Position Breakdown: Linebackers
This is the second in a series in which each position will get broken down prior to the start of the 2021 season.
Tuesday, August 17: Offensive Line
Wednesday, August 18: Quarterbacks
Thursday, August 19: Cornerbacks
Friday, August 20: Running Backs
Saturday, August 21: Linebackers
Monday, August 23: Receivers
Tuesday, August 24: Defensive Line
Wednesday, August 25: Running Backs
Thursday, August 26: Safeties
Friday, August 27: Tight Ends
Saturday, August 28: Specialists
Starters Returning (1): Devin Sanders (7 starts)
Starters Lost (2): Kameron Miller (7 starts), Brandon Shook (6 starts)
Returning Letterwinners (4): Reco Hannah (1 start), Ray Leutele, Syaire Riley, Josh Woisin
Letterwinners Lost (1): None
Redshirts (4): Dion Hunter (2 starts), Semaj Sims, Quinten Thomas, Cody Moon
Incoming Transfers (0): None
Incoming Freshmen (4): Alec Morenco, Ernesto Acuña, Josh Howes, JD Roberts
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Rocky Long likes his guys. UNM’s linebacking crew, particularly the front line guys, could very well be the stars of the 2021 Lobo defense, and that’s a really good scenario for UNM and its fan base.
The biggest issue is UNM runs a 3-3-5, and the Lobos have four legitimate front line starters in Devin Sanders, Ray Leutele, Reco Hannah and Dion Hunter. Any combination of those three on the field is pretty good. Sanders and Hannah are the veterans of the group, entering the year as third-year seniors. Hannah missed a big chunk of 2020, but his return coincided with UNM’s two-game winning streak.
Leutele was a true freshman last season and played in all seven games, and Hunter was also a true freshman, but an injury limited him to just four games, earning a redshirt season.
If that was it … if that was all UNM had, they would be really thin but really good. But UNM is deep. Syaire Riley enters his second year and certainly is ready for major playing time, and Josh Woisin has proven capable as well. Semaj Sims and Cody Moon both redshirted last year and both are highly touted by the staff.
It means UNM’s four incoming linebackers, including Alec Morenco and JD Roberts should get the opportunity to adjust to the speed of the game without a ton of pressure, although both already look the part. Josh Howes and Ernesto Acuña both have played well in camp.
UNM’s linebacking crew is a key part of what UNM and Danny Gonzales want to do on defense, so having a front line group like Sanders, Hannah, Leutele and Hunter should give UNM plenty of chances to continue it’s improvement on defense.
Tickets: Season-game 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
Monday: A breakdown of UNM’s receivers.