Fall Camp Position Breakdown: QB

Returning Starters (1): None
Starters Lost (1): Terry Wilson
Other Letterwinners Returning (1): Isaiah Chavez
Other Letterwinners Lost (0): None
Redshirts Returning (1): CJ Montes
Squad Members Returning (1): Connor Genal
Incoming Freshmen (0): None
Incoming Transfers (2): Miles Kendrick, Justin Holaday

The Lobo quarterback room is five deep.  Here’s hoping finally it doesn’t have to go five-deep.  New Mexico is the only team in the FBS that has used four starting quarterbacks in each of the last three seasons, but the hope is that it starts and ends with Miles Kendrick, who was named the starter on Monday.

The fact that it’s Kendrick should say something, not just about him, but about UNM’s quarterback depth.  Kendrick, the graduate transfer from Kansas, has battled back from a serious leg injury that ended his 2021 season in November to win the job.  Head coach Danny Gonzales was worried about his leg as he didn’t fully go in the spring, but he has been able to run the complete offense in the fall, and that, and his command of the huddle and team won him the job.

Again, that speaks volumes because UNM’s two returning quarterbacks in CJ Montes, who started once last year on the way to a redshirt year, looked great in camp.  Montes, who played just about the entire UNLV game with a broken hand, certainly has the toughness for the job, and his improvement from last year to this year shows UNM is in good hands.  Isaiah Chavez, who has three wins in the last two years, will probably get on the field in certain packages.  Chavez has trimmed down and has been a leader in the quarterback room, and has shown he will do anything to help the team win in whatever role possible, to the point that he spends parts of every pre-practice with different position groups including the specialists.

The other newcomer is Fresno City transfer Justin Holaday, who was up for the starting job battle despite only half a summer on campus.  Holaday has quickly learned a chunk of the offense and will continue to get better as he learns more of the offense.  He has already shown terrific running ability for a 6-3 quarterback, and he has a terrific arm.

Also returning is Connor Genal, who has also continued to imporve his game.  Genal has started once over the last two seasons and gotten into games and showed well.

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Fans can lock in season tickets for the 2022 season, which starts on Saturday, September 3 at 6 pm against Maine by heading to www.golobos.com/2022FBSeasonTix.  Single game tickets are on sale as well at www.golobos.com/SGT.