ALBUQUERQUE – “You thought you were going to Prom and now you’re in these workouts with Coach Heim, and he’s getting after you pretty good.”
Trading in tuxedos for workout gear was a reality for some Lobos during this spring practice session, as they graduated early from high school to join Jason Eck’s football team ahead of schedule.
Spring scrimmages may not be as glamorous as the dance floor, but it follows along with Eck’s philosophy, which he brought into the building since day one: prioritizing
high school talent, especially in-state.
“I believe in high school young men, and I think there’s going to be some rule changes that give you more flexibility with scholarships that I think is gonna give us an opportunity to recruit more New Mexico guys,” Eck said in his 2024 introductory press conference. “Maybe they’re not as polished as some guys from the Phoenix metro area or the Dallas metro area. But they have pride and passion for being from New Mexico, they can add to the culture.”
16 months later, those additions were felt at the spring Cherry and Silver scrimmage, with incoming freshman linebacker Hayes Baum sniffing out a run to the right at the one-yard line for a safety.
“I couldn’t ask for a better spring,” Baum said. “Being able to get in there and learn from all the veterans and all the coaching staff has been really huge for me. Getting in there early, taking the time to really soak it all in, and just learning as much as I can from everybody.”
Baum is one of several spring participants who were playing high school football just months ago, as the former Cibola High School standout was making the same type of tackles just 10 minutes up the road for the Cougars last fall.
On top of recruiting at Cibola and other Albuquerque-area schools, Eck has traveled across the state in the offseason, reaching some schools and areas that said they haven’t been visited by a Lobos coach since the days of Rocky Long, almost 20 years ago.
Eck and Co.’s 2026 class includes 24 high school signees, an uptick from 17 in 2025, including an influx of talent from Arizona, Texas and of course, the Land of Enchantment.
“There are a lot of great football players in the southwest part of the country that I think we are going to be able to tap into,” Eck said in 2024.
Baum and Cleveland High School’s Jacob Maldonado, a top wideout from Rio Rancho, give the Lobos two of the state’s top four recruits as signees, the first time that has happened since 2022.
Now in year two, the Lobos will be able to see the full byproduct of Eck’s strategy, now with a full offseason of recruiting under his belt.
“I think that Coach Eck runs this program terrifically,” Baum said. “You don’t have to hear from me, everyone sees it. He puts people in the right position to win.”
Baum’s “head down, hard work” mentality creates tunnel vision for the incoming linebacker, but even he can’t deny how it feels to have a staff fully buy into the community.
“I think it’s awesome. I’m a local kid. I’m always going to support and be a fan of the 505 no matter what,” Baum said. “And knowing that there’s a coaching staff that is buying into local talent and getting local kids is something that I feel really proud of.”
Now, it is time for the state and community to follow suit.
Baum mentioned he is not much of a talker, but even so, he still says the “505” should be on lookout this upcoming fall.
“The whole university believes that we can do something special,” Baum said, “and we’re all bought in, and it would be amazing for you guys to be a part of it.”
