UNM football: Notes, quotes and takeways from the Lobos' first spring practice

Mar. 26—Spring began March 19 but for New Mexico, it might as well have been 9:53 a.m. on Tuesday morning, when UNM football broke huddle for its first official practice of the Bronco Mendenhall era.

As promised, players' jerseys had no numbers, but did have names on the back. Coaches guided and urged, sprinting between drills before a mild sun tucked itself back behind the clouds.

It's a special time of year. Just ask Mendenhall.

"Everybody's undefeated at this point," UNM's head coach said in a post-practice media availability. "History of programs, history of teams doesn't matter. Each team and each staff gets to redefine what their goals are, what their expectations are and what their future is."

Here are takeaways, notes and quotes from the first of the Lobos' 15 practice sessions this spring, with a focus on the offense:

QB ROOM: It's relatively clear Devon Dampier is at the front of the quarterback room. It's seen in the way he's used; heard in the tone coaches adopt to speak about him.

"He's dynamic, he's smart, he's capable," Mendenhall said. "He has natural leadership skills, he can make all the throws and I love his decision-making. So, so much to work with in a positive way."

None of that is much of a surprise given what Dampier did down the stretch last season. What might be is that Justin Holaday — a three-game starter in 2022 who played just four snaps last season — took almost all of the second-team reps on Tuesday.

"To this point, Justin Holaday is really doing a nice job in terms of competition and making plays and just work ethic," Mendenhall said. "Again, we've had one spring practice, so in terms of context (it's) way, way early, but I've liked what I've seen so far."

OUT OF THE BACKFIELD: How surprised can you be if you don't know what to expect? That thought was squarely on the mind watching UNM run wildcat without Eli Sanders for a not insignificant number of plays.

"Eli's tough, he's dynamic. He's experienced," Mendenhall said of the Iowa State transfer running back. "(Arizona State transfer) Javon Jacobs, same thing. When you put them with Andrew Henry, (that's) three really good football players. That's been really fun to see."

The perceived running back pecking order on day one: Henry got a lot of reps with the first team, Jacobs with the second and Sanders with the third. Reps with Dampier and Jacobs, teammates at Saguaro (Arizona) High School, on the field at the same time were limited but Dampier's confident the chemistry's still there.

"He was a senior, I was a junior so he was kind of my leader going into things," Dampier said on Tuesday. "He showed me well ... us just being back out here together, we were able to connect pretty easily. Our timing's still there, so that's really fun."

REST OF THE STARTERS: And how deeply can you read into the first team offensive line, during a routes on air session, on the first day of spring practice? Not too much. Regardless, the group seen the most during the viewing period: Baraka Beckett, Wallace Unamba, Jawaun Singletary, Richard Pearce and Tavien Ford.

For those keeping track, that's four transfers (Beckett via Campbell by way of UCLA, Unamba via Florida Atlantic, Singletary via Grambling State and Pearce via East Carolina) with one re-converted returner; Ford started ten games at right tackle in 2022, switched over to defensive line in 2023 and is back as an offensive lineman this spring.

Other names running with the first team on Tuesday: wide receivers Caleb Medford, Luke Wysong, Ryan Davis, Syracuse transfer Isaiah Jones and Nic Trujillo, who Mendenhall singled out when asked about the wide receiver room.

SPRING GAME: UNM's spring game, scheduled for Saturday, April 20 and open to the public, is set to be more of a spring game than those in season's past — subject to change, of course.

"The number one offense and the number one defense will be on opposite teams, the number two offense and the number two defense will be on opposite teams and we'll warm up and play football," Mendenhall said. "The roster size and the health of our team at that point will really determine how many plays we go. But this team needs to play as much football as possible, it needs to play as much football as possible in our stadium, and adding fans and adding another environment matters."

SCHEDULE THOUGHTS: Mendenhall was not made available to the media after the Mountain West released dates for UNM's 2024 conference schedule, finalizing a 15-week, 12-game journey with three bye weeks, two Power 5 road games and an opener against an FCS power. He shared his thoughts at practice Tuesday:

"I've never experienced anything like it," Mendenhall said. "Starting with only five home games and seven on the road, I've never had a season where you didn't have at least six and six. Never had two bye weeks in a year, let alone three.

"A lot of that is, I would chalk it up to transition. And inheriting a program and inheriting circumstances and then using that as a reference point to move forward. We'll make the best of all of it. The bye weeks can help. The schedule is what it is — it's tough, it's great."

Because the Lobos play at Hawaii (Nov. 30), UNM still has the option to pick up a 13th game. Mendenhall said he's open to the possibility but added it has to be "the right opponent in the right circumstances" and setting that up is "hard at this point."

Have more questions about UNM football? Feel free to email sreider@abqjournal.com.