Position Breakdown: Offensive Line

Starters Returning (4): Cade Briggs (LT), Austin Cook (LG), Kyle Stapley (C), Isaak Gutierrez (RG)
Starters Lost (1): Teton Saltes (RT)
Returning Letterwinners (3): Ben Davis (1 start in 2020), Jacob Jankoviak, Radson Jang
Redshirts (5): Jer’Marques Bailey, Greg Brown II, Leke Asenuga, Vincent Santos, Walter Baca
Incoming Transfers (1): Jack Buford (from Missouri)
Incoming Freshmen (7): Clement Ulale, Chris Lovato, Nathaniel Gomez, Shancco Matautia, Isaiah Sillemon, Larry Luna, Arrison Cole

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jason Lenzmeier certainly doesn’t know what to do with himself these days, because usually when you think of offensive linemen and numbers, you think of numbers in the 50s, 60s or 70s. Not Lenz. The number he is thinking of 19.

Lenzmeier currently has 19 offensive linemen in fall camp.  It’s certainly the most that UNM has had running through drills in a long time, and it just didn’t take Lenzmeier, Danny Gonzales and recruiting coordinator Jordan Somerville to replenish that line that was plagued by JUCO-turnover.

The starters that return are plentiful. Kyle Stapley has started for three consecutive seasons and owns more career starts, 31, than any other player on the roster.  Cade Briggs has started 13 games over two seasons, Austin Cook and Isaak Gutierrez each started seven last year.

And while UNM lost the services of Teton Saltes to the New York Jets, two other returners have starting experience in Jacob Jankoviak, who redshirted last year but started at guard five times in 2019, and Ben Davis, who started one game in 2020 at right tackle.  It’s that right tackle slot that in theory should be open, although with 19 in fall camp, the competition is heavy along the line.

Jack Buford from Missouri has tried to make a name for himself in camp hoping for that slot, as has Davis, a graduate transfer from Minnesota in 2020 that is using a super senior season, like Stapley is.  With those two are a bunch of talented freshmen who were all able to see a little time last year but ultimately redshirt.

The biggest of the bunch is Jer’Marques Bailey, a 6-6, 332-pound tackle that could probably get plenty of side work in the Albuquerque film industry with his size.  Bailey has three other members of the 2020 recruiting class with him that redshirted in Leke Asenuga, Greg Brown II and Vincent Santos, all of whom have shown flashes in fall camp.

Just that group could set Lenzmeier up for offensive line success, but it’s almost like a Ron Popiel commercial … because wait, there’s more!  Walter Baca and Radson Jang are both back after redshirting and are smaller, more agile linemen, and the Lobos added to the haul with seven incoming freshmen, six of which are in camp.

National Signing Day picks Arrison Cole, Isaiah Sillemon and Roswell product Larry Luna all have the size as true freshmen to play at the Division I level, and while all have shown a quick ability to adjust to the college game, all should have a chance to learn, get stronger and redshirt.  Joining those three are Nathaniel Gomez, Clement Ulale (the younger brother of former Lobo Fatu Ulale) and Shancco Matautia, who have all shown well.

There’s only five slots along the line, but UNM might have a luxury of one of the best field goal block formations in the country with the type of depth along the line that’s on UNM’s sidelines right now. The best part if the multi-positional nature of many of UNM’s linemen.  While a guy like Bailey is an obvious tackle, UNM has centers galore behind Stapley, with Gutierrez, Brown and Jang all getting snaps regularly in practice. Briggs has started at tackle and guard in his career, as has Jankoviak.

It’s plenty of pieces for Lenzmeier to work the offensive line puzzle, and the best part is the solution is multifaceted. There’s not just one way to do it, and it should mean that the offensive line is a big strength of the 2021 Lobo Football Team.

Tickets: Season tickets are still available via golobos.com/tickets, and fans can now get in on mini-plans as well.  UNM is currently ahead of the 2019 season ticket totals.

There are two mini-plans for fans to get in on, the Cherry Plan and the Silver Plan. The Cherry Plan gets you a three-game set of the opener against Houston Baptist, New Mexico State and UNLV.  The Silver Plan gets fans tickets for New Mexico State, Air Force and Utah State.

Single game tickets are available by clicking the game below:

9/2 Houston Baptist
9/11 New Mexico State
10/2 Air Force
10/16 Colorado State
11/6 UNLV
11/26 Utah State

Tomorrow: A breakdown of UNM’s quarterback situation.