236 yards and five touchdowns to lead No. 23 Texas A&M to a 52-10 season-opening home rout over New Mexico on Saturday.

Evan Stewart caught eight passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns to flank Weigman for the Aggies.

Weigman completed 12-of-16 passes for four touchdowns and 175 yards in the first half to help stake the Aggies to a 35-7 lead at halftime. He would finish 18-for-23.

Texas A&M opened the scoring with 5:00 remaining in the first quarter on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Weigman to Noah Thomas. The score capped off a seven-play, 85-yard drive for the Aggies.

Texas A&M then struck again early in the second quarter, taking a 14-0 lead with 14:53 remaining until halftime on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Weigman to Stewart.

The Lobos responded, cutting the Texas A&M lead to 14-7 with 10:32 left in the second quarter on a 27-yard touchdown run by Jacory Croskey-Merritt, which ended an 88-yard drive that took six plays.

On its next drive, Texas A&M restored its lead to 14 points, going up 21-7 with 8:03 to go until halftime on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Weigman to Thomas.

The Aggies then went up 28-7 with 5:30 left in the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Le’Veon Moss, a score that was set up by a 44-yard punt return by Ainias Smith.

With 1:27 remaining until halftime, Weigman and Thomas connected for a third scoring play, this time a 9-yard touchdown pass to give the Aggies a 35-7 lead.

Weigman threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game — an 8-yard scoring pass to Stewart — with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter to give the Aggies a 42-10 lead.

Dylan Hopkins went 15-of-23 passing for 115 yards in defeat for New Mexico.

–Field Level Media

Former New Mexico, Texas player Jaden Hullaby dies

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Former New Mexico and Texas player Jaden Hullaby has died, both schools announced on Monday.

Earlier Monday, Lando Hullaby, younger brother of Jaden, put out a tweet that suggested Jaden was no longer alive.

“Forever living through big brudda,” Landon Hullaby, a defensive back at Texas Tech, posted on Twitter. “I love you so much and I got you and the family forever I swear get your rest King.”

Jaden Hullaby had been missing since Friday and a relative said Sunday on social media that the family couldn’t “track any of his devices.” He was reportedly last seen in his hometown of Dallas.

There is no word on a cause of death.

Hullaby played two games as a linebacker for Texas in 2020 and redshirted in 2021 before transferring to New Mexico.

“It’s such devastating and tragic news to hear of Jaden’s passing,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said in a statement. “He was a great person and someone we all enjoyed being around, coaching and spending time with. All of our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates, and we want to send our deepest condolences to them in such a difficult time.”

Hullaby played running back and tight end for New Mexico last season and had 13 carries for 59 yards and caught two passes for 44 yards in eight games. He entered the transfer portal following the season.

“The Lobo family is saddened to learn of the passing of former RB/TE Jaden Hullaby,” New Mexico said on Twitter. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jaden’s family and all who knew him.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly reacts during the second half against the Southern Jaguars at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Clause-USA TODAY Sports

LSU looks for more consistency in battle with New Mexico

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Brian Kelly got a victory in his first Southeastern Conference game as LSU head coach.

The Tigers (2-1) will try to build on their 31-16 victory against Mississippi State last weekend when they step out of the SEC to face New Mexico on Saturday in Baton Rouge, La.

“Can we handle success? That’s the question this week,” Kelly said. “Any win in the SEC is a good win. We’re at a team that has a chance to be a good team, but we have to have consistency.”

LSU struggled offensively as it fell behind the Bulldogs 13-0 late in the second quarter. A touchdown just before halftime jumpstarted the offense and the Tigers pulled away by outscoring MSU 21-0 in the fourth quarter.

“I really like how physically and mentally our guys stayed with it until the end of the game,” Kelly said. “We have to look toward perseverance and consistency.

“We’ll look to improve on our overall performance and consistency for four quarters. We’re looking for a complete performance.”

Kelly noted that New Mexico (2-1) forced seven turnovers in its 27-10 victory against UTEP last Saturday.

“We do some turnovers stuff during fall camp but that’s not where you get turnovers,” Lobos head coach Danny Gonzales said. “Turnovers you get from effort and being really physical. The (turnovers) you cause come from the way we play and what we preach on defense is all 11 to the ball in bad humor and when you get there you try to cause something.”

The turnovers came in the form of three fumble recoveries and four interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown by linebacker Reco Hannah to give the Lobos a 10-0 lead.

“I don’t think there is a special magical formula (for causing turnovers),” Gonzales said. “It’s the expectation (to cause turnovers). It ain’t the expectation to get seven (turnovers). That’s unbelievable. Give them credit.”

New Mexico, which beat Maine 41-0 and lost to Boise State 31-14 in its first two games, will be playing its first road game.

–Field Level Media

Kansas redshirt senior quarterback Miles Kendrick (3) runs for yards during the second half of Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 game against Texas Tech at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks lost 41-14.

Kansas transfer Miles Kendrick named New Mexico starting QB

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New Mexico on Monday named Miles Kendrick its starting quarterback for the season opener Sept. 3 against Maine.

Kendrick transferred to New Mexico after playing parts of the past four seasons at Kansas.

In 17 career games (two starts), Kendrick has completed 61.1 percent of his passes and thrown for nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He added 105 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Kendrick missed 2019 due to injury. His 2021 season was also cut short in November when he suffered a lower-leg injury.

“I’m looking to take advantage of every single day. I’m not going to let any day go to waste leading up to Week 1, and that’s my mindset,” Kendrick told reporters. “I’m happy to be named the starter but the work and the expectations are out in front of me. I’m ready to take advantage for sure.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 9, 2021; Carson, California, USA; San Diego State Aztecs running back Greg Bell (22) celebrates with wide receiver Jesse Matthews (45) his touchdown scored against the New Mexico Lobos during the first half at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

No. 25 San Diego St. puts clamps on Lobos, 31-7

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Greg Bell ran for 111 yards and a touchdown Saturday night, and No. 25 San Diego State limited New Mexico to 193 total yards in a 31-7 win in Carson, Calif.

Quarterback Jordan Brookshire added two rushing scores for the Aztecs (5-0, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) while throwing for 130 yards on 11 of 24 accuracy. San Diego State gained just 336 total yards but was in control almost from the beginning.

The Aztecs’ defense made life difficult for quarterback Terry Wilson Jr., a Kentucky transfer who absorbed four sacks and completed 13-of-25 passes for 127 yards with an interception. The Lobos (2-4, 0-2) rushed for only 66 yards on 34 attempts.

San Diego State wasted no time putting its stamp on the game. After its defense forced a 3-and-out to start the game, Bell rushed 40 yards on the Aztecs’ first snap, then scored five plays later from the 1 for a 7-0 lead only 3:39 into the night.

Matt Araiza started the second quarter by hitting a 40-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage. Brookshire finished off a drive of nearly 5 1/2 minutes with a 1-yard touchdown run that put San Diego State ahead by 17 at halftime.

New Mexico got back into contention briefly in the third quarter when Ray Leutele recovered a Bell fumble and rumbled 15 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Aztecs’ cushion to 17-7 at the 4:41 mark.

But San Diego State needed just over two minutes to formulate a response. Two Lobo penalties gifted it first downs and Brookshire cashed in a 45-yard field with an 11-yard run with 2:35 remaining to restore a 17-point lead.

Chance Bell capped the scoring with an 8-yard run with 13:05 left in the game, finishing off a 66-yard drive.

Aaron Dumas managed 77 yards on 11 carries for New Mexico, which hurt itself repeatedly with penalties and an inability to extend drives. The Lobos were flagged nine times for 86 yards and went just 3 of 16 on third down.

–Field Level Media