Debts, rats and recruits, oh my!

Just sayin’: If you’re going to do college football, do it right. Or don’t do it. News that the University of New Mexico Board of Regents has approved an expenditure of $676,500 for an upgrade to UNM’s football locker room did not go down well in the halls of academia.

That’s understandable, since the UNM athletic department is in debt to the dissonant tune of $4.7 million.

Then, Wednesday morning, the Journal reported that the athletic department is renewing an effort to have most of that debt forgiven. Not surprisingly, the available public reaction has registered on the scale somewhere between offended and outraged.

But it should be understood as well, that athletics’ goal is to pay for the locker-room upgrade without adding to the deficit and without taking money away from any other project.

Athletic director Eddie Nuñez told the Board of Regents on March 12 that $100,000 of the financing will come from up-front money paid by LSU and/or Texas A&M for guarantee road games the Lobos will play against the Tigers in 2022 and the Aggies in 2023. Another $120,000 is to come from bond money dedicated for capital projects.

The remaining $456,600 is to come from private donations. Not all of that money is in hand, and Nuñez said the university would be loaning the athletic department $200,000. Nuñez said he’s confident that money will be promptly repaid through donations.

Former Lobo offensive lineman Garrett Adcock, the student regent, said many lockers are in disrepair. In addition, he said, “There have been rats in the lockers.”

Maybe there’s a joke in there somewhere. Then again, no.

For those who oppose the locker-room improvements, there’s still hope. The project must be approved by the New Mexico Higher Education Department.

Meanwhile, Gov. Susana Martinez, while

vetoing a capital outlay funding request of $30,000 for new equipment for UNM cross country — the Lobo women are the reigning NCAA champions — approved a capital outlay expenditure of $250,000 for improvements in and around Dreamstyle Stadium.

So, just like that, we’re up to just short of $1 million for football upgrades. If you’re shocked, don’t be.

It’s called keeping up with Colorado State, Wyoming, UNLV, et al, or at least trying to. Facilities are not the be-all and endall of football recruiting, or of player morale. But they’re vital to both.

How vital is college

football to the basic mission of a university? That’s highly questionable.

How woven into the fabric of a university is college football?

Tightly and deeply enough that it needs to be done right.

Or don’t do it. DEGREES OF

DESPICABLE: It’s despicable, one of the Journal’s Sports Speak Up! contributors opined the other day, that there wasn’t a single New Mexico player in UNM’s 2018 football signing class.

Is it then despicable that UNM men’s basketball hasn’t signed a single New Mexico player since Cullen Neal, five classes ago?

Is it despicable that the four class-of-2018 New Mexico high school football players to whom UNM offered scholarships decided to spurn those offers and sign elsewhere?

Sorry, but I don’t see any despicability (if that’s not a word, it should be) on this issue. I only see an underpopulated state that produces Division I athletes in drips and drabs. Or, sometimes, vice versa.

And I see two NCAA Football Subdivision programs, UNM and New Mexico State, that traditionally struggle to keep New Mexico’s few elite prospects within our borders when Power Five conference schools and upper-echelon Group of Five schools swoop in.

For the record, UNM’s 2018 spring football roster includes six scholarship players from our state: cornerback Blair Manly (Cibola), safety Gabe Ortega (Cleveland), safety Kameron Miller (Las Cruces), offensive tackle Teton Saltes (Valley), wide receiver Aaron Molina (Valley) and tight end Marcus Williams (Cleveland). There are 16 in-state walk-ons on the roster.

Regarding UNM men’s basketball, it’s fair to note that Valley’s Anthony Chavez and Atrisco Heritage’s Jordan Arroyo have accepted invitations to join the program as preferred walk-ons.

It’s fair to note, as well, that Manzano wide receiver-defensive back Andrew Erickson has accepted a similar invitation for football.