New Mexico Finalizes Football Staff With Many Bronco Mendenhall Connections
Lobos fill out staff
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A very Broncon Mendenhall staff
Finally, the moment has arrived. The spotlight falls on DC Nick Howell and QBs/OC Jason Beck as the prominent figures in Mendenhall’s fresh coaching lineup, showcasing, as anticipated, many connections from BYU and Virginia.
New head football coach Bronco Mendenhall has announced his 2024 coaching and support staff, and it’s a group that features a wide range of experience, highlighted by a pair of Power 5 Coordinators.
Overall, Mendenhall announced his 11 full-time coaches (10 position and head strength coach) and three key support staff positions. The 11 full-time coaches come to UNM from 11 separate schools, although most have a lineage that can be traced back to previous experience with Mendenhall, either at BYU or Virginia.
Below are short capsules on the members that will make up the 2024 coaching staff for The University of New Mexico.
Jason Beck, Offensive Coordinator at UNM. Commencing his role on February 1, 2024, Beck arrives from Syracuse, where his dynamic coaching led to an impressive tally of 83 touchdowns over two seasons, with 43 in 2022 and 40 in 2023.
Noteworthy achievements under Beck’s guidance include LeQuint Allen‘s Second Team All-ACC recognition at running back, amassing 1,089 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Quarterback Garrett Shrader showcased his prowess with 1,686 passing yards on 214 attempts, boasting 13 touchdowns and an impressive 143.24 rating. Syracuse earned a spot in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl on December 21, facing off against South Florida.
Drawing on his extensive 11-season experience as an FBS quarterback coach, Beck has consistently steered quarterbacks to surpass 3,000 yards passing and nearly 3,800 yards of total offense per season.
Meet Nick Howell, Defensive Coordinator:
Bringing a wealth of experience cultivated alongside Bronco Mendenhall at BYU and Virginia, Nick Howell arrives in Albuquerque with 11 years of defensive coordinator expertise across the independent, ACC, and SEC realms.
In his recent tenure, Howell assumed the role of defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Vanderbilt for the past two seasons, preparing his defense for formidable SEC opponents. Notably, the Commodores achieved a tie for the SEC lead in interceptions, claiming 12 in the last season. In 2022, they equaled the SEC lead with four defensive touchdowns— a stark contrast to the previous season, where Vanderbilt failed to record a score. In 2018, Howell’s defensive unit at Virginia ranked among the top 20 in passing efficiency defense, passing yards allowed, scoring defense, and total defense. The following year, his 2019 defense at Virginia set a school record with 46 sacks, propelling the team to the ACC Championship Game and a coveted spot in the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Before his successful collegiate coaching career, Howell spent five seasons, three of which as a head coach, on the high school level in Utah. His swift ascent in the collegiate ranks at BYU, progressing from a defensive intern to a defensive coordinator in just six seasons, underscores his remarkable coaching journey.