MOVING ON
Bob Davie talks about the end of his tenure as New Mexico’s head football coach
Bob Davie said Tuesday he saw signs that the end of his coaching tenure at the University of New Mexico was imminent, but he thought he would coach his final game without an announcement that the head coach and UNM had “mutually agreed to part ways.”
In that sense, Davie was surprised, and that resulted in apologies to his players for not being able to tell them in person about UNM’s announcement that came in the late afternoon on Monday and apologize to the players for yet another distraction before a game.
“I was going to text them but we couldn’t get all the letters on the text so I had to email them,” Davie said of delivering the news that his time as coach would end after the game against Utah State on Saturday. “I was apologetic that the announcement didn’t happen after the last game, because every week this team has dealt with things that young guys just wanting to play football shouldn’t have to deal with. At some point guys just want to play football.”
Davie, at his press conference, would not comment if the decision for him to step down was indeed mutual, saying, “I’m going to let the athletic director answer that.”
Conversations about Davie’s job status with UNM athletic director Eddie Nuñez began on Sunday, said Nuñez, who spoke separately at Tuesday’s press conference before Davie showed up. Nuñez said the decision to part ways was finalized on Monday. Davie has compiled a 35-63 record at UNM. He guided the Lobos to 16 victories and back-to-back New Mexico Bowl appearances in 2015 and 2016. He has gone 8-27 from 2017 to this season. The Lobos are 2-9 and on a eight-game losing streak.
Nuñez would not reveal terms of Davie’s buyout.
“None of that becomes final until the (Board of Regents) approves it,” Nunez said. “I can’t speak specifically to it. The next board meeting is Dec. 10.”
Davie, who is in his eighth year, had two years remaining on his contract. He was being paid $422,690 as his base salary. Per the terms of Davie’s contract, under “termination by request of university,” UNM would pay his base salary from the date of the termination through the contract’s end, which is Dec. 31, 2021, in monthly installments. That would mean $35,224.17 for 25 more months, or $880,604.25.
Teton Saltes, a redshirt junior offensive lineman, said many of the players were anticipating a coaching change, but he thought the official announcement would come next week.
Saltes described the team as “energetic” and “emotional” after Tuesday’s practice.
“It’s our last game with coach Davie,” Saltes said. “A lot of us want to send him out the best way we can. We want to make sure we do our job and make sure we give coach Davie the final game that he deserves.”
Larry Chavez, the founder, president and CEO of Dreamstyle Remodeling and a renowned UNM athletics booster, said he was disappointed that it was time for a coaching change.
“I would be honored to have my sons play for Bob Davie,” Chavez said. “He is a very fine individual. A great family man and a very good football coach. Unfortunately things didn’t work out.”
Chavez said Davie was the “primary” reason he chose to acquire the naming rights for Dreamstyle Stadium and that Davie was instrumental in renovations for football facilities three years ago.
“It’s a big loss,” Chavez said. “But there wasn’t a whole lot of choice for the athletic department. It came time for a change. The academic performance by the team has been outstanding. I’ll miss him and I wish he and his family the best of luck.”
Chavez said he “wasn’t fine” with UNM’s announcement before the final game, “but I think it’s important to save time for recruiting and for the search of the new coach. It would have been nice to wait till the end of the season.”
Scott Creagan, a former UNM linebacker (1988-92) who has been a Lobo Club president, also said he saw signs of a coaching change, and that Davie “had a good run.”
He said he was OK with the announcement coming Monday. During Creagan’s junior year there was a coaching change for head coach Mike Sheppard during the season.
“It’s tough to do,” Creagan said. “But I think the kids will go out and play hard this weekend. It’s senior day. There are a lot of emotions going on right now. The younger kids are wondering what will happen next year. It’s a little unsettling. But this gives everyone a time to have closure too. Maybe they will go out and fight, and get a win on Saturday.”