Magee wants Lobos to play fast
New coordinator wants to liven up UNM offense
As co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach at the University of Arizona last year, Calvin Magee helped the Wildcats rank 12th in the nation in total offense.
With 309.3 rushing yards per game, the Wildcats finished No. 3 nationally in that category.
So what are the goals for the University of New Mexico, where Magee in his first season as offensive coordinator and running backs coach? Goals? What goals? “I haven’t been a goaloriented guy for a long, long time,” said Magee, 58, who played five years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a tight end. “The only goal is to outscore the opponent. I just want to be a mistake-free, hardworking, playmaking team.”
The Lobos, who went 3-9 last year and were picked to finish last in the Mountain West Conference Mountain
Division for this season, begin summer practices today. They will look to Magee to pump some new life into the offense.
UNM head coach Bob Davie says the offense is being tweaked, as his triple-option will still be used. But the offensive makeover will surely include the spread concepts that Magee picked up from working with offensive innovator Rich Rodriguez while at West Virginia, Michigan and Arizona.
“It’s an offense that’s going to play fast,” said Magee, who will be calling the plays for the Lobos. “You’re going to see us playing hard. Hopefully you’ll see a lot of different playmakers making plays. Let the quarterback be the point guard, be the guy who controls it all.”
Magee left Arizona amid controversy. Rodriguez was fired shortly after an investigation of sexual harassment allegations. Arizona did not find evidence to substantiate the claims but was concerned with the direction of the football program and let Rodriguez go.
Magee wanted to remain in coaching. He said he had two other offers, including one from a Pac-12 school he did not want to name. But he chose UNM because he said he likes Davie’s commitment to the program and the foundation he’s built within the past six seasons.
Shortly after Magee landed with the Lobos, Davie had to serve a 30-day suspension for allegations of misconduct.
Magee said his first impression of New Mexico has been “pleasant,” but more adversity came in the form of UNM cutting four sports and many Lobo fans being upset, as their perception was the school’s football team has been a money-eater instead of a money-maker.
Magee said he was surprised and disappointed he had to leave Arizona after building strong relationships with players and their families.
“My job is to come and coach and develop these young men,” Magee said. “I didn’t pay too much attention to (UNM’s budget struggles), to be honest with you, when I first got here. Didn’t read anything on it. I didn’t really want to know a lot about it. I came here with a job to do. So I just came to the office and we met and talked ball and kept going forward. It wasn’t like it was part of my brain.”
Magee spoke softly and with an accent that says New Orleans, where he’s from. He still walks with a limp from injuries suffered in the NFL, mainly to his left knee.
After his pro career he said he knew he wanted to work with kids, as a juvenile counselor. His wife, Rosie, mentioned the idea of coaching, so that he could combine football and working with youth.
Magee tried high school coaching in at Tampa (Fla.) Catholic. He said he only wanted to install an offense, a two-week job. Those two weeks turned into five years and into his start with college at South Florida. He only became interested in coaching with Rodriguez at West Virginia after an interview.
Davie said it was good timing with Magee, since the UNM head coach wanted to change up the offense.
Davie spoke to Will Parks, the Denver Broncos defensive back who played at Arizona. Parks is the brother of Delane HartJohnson, a senior wide receiver for the Lobos.
Parks spoke highly of Magee, as did Rodriguez, who said Magee was the best assistant he ever had.
Davie heard about Magee through Urban Meyer, who was on Davie’s staff when he was head coach at Notre Dame. Meyer’s staff had football clinics with Rodriguez’s staff in the past.
Magee is fitting in well with the Lobos, Davie said.
“It’s been a breath of fresh air for everybody because we’ve been in the same scheme for six years,” Davie said of the new offense. “I’m anxious to see it.”