Category: Mountain West Football

Bob Davie’s Era At New Mexico Comes To An End

Looking back at Bob Davie’s career at New Mexico.

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Bob Davie’s Era At New Mexico Comes To An End

The Lobos will be heading in a new direction.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

A look back at Davie’s time in the ABQ

The final game of the Bob Davie Era as New Mexico’s head coach for the Lobos took place Saturday at DreamStyle Stadium against Utah State. New Mexico fell 38-25 to visiting Utah State Saturday to end the 2019 football season and the tenure of coach Bob Davie.

UNM lost its ninth straight game to finish the season 2-10 and 0-8 in the Mountain West. It was the Lobos’ first winless conference season since 1989. 

This would be the last game that Davie would be on the sidelines as the Lobos head coach. For all the success Davie had in the 2015-2016 years, the last three seasons have been the most difficult for the Lobo football program. 

This year would be the year that Davie coined the phrase at his pressers “Did that Really Just Happen”

It started with Davie’s medical incident after the first victory in the locker room after the Lobos victory over Sam Houston State. 

Davie has never said what specifically what it was but don’t think it takes to much creativity to figure out what it was. 

He owes his life to the medical staff on-site, specifically head UNM athletics trainer Bob Waller and his staff, David later confirmed this in his presser.  

What a way to start the season right in front of the entire team, that had to be emotionally traumatizing. 

Quarterback Brandt Hughes the projected starter suffering a right shoulder (throwing arm) in the season opener.

Senior quarterback Sherion Jones being suspended for an indecent exposure accusation, then later in the season, Tavaka Tuitoti tearing his hamstring.

The passing of Lobo defensive lineman Nahje Flowers was a huge emotional blow to this team and rocked Lobo nation. 

The Lobos would finish the season with their number four quarterback Trae Hall. 

So, you can why Davie said the phras, “Did that really happen?” 

It’s amazing that this group of student athletes were able to even compete on the gridiron after seeing all these things happen over the course of the season as the prepared for games.  

The 2015-2016 years would be the best years for Coach Davie as he would have 16 wins trying a program record for most wins in back to back seasons.

The 11 conference wins would set a record for the Lobo program, and the 2016 team set records for rushing yards and scoring offense that lead the nations in yards per game.

Although the Lobo football team would have very little success on the gridiron, the team set records for highest GPA’s in the classroom. 

“In stepping aside, I’m proud of what we accomplished at UNM, but we are all disappointed that we have not been able to sustain the success that we achieved and all desire,” said Davie. “My family and I will be forever grateful to UNM for giving me the opportunity to coach again after being at ESPN for ten years.”

Davie, former Notre Dame head coach, took over the Lobo program after Mike Locksley’s departure in 2011. 

Davie was a broadcaster at ESPN for a decade before being hired for the job at New Mexico in late November of 2011. He took over a football program that went 3-37 in the previous 40 games as well as the lowest scholarship total in the FBS. 

Davie inherited a program that was a mess after Mike Locksley’s 2-26 tenure on the field and off the field as well. His first season went 4-9 outperforming the win total of the three previous seasons combined.  

In 2015, the Lobos turned in a historic performance at Boise State, winning 31-24 and gaining bowl eligibility. The Lobos would go on to play in the Gildan New Mexico bowl losing Arizona 45-37. 

The Boise State game of 2015 would be one of Davie’s most significant victories as the head coach, especially considering the Lobos were on the road in Boise and 31-point underdogs. 

The next season the Lobos would go on to win five games in a row and finish with a 9-4 record, capped off by a 23-20 victory over UTSA in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. 

This would be just the fourth bowl win in Lobo history and second in 55 seasons. 

Frank Mercogliano UNM SID when asked about Coach Davie:

“We were the laughing stock of football in 2011 when Coach Dave was hired, and to get some of the big wins we had, and to constantly be on ESPN speaks to how we came in those five seasons.” 

There is no denying that Coach Bob Davie being larger than life figure in the FBS college world benefited the Lobos as far as getting more national attention and EPSN coverage.  

The Lobos reached consecutive bowl games under Davie, including a 9-4 record in 2016, but that was followed by consecutive 3-9 seasons and a 2-10 record this year. 

Davie has a 35-63 record at UNM over his eight seasons, and his tenure is tied for the second-longest at UNM finish tied for second-longest at UNM. Those 35 wins at UNM will place him third-most in UNM Lobo football history. 

His last game against Utah State would be his 99th game coached at UNM will also be the second-most, both totals behind Rocky Long.

Rocky Long coached the New Mexico Lobos 134 games over 11 seasons with a record of 65-69, and His 65 wins are the most of any head coach in program history.

Davie at his last presser said | “I would let others judge my success or failure as I look through a different lens, but I walk out of New Mexico with his head held high, and I gave it my all.”

He mentioned that he felt for his assistant coaches who gave their all through this tough & challenging season. 

When a head coach loses his job the head coach goes away with a chunk of taxpayer money (buyouts) depending on their contract, and the assistant coaches are looking for work. 

This is the reality of a head coach losing his job and how it affects all his assistant coaches and their families involved. 

Of course, David has his share of critics as any college football coach, his lack of being connected to the local community and the Lobo Alumni would be a big one.

There is no denying his work ethic and desire to better the Lobo football program. 

His motto phrase, “Outwork, Out hustle, and Out discipline was apparent looking at his teams. 

The Lobo job is a job where being connected to the community of emotionally connected is critical for success. This program is night and day different than his former team, Notre Dame in so many facets. 

The next coach will have to connect to the community and deal with a host of challenges but when you’re making 750K  a year it makes it a little bit easier. 

You do have to give him credit for having the courage to take on one of the most challenging FBS college football programs, the University of New Mexico football programs. 

In the sports world of college football, a coach is judged by not only the wins and losses but years after he leaves program what kind of legacy he leaves. The influence he leaves on the hundreds of young men he coached on the football field but more importantly also in the game of life.

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Mountain West Football Coaching Updates

Stay up to date with the latest in coaching news surrounding the Mountain West.

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Mountain West Football Coaching Updates

What Mountain West coaches are in and out.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Stay up to date with coaching moves within the league.

This will be a living document that will have updates from coaching changes, rumors and news about the Mountain West.

UNLV

Nov. 25: Tony Sanchez is relieved of his duties. He has a $650,000 buyout, per his contract, and is not subject to an offset.[Mountain West Wire]

Nov. 25: Five early candidates for the UNLV job. One includes LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

Nov. 29: Tim DeRuyter a serious candidate for UNLV?

Nov. 30: Five outside the box names for the UNLV coaching job [Mountain West Wire]

New Mexico

Nov. 25: New Mexico will not retain Bob Davie. His buyout is $840,000, per his contract, paid in monthly installments through 2021 and subject to offset from any future coaching job. AD Eddie Nuñez has hinted that a different buyout may be worked out. [Mountain West Wire]

Nov. 27: Arizona State defensive coordinator was asked about the New Mexico and other jobs. He said that, “when people talk, you always listen. And I think that’s the best thing to do. When you’re wanted, it’s always nice.” [AZ Central]

Nov. 30: Five outside the box names for the New Mexico coaching job [Mountain West Wire]

Colorado State

Nov. 29: Barrnig any drastic change by AD Joe Parker, Mike Bobo will not be back in Fort Collins [Football Scoop]


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Mountain West Football: Week 14 Winners and Losers

Steve Jenkins, Mike Bobo, Jorge Reyna and Bryan Harsin are among the winners and losers from the regular season’s last weekend.

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Mountain West Football: Week 14 Winners and Losers

Who came out ahead and who left something to be desired in Week 14 of Mountain West football?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Some encouragement and some letdowns from the week that was.

College football’s regular season decided to go out with a bang over Thanksgiving weekend and the Mountain West, in particular, was no exception. Between unexpected twists in old rivalries and a slew of a close results, it made for one last healthy crop of heroes and goats.

Here’s how stepped up and who disappointed in the last full slate of Mountain West play this fall.

Winners

1. Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin. It isn’t a stretch to say that this is probably the best coaching that Harsin has done in his time on the blue. With three quarterbacks, a running back shuffle, offensive line troubles, and a few significant injuries on defense, the Broncos still went 8-0 in conference play and are now a break and a win away from the Cotton Bowl. If his name doesn’t come up in Power 5 coaching searches, I’d be genuinely surprised.

2. San Diego State cornerback Luq Barcoo. Curtis Weaver’s coronation as defensive player of the year may not be air-tight after all, especially after the Aztec senior broke up four more passes in their win over BYU. That may not seem especially meaningful by itself, but Barcoo now has the most passes defended (24) of any Mountain West player in the last decade and owns a strong case in what will surely be a heated conversation.

3. UNLV wide receiver Steve Jenkins. There may be no better time to score your first touchdown of the year than against your biggest rival, and Jenkins liked the idea enough to find the end zone twice against Nevada. A 75-yard catch-and-run and the game-winner in overtime were the highlights in a game where Jenkins had five catches for 140 yards, ensuring the Fremont Cannon would stay red for another year.

Losers

1. Nevada cornerback Austin Arnold. Obviously, it’s impossible to speculate what might have led to Arnold’s snap decision after the battle for the Fremont Cannon was decided. We also don’t know what UNLV quarterback Kenyon Oblad said to prompt Arnold to react. The brief melee that ensued, though, is a black eye on a rivalry that has been fun and hotly contested in recent years and Arnold must bear a healthy share of responsibility for how everything unfolded.

2. Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo. If Rams fans wonder why they’ve had “deja vu all over again” all season long, it’s been a hallmark of Bobo’s tenure that consistently winning close games has been elusive. In his five years at the helm, Bobo’s record in games decided by eight points or fewer is 8-14; that includes the seven-point loss on Friday afternoon to Boise State.

It’s difficult to say whether that just makes him the new Matt Wells or something more, but we’re all about to enter a waiting game in which athletic director Joe Parker decides that for himself.

3. Fresno State quarterback Jorge Reyna. Reyna was hardly the Bulldogs’ biggest concern this fall, but his up-and-down performances didn’t help matters and he didn’t give the offense nearly enough to help maintain a 14-point lead against rival San Jose State. The interception he threw didn’t do any lasting damage — the defense came up with a turnover on downs in the red zone — but between that, two fumbles, and a mediocre 15-22-151-1 TD stat line, it’ll be pretty easy for Fresno State fans to look back at 2019 and wonder what might have been with steadier quarterback play.

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 14

Check out the latest Mountain West bowl projections.

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 14

Final week of the regular season does not change much.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Seven teams will go bowling.

The Mountain West will have all seven teams going to the postseason, no questions. There are going to be more bowl-eligible teams than bowl teams but with each Mountain West team having at least seven wins means that the teams will be safe to assume a postseason berth is on the way.

The big question is if the Mountain West can get into the Cotton Bowl. Boise State is in prime position to if they beat Hawaii in the championship game next weekend.

However, the Broncos will need some help. Memphis is in the front runner seat and if they defeat Cincinnati — the second time in as many weeks — the Tigers are going to the Cotton Bowl but if it is the Bearcats then the Broncos should go to that game. We say should because it depends on where the College Football Playoff committee ranks both Memphis and Cincinnati in the next set of rankings. It is somewhat safe to assume that a one-loss Boise State team should get in over a two-loss Bearcats team.

If Boise State goes to the Cotton Bowl it would shake up who goes where and could provide for a few better matchups with every team moving up a spot in the bowl pecking order.

A few notes about the bowl lineups. Starting with the Hawaii Bowl. The game has a vaguely worded tie-in which is a combination between BYU, Hawaii or an AAC team. The Warriors have a 13-game schedule and must have seven wins to secure a bowl berth. Technically, BYU takes the Mountain West spot but a Cougars vs. Warriors matchup would be a classic WAC rivalry renewal.

There is a new bowl this year and it’s a Power Five opponent from the Big Ten in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Overall, the league has six guaranteed bowl berths and is a backup for the Cheez-It Bowl if the Pac-12 or Big 12 does not have enough teams eligible. As always, there can be trades for the best matchups.

Finally, if the Mountain West is the highest-rated team in the College Football Playoff then a New Year’s Six Bowl game is an option at either the Cotton or Orange Bowl.

1. Las Vegas vs. Pac-12

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. MAC
– Gildan New Mexico Bowl vs. Conference USA
– Hawai’i Bowl vs. BYU or American
– NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl vs. Sun Belt
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Big Ten
– Cheez-It Bowl Conditional for MW if bowl can’t fill a spot.

Previous projections: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13

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Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Fall In Overtime 33-30 To UNLV

Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Fall In Overtime 33-30 To UNLV Nevada’s rally falls short in overtime as they drop the regular season finale to UNLV 33-30 Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire Wolf Pack Rally Falls Short As Rebels Win In OT To Retain …

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Nevada Football: Wolf Pack Fall In Overtime 33-30 To UNLV

Nevada’s rally falls short in overtime as they drop the regular season finale to UNLV 33-30

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire

Wolf Pack Rally Falls Short As Rebels Win In OT To Retain Fremont Cannon

Heading into the fourth quarter in their contest against the UNLV Rebels, the Wolf Pack were down by a score of 27-13 against their in state rivals. It was in the fourth quarter that the Wolf Pack mounted a comeback to tie the game at 27-27 and force overtime. But Nevada’s comeback bid fell short in overtime as Steven Jenkins’ second touchdown catch of the game in overtime helped UNLV defeat Nevada 33-30.

The Rebels win over the Wolf Pack means that the Fremont Cannon stays red for another year and UNLV head coach Tony Sanchez, who was fired this week, finishes his tenure on a winning note.  For the Wolf Pack, they dug themselves in a hole early and fought back but it was all for naught as they lose to their in-state rivals for the second straight season.

The Rebels jumped out early in this contest after Daniel Guiterrez made a 40 yard field goal to put UNLV up 3-0. After Brandon Talton missed a 29 yard field goal for Nevada, UNLV got the ball back and scored in one play when running back Charles Williams scored on an 80-yard touchdown run to put the Rebels up 10-0.On UNLV’s next offensive possession, quarterback Kenyon Oblad connected with wide receiver Mekhi Stevenson for a 32-yard touchdown pass to extend the Rebels lead to 17-0.

In the second quarter, the Wolf Pack offense got it going when Devonte Lee scored on a two yard touchdown run to put Nevada on the board 17-7. A pair of Brandon Talton field goals cut UNLV’s lead to 17-13. UNLV pushed the lead back into double digits when Oblad connected with wide receiver Steve Jenkins for a 75 yard touchdown pass to make it 24-13 after the first half.

After a scoreless third quarter by both teams, the scoring picked back up in the fourth quarter when UNLV’s Daniel Gutierrez connected on a 50 yard field goal to extend the Rebels lead to 27-13. Late in the fourth quarter, the Wolf Pack cut into the UNLV lead when Carson Strong connected with Dominic Christian on a 24 yard touchdown pass to make it 27-20 UNLV. After the Rebels went three and out on offense, they punted the ball back to the Nevada offense. 

On Nevada’s next possession, the Wolf Pack went on a 10 play, 75 yard scoring drive capped off by a two yard touchdown drive by Devonte Lee and the extra point by Talton tied the game at 27. After both UNLV and Nevada went three and out on their final offensive drives in regulation, the game went into overtime.

The Rebels won the toss and elected to play defense as Nevada got the ball first. On the Wolf Pack’s offensive drive in overtime, they went three and out on offense as UNLV’s defense forced a field goal. The Wolf Pack did connected on a 42 yard field goal by Talton to give Nevada the 30-27 lead in overtime.

Three plays into UNLV’s first offensive possession of the overtime period, Oblad connected with receiver Steven Jenkins for a 19 yard touchdown pass to win the game for UNLV in overtime. 

After the touchdown by Jenkins to end the game, there was a fracas that broke out between the Nevada and UNLV players. The UNLV players were celebrating the win and players from both teams were milling around the endzone and then a fight broke out between players from both teams.

The fight between the Nevada and UNLV players eventually ended up with a mass of players from both teams being pinned up in the south endzone of the stadium. Objects such as snowballs were thrown onto the field and eventually the fight was broken up and the players on both teams were separated.

It was a tough loss for Nevada that was compounded by the ugly fight at the end of the game. There could be a possibility that the Mountain West conference could hand out penalties and possibly suspensions due to the fight. 

The Wolf Pack end the regular season with a 7-5 record  while UNLV ends their season with a 4-8 record. Nevada will now await to see if they will play in a bowl game and that announcement should happen next week.

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Fight Breaks Out After Nevada, UNLV Game

The battle for the Fremont Cannon ended in a fight after UNLV scored the game-winning play in overtime.

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Fight Breaks Out After Nevada, UNLV Game

Things get ugly after Rebels overtime win.

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Dirty hits and pulled off helmets.

UNLV took home the Fremont Canon and it will be painted red after its 33-30 overtime win over Nevada. However, the game will be marred with what happened after the final score.

A fight broke out after the game-winning score when Steve Jenkins caught a 19-yard pass from Kenyon Oblad.

This also was Tony Sanchez’s last game as head coach for UNLV as he was been relieved of his duties earlier this week.

This blind-side hit seems to have started it all and outside of the game going to the road team Rebels, it seems that there was nothing to start a fight.

The fight had many, many, many instances where things went crazy after that sucker punch.

These two images are after that blindside hit as the teams converge on each other.

Below is UNLV tight end Noah Bean throwing a Nevada player into the wall just below some fans. It is hard to tell what Wolf Pack player that is, but Bean then proceeds to go after the player he threw into the wall. That part is not clear in the video outside of him charging.

These next stills show the teams running to behind the end zone and start scuffling.

 

Finally, there EW Rebel players taunting the crows. There is a glove being thrown, one doing the loser dance from Fortnite and then one waving bye. Those three can be seen more clear in the video at the end of this post.

Here is the full video of the fight.

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How To Livestream Army vs. Hawaii On CBS Sports Network

The final late night game of the year on the islands kicks even later as Hawaii hosts Army on CBS Sports Network

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How To Livestream Army vs. Hawaii On CBS Sports Network

Hawaii rounds out the regular season with a home game vs. Army

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A later kick than normal.

WEEK 14: Hawaii Warriors (8-4, 5-3 Mountain West) vs. Army Black Knights (5-6)

WHEN: Saturday, November 30 — 12:30 AM ET/7:30 PM HT

WHERE: Aloha Stadium; Honolulu, Hawaii

TV: CBS Sports Network

STREAMING: FuboTV – Get a FREE seven-day free trial

RADIO: ESPN Honolulu

Hawaii wraps up its final regular season in a non-conference game against Army. Prior to the season this would seem like a great matchup but the Black Knights have underachieved and are sitting at 5-6.

This game will be a contrast of styles with Hawaii’s passing attack going against Army’s triple-option attack. There is no word on who will start for the Warriors at quarterback between Cole McDonald and Chevan Cordeiro but it probably will not matter because the production between the two has been similar.

What it will come down to is how many chances Hawaii gets since Army will control the time of possession, and the Black Knight’s pass defense is top third in the country in yards per play allowed at 6.9. The running game will need to play a factor in this game for Hawaii.

The two key players that Hawaii needs to watch against Army in their ground game are quarterback Kelvin Hopkins, Jr., and senior running back Connor Slomka. That duo has combined for 14 touchdowns and 1,191 yards. There is also another trio of backs that have put up about 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns.

These two contrasting styles will be a game to watch and it will be the last late-night football game on the islands all year.

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UNLV Football: Five Deep Cut Coaching Candidates To Replace Tony Sanchez

Who will become the next head football coach of the UNLV Rebels? There are names out there, but we have some ideas.

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UNLV Football: Five Deep Cut Coaching Candidates To Replace Tony Sanchez

Who will become the next head football coach of the UNLV Rebels? There are names out there, but we have some ideas.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

An attractive job for the right coach.

Another disappointing UNLV football season comes to a close on Saturday and it will bring Tony Sanchez’s five-year stint as head coach to an end. That’s when the real work begins: The next man up will inherit a program which has made substantial investment in becoming successful without much luck thus far.

There are plenty of names attached to the job but, rather than repeat those same candidates here, we’d like to add a few ourselves that may appear off the beaten path. This is more of a thought exercise rooted in conjecture rather than any sources and if you have any names that you think the Rebels should consider, feel free to let us know on Twitter.

1. Troy Taylor, Sacramento State head coach (school bio). It isn’t often we pay attention to big turnarounds at the FCS level, but Taylor’s first year with the Hornets has been a huge success. After building offenses that ranked 45th and 53rd at Utah in 2017 and 2018, he earned Sac State’s first share of a Big Sky title ever this fall.

He’s also a Southern California native, which could be a draw for a program which typically courts recruits from the area, but it’s also anyone’s guess as to whether the one year of head coaching experience is enough to entice UNLV to take a long look.

2. Graham Harrell, USC offensive coordinator (school bio). The Trojans may have had a wildly uneven year, but it’s hard to place too much blame on Harrell’s offense. By SP+, the Trojans enter the season’s final weekend ranked ninth overall on the strength of a passing attack that has largely thrived despite turnover at quarterback.

It isn’t the first time he’s had success developing an offense, either, guiding Mason Fine and the North Texas Mean Green to three straight bowl appearances as Seth Littrell’s offensive coordinator. The Rebels might have to back up the Brinks truck to pull Harrell away from Heritage Hall, though.

3. Ruffin McNeill, Oklahoma assistant head coach/outside linebackers coach (school bio). There are still those people out there who question why East Carolina ever let McNeill go, but he’s done pretty well for himself since landing on his feet in Norman. He’s also spent time in Las Vegas before, too, as the defensive coordinator under Jeff Horton in 1997 and 1998.

At 61 years old, McNeill may be more of a steward than a long-term solution at this point, but that might be all the Rebels need to finally get over the hump with his 42-34 record over six years in Greenville.

4. Keenan McCardell, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receivers coach (team bio). If the program is giving consideration to those with ties to UNLV, the former Rebel receiver should be worth a look. McCardell might be something of a Brent Brennan-esque hire given his exclusive experience working with wide receivers, but he did have a hand in developing Stefon Diggs at Maryland and deserves some credit for D.J. Chark’s breakout in Jacksonville this season.

That narrow band of experience may ultimately be a drawback, however, since Brennan himself had experience in a number of position coach roles for well over a decade before taking the head job at San Jose State.

5. DeMarco Murray, Arizona running backs coach (school bio). A Las Vegas native, Murray is the deepest of deep cuts. He joined Kevin Sumlin’s staff in Tucson this fall and the early returns have been pretty solid: Four different Wildcat running backs have combined for 264 carries and averaged 5.55 yards per carry.

The fact he has just the one year of coaching experience, however, might be a bridge too far for a program so close to breaking through.

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New Mexico Football: Five Deep Cut Coaching Candidates To Replace Bob Davie

Who will become the next head football coach of the New Mexico Lobos? There are names out there, but we have some ideas.

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New Mexico Football: Five Deep Cut Coaching Candidates To Replace Bob Davie

Who will become the next head football coach of the New Mexico Lobos? There are names out there, but we have some ideas.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

A tough place to win might draw some intriguing candidates.

The regular season is set to come to a close today for the New Mexico Lobos and it will mark the end of Bob Davie’s eight-year tenure as head coach.

Albuquerque has remained a difficult place to win consistently, but a pair of bowl appearances and a nine-win season this decade prove that the right hire, and an ability to think outside the box, can lead to good surprises for a fan base starved for success.

There are already plenty of names being bandied about for the job, most notably Arizona State defensive coordinator and UNM alumni Danny Gonzales, but rather than repeat what’s already been reported elsewhere, we’d like to add a few names with a thought exercise rooted in conjecture rather than any sources. If you have any names that you think the Lobos should consider, feel free to let us know on Twitter.

Head Coaching Candidates for New Mexico

1. Troy Reffett, North Texas defensive coordinator (school bio). Our first candidate might be familiar to many Lobos fans already, having served on Rocky Long’s staff from 2004 to 2008, but he’s had a fairly impressive run since his time in the Land of Enchantment. He engineered a turnaround at Louisiana-Monroe in his first year there, 2011, when his defense allowed a full yard fewer per play, and built two top-80 defenses by SP+ in 2011 and 2014.

Most recently, Mason Fine may have gotten most of the Mean Green’s headlines last year, Reffett’s defense was a top-ten unit nationally by Line Yards Per Carry Allowed, Opportunity Rate and Stuff Rate. If the Lobos are interested in a coach cut from the Rocky mold, Reffett might be worth a look.

2. Rhett Lashlee, SMU offensive coordinator (school bio). After the success that the Mustangs had this year behind transfer quarterback Shane Buechele and wide receiver James Proche, it’s not hard to see the allure of this potential hire. Lashlee has been a Broyles Award finalist, given annually to the nation’s best assistant coach, multiple times, and it seems like he enjoys a challenge: He left Auburn for UConn, of all places, and took a pay cut to mold the Huskies into a top-50 offense in his only season out in Storrs.

He might be the kind of rising star, however, more likely to snag a gig replacing whatever AAC coach jumps to the Power 5 this off-season.

3. Sonny Cumbie, TCU offensive coordinator (school bio). After lighting up the scoreboard as a quarterback at Texas Tech, Cumbie’s coaching career has gotten off to a strong start under Gary Patterson. By SP+, he helped create three top-25 offenses in four years from 2014 to 2017 and had some successes with true freshman quarterback Max Duggan this fall.

The main drawback is that UNM might need to shell out a contract it may not be able to afford: According to USA Today’s coaching salary database, Cumbie made nearly a million dollars in 2018

4. Marvin Lewis, Arizona State special adviser (school bio). Hey, Herm Edwards has mostly worked for the Sun Devils so far, right? Cincinnati Bengals fans might be split on his lasting legacy with that NFL franchise, but he left with the most wins by any head coach ever there.

Keep in mind, too, that it wouldn’t be Lewis’s first stint with UNM, either, as he served as linebackers coach under Mike Sheppard from 1987 to 1989. If rumors are to be believed, however, Lewis’s name is already being dropped for other NFL jobs that may open up this offseason.

5. David Bailiff, Texas A&M-Commerce head coach (school bio). If you’re looking for a coach with experience winning at tough jobs, it’s hard to do better than the guy who posted five winning seasons, including two ten-win campaigns and the 2013 Conference USA title, in eleven years at Rice. He’s also hit the ground running at TAMU-Commerce, as well, guiding the Lions to the second round of the Division II playoffs this weekend.

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How To Livestream Utah State vs. New Mexico On Facebook

The Aggies and Lobos square off in Bob Davie’s last game as New Mexico’s head coach. Here’s how to find the game on Facebook.

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How to Livestream Utah State vs. New Mexico on Facebook

The Aggies and Lobos square off in Bob Davie’s last game as New Mexico’s head coach. Here’s how to find the game on Facebook.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

WEEK 14: Utah State Aggies (6-5, 5-2 Mountain West) vs. New Mexico Lobos (2-9, 0-7 MW)

WHEN: Saturday, November 30 — 2:00 PM MT/1:00 PM PT

WHERE: Dreamstyle Stadium; Albuquerque, New Mexico (39,224)

STREAMING: The game can be found on Facebook. Additionally, Utah State’s radio broadcast can be streamed via TuneIn and New Mexico’s broadcast can be found on 770 AM (KKOB).

The Utah State Aggies and New Mexico Lobos meet to conclude the regular season, with the game marking the last time Bob Davie will wander the UNM sideline. Fans interested in watching will want to head to Facebook to do so.

This is the second Mountain West football game that will be hosted by Stadium on the season’s last full Saturday — Wyoming and Air Force kick off earlier in the day — so be sure to tune in and see whether the Aggies can finish the season strong or whether the Lobos will send off their departing head coach with a victory.

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