ON THE MOVE
Lobo football senior Burton enters transfer portal
Brandon Burton, a University of New Mexico 6-foot-1, 200-pound redshirt senior safety, has entered the transfer portal, he announced on Twitter on Wednesday.
UNM coach Danny Gonzales said he was not aware of any more Lobos entering the transfer portal, but “there could be more” because of last week’s NCAA Board of Governors announcement that the 2020 season would not count against a player’s eligibility clock. Seniors could potentially play up to two seasons in 2021 if there is a spring season, and then another in the fall.
At UNM, the situation for seniors becomes a bit complicated. There are 31 seniors on scholarship at UNM, Gonzales said. According to the recent eligibility announcement, universities can keep 110 players on scholarship, but that might not be the case for all programs financially.
“At our school, we have 85 that we can keep on scholarship so we’re going to keep going with 85,” Gonzales said. “Not all of those guys (seniors) will have an opportunity to return. Some of them who have an opportunity to go play at other places will do that. I’m sure there might be some of them that decide they’re ready to move on from life and not play another year. I’m sure we’ll have a little bit of everything.”
Gonzales said he met with the team last week to discuss the new eligibility rules and to let the players know how UNM would disperse scholarships in 2021. He hopes there will be a season in the spring and that the seniors can play then, but there might not be enough room for some of them next fall.
“If I can do anything to help, I will,” Gonzales said regarding Burton entering the
transfer portal. “I wish him the best and success going forward for him.”
Burton, who was vying to start as UNM’s Lobo Back in its new 3-3-5 defense, transferred to New Mexico two years ago from UCLA, where he didn’t want to play linebacker as coach Chip Kelly wanted.
Burton started three games last year, recording 22 tackles and one fumble recovery. He tweeted a screen shot of confirmation from the NCAA that he had entered the transfer portal.
Burton tweeted: “TMC. A grad transfer looking for an opportunity. It’s all I need.” He also tweeted: “My best football is still ahead of me.”
TMC usually stands for Too Many Choices in texting.
Burton was considered by ESPN and Rivals. com to be a four-star recruit out of Junipero Serra High in Gardena, California. He took official visits to Florida State, Oklahoma State and Ohio State before landing at UCLA.
WATCH LIST: UNM junior running back Bryce Carroll and New Mexico State redshirt senior wide receiver Jared Wyatt are among 47 players named to the eighth annual Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List announced Wednesday.
The award recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals. In addition, the nominee must have been born in Texas, graduated from a Texas high school or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year college.
Carroll, from San Antonio, broke out last season, rushing for 536 yards on 105 carries with two touchdowns. He was second on the team in rushing, and he is UNM’s leading returning rusher.
Wyatt, the Wylie, Texas native who began his collegiate career at Bowling Green, caught seven passes for 139 yards (19.9 avg.) and a touchdown in his debut season as an Aggie one year ago.
How the award will be contested whether for the fall or spring, has not been determined.