Football Opens Practice Friday Morning

Downloadable Practice Roster

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — There are plenty of questions for the discerning fan as The University of New Mexico Lobos get ready to open up the 2018 campaign with the beginning of Fall Camp.  What no one can question is the will to show that UNM is a program that can bounce back from 2017 and hit the heights of the previous two seasons, ones in which UNM went to bowl games, including winning the 2016 Gildan New Mexico Bowl.

Head coach Bob Davie enters his seventh season, and just splitting his first six down the middle showcases a remarkable turn of events for the Lobo program.  In Davie’s first three seasons, from 2012-14, inheriting the lowest amount of scholarships in the NCAA, Davie led UNM to a three-year aggregate record of 11-26.  While that doesn’t seem like much to the uninformed, it was a +15 improvement, going from 30 games under .500 under Mike Locksley and George Barlow from 2009-2011 (3-33) to 15 games under.  In his last three seasons, the team went 19-19, even .500 and a second straight +15 improvement.

While Davie acknowledged on Wednesday that he is looking forward to the competition at various positions including the offensive line and at the specialists spots, he knows all eyes will be on the quarterbacks, especially returners Coltin Gerhart and Tevaka Tuioti and transfer Sheriron Jones.  To that end, Davie has said he may do something a little different in camp, especially for him.

“In this camp the quarterbacks are going to get a lot of attention, as they should,” said Davie, after three-year starting quarterback Lamar Jordan graduated to the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons as a receiver.  “I really do feel we have three of them that have a legitimate opportunity to start for this football team.  It’s going to be performance-based, but how do you determine that if you aren’t tackling the quarterback?”  Davie has never had his quarterbacks live during camp, but that might very well change.

“It’s something we are talking about doing during scrimmages, at least in certain situations, because we have to find out who the quarterback is,” said Davie.  “There’s a lot of competition there, and that adds another element to it.

Fans will be able to watch that competition, and almost every Fall Camp practice, as most of camp is open for fans.  The best places to watch are along the North side on the hill behind the end zones, or in the shade on the hill against the Indoor Practice Facility.  Rosters will be available, and they are also available for download at the top of the page.  Fans can take pictures, but no video.  Media members can stay for practice, and still cameras can shoot throughout, but video is only allowed for the first 30 minutes.