Sept. 2, 2006
Kole McKamey is a third-year starter at quarterback who was enjoying a breakthrough season in 2005 before an old back injury kept him out of the final two regular season games…2006 team captain and all-MWC candidate…one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation…has displayed tremendous toughness and play-making ability…can cause defenders fits with his outstanding speed and agility, as well as a deceptively strong, accurate arm…worked tirelessly to learn new coordinator Bob Toledo’s system in the offseason and grew more comfortable with each practice during the spring…did a nice job of spreading the ball around and improved throwing the deep ball during the spring…Toledo says he expects McKamey to have a big year running the offense if he can stay healthy…one of the most powerful QBs ever to play at UNM, setting the position power clean record last spring with a 323-pound lift…in 2004 he became the first New Mexican to start a season opener for the Lobos since Barry Garrison (Albuquerque) in 1987…ranks among the career top-10 at UNM with 3,085 passing yards (10th), 258 completions (9th), a 55.1 completion percentage (4th) and 21 TD passes (T8th)…4 career 100-yard rushing games and is the only Lobo to rush for 100 and throw for 100 in a game 3 times…he and Billy Rucker (1985) are the only players ever to twice rush for 100 and throw for over 200 in a game…only Lobo in history with 150 yards rushing and passing in one game (152r, 172p vs. New Mexico State in 2005)…129 yards shy from becoming the third Lobo to gain 1,000 yards rushing and 3,000 yards passing (Donald Sellers and Stoney Case).
Q: What does it mean to be selected a captain?
A: It is an honor and a privilege. It is an honor that your teammates look up to you and know that you are the type of guy that can lead them to success.
Q: How have you adjusted to the new offense?
A: Yes very much so and I am loving it.
Q: The quarterbacks have a ritual of trying to hit the crossbar after each practice. Can you explain what it’s for? Who started it? Is their any significance to it?
A: I think that Coach Dodd or Casey Kelley started it a long time ago but I am not sure which. It is just a fun thing to do after practice. We used to bet milkshakes on it and its just one of those fun things to do after practice as you are walking off the field and I usually always win.
Q: You can walk down the red carpet at a movie premiere with anybody who is it?
A: Jessica Simpson.
Q: If you could invite two people to dinner who would it be and why?
A: This is tough one. John Wayne, because who wouldn’t want to meet the Duke. Jesus, because he is the one who created everything and he would be the most interesting person to talk to.
Q: Do you think you could throw a baseball out of the stadium from home plate?
A: No, but I think I could come close.
Q: What about hit a baseball out of the park?
A: Oh yeah, I was a good baseball player.
Q: Who do you think could hit more home runs at batting practice: Robert Turner or Quincy Black?
A: I have seen Quincy bat and he is horrible. Rob is a pretty good athlete and I have seen Rob hit the ball a little bit, so definitely Rob.
Q: Favorite meal of the day?
A: Breakfast. I am a country kid. I like steak, eggs, hashborwns, bacon and biscuits and gravy. I like all that stuff.
Q: What song do you listen to before every game?
A: I listen to Pat Green. Most people don’t know who that is, but he is Texas Country, so I listen to Pat Green and pretty much any of his songs.
Q: Your dad is a geologist, did he ever talk about how the earth was formed growing up?
A: I think that is what we went to church for.
Q: Did you have to stay out of trouble in high school knowing that your mother, an English teacher at Artesia High, would find out everything you did?
A: Oh definitely yes and I still got in trouble, that’s the bad thing.
Q: You must have had good grades though in English and Science.
A: Actually I am really good at English, but not math. Don’t ask me a math question because I won’t even try to answer it.