Albuquerque — Jason Eck Era Begins in Albuquerque: Hope for the Lobos
Albuquerque — The whistle has blown, the pads are popping, and a new era is upon us for Lobo football fans in Albuquerque are gearing up for the fall.
UNM Lobo head coach Jason Eck leads the New Mexico Lobos onto the practice field this week to begin fall camp as the Lobos prepare for the challenging 2025–2026 season.
Eck has a complete roster rebuild, a new coaching staff, and a schedule packed with national powers and rising Mountain
West contenders, so he’ll have no time to ease into this job — it’s a full-on dive.
“This isn’t a rebuild,” Eck remarked earlier this summer. “This is a reset.”
And that reset begins now, with a squad that’s hungry and ready to leave the past behind and show the world they can elevate their level of football.
Nothing says “reset” to UNM more than “rebuild.” So, a case can be made that they’ve just gone through nearly constant rebuilding, especially with the October 2024 hiring of Jason Eck, whom they believe has given them a chance and a sense of accountability to move forward.
New UNM Athletic Director Fernando Lovo (yes, that is his real last name) made a strong start when he was hired to lead the UNM Athletic Department, with two marquee hires: Jason Eck for football and Eric Olen for Lobo basketball.
Eck inherits a Lobo program unsettled by recent instability, including frequent roster changes and the distractions caused by Bronco Mendenhall’s brief consideration of the job before leaving for Utah State after one year.
Some may argue that UNM’s loss of Mendenhall wasn’t a good thing, but at least they learned that hiring Eck could be be a first step on a long journey toward college football success.
Those of us who have followed this program over the years remember when a defensive coordinator from UCLA and Oregon State named Rocky Long took over.
He began with modest success, needing time to create something meaningful. In his first season, he won only three games — even with a young talent named Brian Urlacher on the roster — but over time, he transformed New Mexico into a winning team.
A proven winner, Jason Eck’s 26 years of coaching encompass all levels and roles in college football, along with three outstanding seasons as head baseball coach at the University of Idaho.
Since his arrival, Eck has been warmly embraced by the Albuquerque community. He has implemented many of the successful strategies used by previous Lobo football coaches to achieve winning results.
He took charge of the struggling Vandals program, which had faced tough times, including a controversial move to FCS. He guided them to three consecutive FCS playoffs, a top 25 ranking, and a resurgence in crowd and fan support.
In 2024, after inheriting a roster with less than 20 percent of its previous offensive output — mainly at quarterback — Eck ended the season with a 10-4 record and advanced to the FCS quarterfinals.
But the arrival of Eck, along with a hungry and aggressive staff, a tearing down and then rebuilding of the roster and a culture of toughness and belief might just be what New Mexico football needs.
They won’t score like they did in 2024 but Eck is going with a more balanced approach and focusing on defense should provide a stronger foundation.
Jason Eck knows how to win—from nothing and build a program. For a program that’s been searching for it’s identity for so many years, that’s exactly what New Mexico football needs.
A proven winner and culture changer, Jason Eck’s 26 years of coaching include all levels and roles of college football, as well as three outstanding seasons as head baseball coach at the University of Idaho.
He took charge of the struggling Vandals program, which had faced tough times, including a controversial decision to drop to FCS, and guided them to three straight FCS playoffs, a top-25 ranking, and a revived crowd and fanbase.
In 2024, after inheriting a roster with less than 20 percent of its previous offensive output—mainly at quarterback—Eck achieved a 10-4 record and reached the FCS quarterfinals.
Staff With Vision
Eck didn’t arrive in Albuquerque alone—he brought with him associated personalities and coaches to help create continuity and establish a strong impact culture from the start. By assembling a team of talented hires, Eck was able to offer his roster much-needed veteran guidance and direction.
One of Eck’s key hires was offensive coordinator Luke Schleusner, who was Eck’s OC at Idaho and previously worked alongside Eck at South Dakota State.
Schleusner is known for creative, balanced offensive systems that focus on the red zone. He offers a system that enables Eck’s players to play aggressively while promoting efficient decision-making from their quarterback; ideally suited for a roster that is expanding.
Defensively, Eck hired Spence Nowinsky. Nowinsky brings nearly 20 years of experience as a Division I defensive coordinator and is known for developing aggressive defenses that focus on creating turnovers, especially on third down, and stopping runs.
Most recently, at Memphis in 2024, Nowinski helped boost the Tigers’ defense from ranked 95th to 52nd nationally, while the rushing defense improved from 79th to 18th nationally.
He led impactful units at Ohio University, ending with the 2023 season where Ohio ranked high in FBS categories, earning recognition as the Group of Five Defensive Coordinator of the Year.
Nowinski also has a history of developing an effective defense during his time at Miami (OH) and Illinois State, producing tackles respected nationally for scoring, sacks, and turnovers.
These coaches and other current staff understand Eck’s expectations as a head coach and have a proven track record of developing under-recruited players into impactful contributors.
If you examine the history of Lobo football—what worked and what didn’t—you’ll see a clear pattern: the most successful teams were built on physical toughness.
Former head coaches Dennis Franchione and Rocky Long demonstrated this. Franchione took the Lobos to the 1997 WAC Championship Game, while Long led them to the 2007 New Mexico Bowl.
A key figure behind that physical edge was longtime strength coach Mark Paulsen. Don’t believe his impact? Just ask NFL Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bear Brian Urlacher, who credits Paulsen for helping set strength records during his time at UNM.
Now, with a new era underway, head coach Jason Eck is following that blueprint.
One of his initial major moves was hiring Caleb Heim as the head strength and conditioning coach. Heim brings experience from Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Southwest Minnesota State—and like many of Eck’s staff, he has a strong working relationship with Eck from their days at Idaho. The foundation is being set for a tougher, more physical Lobo team once again.
Reloaded, Not Rebuilt
The 2025 Lobos are a rebuilding team, returning only 30.5% of their total production, ranking 134th in the nation by Punt & Rally.
But don’t mistake a returning production number of less than 35% for points of no return. Eck has been very active in the transfer portal to assemble a roster with unexpected talent in the future.
That starts with a loaded roster of running backs, probably the deepest in the Mountain West. Scottre Humphrey (Montana State) is a tough downhill runner.
Eck will have former CUSA Freshman of the Year DJ McKinney (Sam Houston), Damon Bankston (Weber State)—another prototypical and proven FCS player—and Deshawn Buchanan, who followed Eck from Idaho and now offers the Lobos a dynamic change-of-pace running back option.
At the quarterback position, Jack Layne (who followed Eck from Idaho) is nearly a guaranteed starter if he stays healthy.
Layne demonstrated poise and good decision-making before suffering an unfortunate injury last season. Behind him, there’s returner James Laubstein, who backed up Devon Dampier last year, or true freshman Hank Thompson, a dual-threat prospect Eck was aggressively recruiting to UNM during this past recruiting cycle.
There is a possibility that the wide receiver room has a breakout player in Kansas State transfer Keegan Johnson—a former Power Five playmaker with exceptional route-running instincts.
The group also includes JUCO standout Chris Diaz and former Idaho wide receiver Jordan Dwyer to provide the Lobos with size, speed, and familiarity with Eck’s system.
Defense: A Chip on Their Shoulder
One player who should really stand out this year because he is bigger, faster, and stronger is Jaxton Eck. A high-motor linebacker who plays with instinct and physicality, Jaxton had a breakout year in 2024 and is returning as the tone-setter for the unit.
Last year, he started all 14 games, earning FCS All-America and First Team All-Big Sky honors.
He totaled 134 tackles (55 solo), including 3.5 tackles for loss and one interception. He posted double-digit tackles in eight games, including each of the final six. He opened the season with 14 tackles and 0.5 TFL against No. 1 Oregon.
He will be supported by athletic Nebraska transfer Randolph Kpai and experienced inside linebacker Dimitri Johnson (Weber State), forming a rising group of linebackers who are likely to be around the ball on every play.
At the front, Idaho transfers Keshawn James-Newby and Xavier Slayton will hold the edge, and the massive Texas Southern transfer Brian Booker (6’3”, 331 lbs) will clog up the middle. The defensive line should be much tougher to run against this fall.
The secondary features all new faces, but it might be the most interesting group on the roster. Shutdown corner Abraham Williams, the top returner from Idaho, is back from injury and shows All-MW potential.
Also returning is veteran safety Austin Bawley from Ohio, with over 20 FBS starts, along with several other exciting additions from the portal.
Schedule, Outlook, and Final Thoughts
The Lobos’ 2025 schedule presents opportunities and challenges. They will start against tough teams like Temple and UCLA but also have some easier games against Idaho State and in-state rival New Mexico State.
The 2025 schedule features a mix of tough games and easier matchups: season opener at Michigan, followed by Idaho State at home, then a trip to UCLA.
In conference play, New Mexico avoids Fresno State, Wyoming, and Hawaii but faces tough road tests at Boise State and UNLV. If Eck’s system catches on early, there are enough games to win that can help build momentum.
The schedule will offer key chances to build momentum if the Lobos get off to a strong start against a couple of good teams early on.
Overall Summary
Jason Eck offers more than just a fresh start—he delivers offensive balance, a clear defensive identity, and a staff dedicated to fostering a culture of continuity and toughness.
While the Lobos may not score as much as his Idaho teams, this new regime appears more cohesive and disciplined.
Eck isn’t just coaching a team—he’s rebuilding a foundation. He’s instilling structure, accountability, and belief into a program that has long search for consistency and direction.
That kind of leadership is exactly what New Mexico football has lacked—and desperately needs now, and the Lobo have a coach who wants to be here and see this program succeed for future Lobo generations.
As the 2025–2026 season begins, don’t overlook the Lobos. This team has the grit, leadership, and drive to surprise some people. Whether you’re a die-hard fan, casual follower, or just love a good underdog story, keep your eyes on Albuquerque—because something special might just be brewing in the desert.
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