(Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports)
Key Players Returning:
WR/PR Luke Wysong, OC CJ James, OG Shancco Matautia, OT JC Davis, OT DJ Wingfield, DE Kyler Drake, LB Syaire Riley, CB Donte Martin, NB Tavian Combs, KR Christian Washington, PK Luke Drzewiecki and PT Aaron Rodriguez.
Key Players Departing:
RB Nate Jones, OG Isaak Gutierrez, DE Omar Darame, DE Justin Harris, NT Jake Saltonstall, LB Rico Hannah, LB Dion Hunter, LB Cody Moon, CB AJ Odums, NB AJ Haulcy, DS Jerrick Reed II and DS Ronald Wilson.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: DS Noa Pola-Gates (Nebraska transfer), DS D’Arco Perkins-McAllister (TCU transfer), WR DJ Washington (Ft. Dodge, Iowa), WR Kaydin Pope (Mississippi State transfer), CB Marvin Covington (TCU transfer), DS Hunter Wiggins (San Diego, California), WR Caleb Medford (TCU transfer), QB DC Tabscott (Appalachian State transfer), OT Travis Gray (Colorado transfer) and QB Devon Dampier (Scottsdale, Arizona).
2022 Results:
G01 MAINE W 41-0
G02 BOISE STATE L 14-31
G03 UTEP W 27-10
G04 @ LSU L 0-38
G05 @ UNLV L 20-31
G06 WYOMING L 14-27
G07 @ New Mexico State L 9-21
G08 FRESNO STATE L 9-41
G09 @ Utah State L 10-27
G10 @ Air Force L 3-35
G11 SAN DIEGO STATE L 10-34
G12 @ Colorado State L 0-17
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 2-10 (6th in MWC East)
Home: 2-4
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
MWC: 0-8
Non-MWC: 2-2
Head Coach: Danny Gonzales
New Mexico: 7-24
Career: 7-24
Bowls: 0-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: None
Rushing: Christian Washington (73 car., 310 yards, 4.2 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Luke Wysong (34 rec., 291 yards, 8.6 avg., 1 TD)
TD’s Scored: Sherod White (3)
Sacks: Ray Leutele (1)
Tackles: Syaire Riley (36)
Interceptions: Donte Martin (1)
Pass Deflections: Donte Martin (6)
Forced Fumbles: Tavian Combs/Zach Morris (1)
Kick Returns: Christian Washington (16 ret., 427 yards, 26.7 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Luke Wysong (13 ret., 65 yards, 5.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Luke Drzewiecki (10-14 fg/fga., 43%, 6-6 xp/xpa., 36 pts.)
Punting: Aaron Rodriguez (81 punts, 3578 yards, 44.2 avg., 24 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 10 Dylan Hopkins (RS SR/TR)
RB: 5 Jacory Croskey-Merritt (SR/TR)
WR: 00 DJ Washington (SR/TR)
WR: 11 Andrew Erickson (RS SR)
WR: 8 Jeremiah Hixon (RS SR/TR)
TE: 17 Magnus Geers (RS JR/TR)
LT: 75 JC Davis (JR/TR)
LG: 66 Taurrian Stafford (SR/TR)
OC: 51 CJ James (RS JR/TR)
RG: 68 Shancco Matautia (RS SO)
RT: 73 DJ Wingfield (RS JR/TR)
KR: 22 Christian Washington (SO)
PK: 94 Luke Drzewiecki (SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 99 Gabriel Lopez (JR/TR)
NT: 90 Tyler Kiehne (RS SO/TR)
DE: 45 Kyler Drake (RS JR)
LB: 16 Dimitri Johnson (JR/TR)
LB: 18 Alec Marenco (JR)
LB: 36 Syaire Riley (SR)
NB: 7 Tavian Combs (RS JR)
CB: 2 Zach Morris (SO)
CB: 8 Donte Martin (RS SR)
LS: 22 Christian Ellis (SO)
RS: 9 Noa Pola-Gates (RS SR/TR)
PR: 15 Luke Wysong (JR)
PT: 10 Aaron Rodriguez (RS SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/02 @ Texas A&M Aggies | New Mexico trails the series 0-5. The Lobos lost (0-34) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/09 TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES | First meeting between schools.
09/16 NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES | New Mexico leads the series 73-34-5. The Lobos are 6-3 since 2013 and their last series win (34-25) was in 2021.
09/23 @ UMASS Minutemen | First meeting between schools.
09/30 @ Wyoming Cowboys | New Mexico trails the series 36-39. The Lobos are 5-5 since 2013 and their last series win (14-3) was in 2021.
10/14 SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS | New Mexico trails the series 5-14-1. The Lobos lost (21-38) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/21 HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS | New Mexico trails the series 10-16. The Lobos lost (33-39) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/28 @ Nevada Wolf Pack | New Mexico trails the series 3-5-1. The Lobos lost (20-27) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
11/04 UNLV REBELS | New Mexico trails the series 12-14. The Lobos are 2-4 since 2013 and their last series win (50-14) was in 2018.
11/11 @ Boise State Broncos | New Mexico trails the series 1-12. The Lobos are 1-8 since 2013 and their only series win (31-24) was in 2015.
11/18 @ Fresno State Bulldogs | New Mexico trails the series 0-5. The Lobos are 1-6 since 2013 and their last series win (49-39) was in 2020.
11/24 UTAH STATE AGGIES | New Mexico trails the series 13-16. The Lobos are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series win (24-21) was in 2016.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
MWC: 3-5
Non-MWC: 2-2
Overall: 5-7 (11th in MWC)
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