Long journeys for UNM captains
Henry, Apodaca bounced around before landing in Albuquerque
Daniel Henry and Austin Apodaca come from different places, but the journeys they took to their current destination were remarkably similar.
They have, though, yet another destination in mind.
“We don’t want to win just six or seven games,” Henry, a University of New Mexico senior safety, said after Saturday’s practice at University Stadium. “We’re trying to go eight, nine, ten.”
Henry is from San Diego. Apodaca, a senior quarterback, is from Longmont, Colo. Apodaca was highly recruited out of Silver Creek High School, Henry lightly recruited out of La Jolla Country Day School.
But both took the same, circuitous route to Albuquerque.
Now, they’re team captains at UNM.
“It’s a huge deal for me,” said Apodaca, who with Henry, linebacker Dakota Cox and fellow quarterback Lamar Jordan was elected captain some two weeks ago by a vote of his teammates. “It’s an honor to be named captain, especially by a vote by the team, my peers, my teammates.”
Henry said his election as captain is “a great feeling, knowing that 100 guys really believe in you . ... It feels awesome.”
After high school, Apodaca signed with Washington State — turning down a scholarship offer from Lobos coach Bob Davie. Henry signed with Weber State. But neither stayed.
After two years with the Cougars, one as a redshirt, one as a backup, Apodaca transferred to Mesa (Ariz.) Community College. Henry spent one year in Ogden, Utah, before transferring to Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs.
Henry arrived in Albuquerque in 2014. After suffering a shoulder injury in the second game of that season, he was granted a redshirt year. Apodaca came to UNM in the spring of 2015. Both became key contributors last fall as the Lobos had their best season since 2007: a 7-6 record, ending with a 45-37 loss to Arizona in the New Mexico Bowl.
Both players believe there’s more success where that came from.
Last season, the UNM defense improved by essentially a touchdown a game over its performance in 2014.
This year, Henry said, “We’re trying to get all the way down to zero.”
While that might not be a realistic goal, he said, “We’ve made a lot of progress, not so much in the framework of knowing the plays, because with so many starters back we know the plays. “We’ve grown and matured.” The UNM offense lagged behind the defense in spring practice and in the first days of preseason practice. But Apodaca said he has seen a leap forward in recent days.
“I just think everything’s so much cleaner right now,” he said. “Just looking back from the first day of camp, getting through everything, trying to get everything installed . ... Everything looks a lot cleaner, a lot crisper.”
Between now and Sept. 1, when UNM opens the season at home against South Dakota, what needs to happen?
“I think we just need to get everything cleaned up as far as false starts, mindless penalties,” Apodaca said. “Not being set, not being on the line. I think if we get all that stuff cleaned up, once we get the ball snapped, we’ll execute pretty well.”
As for the defense, Henry said, “It’s just focus. Everybody knows what they need to do.
“We’re past the point of trying to teach people now. It’s just about execution.”
TALKIN’ ABOUT PRACTICE: Davie said he was extremely pleased with Thursday’s 85-play closed scrimmage in the stadium.
“Really good,” he said. “Our best scrimmage, our best fullspeed work of camp.”
ROSTER TALK: Senior Garrett Adcock, who had taken virtually every snap with the first-team offense at right tackle, missed Saturday’s practice. “Out sick,” Davie said.
Adcock’s absence prompted the move of sophomore Aaron Jenkins from right guard to right tackle, with senior Tevita Fonua at right guard.
On defense, senior outside rush linebacker Maurice Daniels took some first-team snaps at right defensive end, spelling sophomore Cody Baker. Senior right defensive end Garrett Hughes, who has taken most of the first-team snaps this month, was suited up but did not practice. Sophomore quarterback JaJuan Lawson and junior linebacker Evah Tohi also sat out.
“There’s not really any specific reason for (those moves), other than just depth situations, trying to create depth, or some people being a little nicked up,” Davie said.
True freshman Kameron Miller has been moved from quarterback to safety at his request, Davie said. Miller played both quarterback and defensive back at Las Cruces High School.
SCHOOL DAYS: “Fall camp” has officially ended, though the location remains the same and the practice schedule changes only a little. The Lobos will take today off, practice Monday morning and begin fall-semester classes that afternoon.