14 Lobo seniors to return for another go-round
But team’s leading tackler in 2020 isn’t among them
Fourteen seniors, nine on defense led by end Joey Noble, are returning on scholarship to play for the University of New Mexico football team, coach Danny Gonzales announced via Twitter on Saturday morning.
Those staying with the Lobos are defensive backs Patrick Peek, Shaddrick Lowery, Tony Collier and Corey Hightower; defensive linemen Noble, Ben Gansallo and Adam Gay; linebackers Reco Hannah and Devin Sanders; offensive linemen Kyle Stapley, Austin Cook and Ben Davis; tight end Kyle Jarvis; and wide receiver Emmanuel Logan-Greene.
The coronavirus-delayed and shortened 2020 season did not count against a player’s eligibility. Last year, before the season, Gonzales told the UNM seniors that none would be guaranteed a scholarship in 2021 due to the Lobos’ cap of 85 scholarships.
Gonzales tweeted the list of players, beginning the message with: “Unfinished Business! Let’s Do This!!!”
The seniors were pictured in a graphic that also read: Unfinished business.
“Like I’ve been saying since back in August, not everyone was going to have
the opportunity to return,” Gonzales said during a phone interview. “There were certain things that needed to be met, both academically and athletically. The players that you see entering the transfer portal, if they wanted the opportunity to play for that extra year that’s what they were going to have to do. Everyone on that list on Twitter was invited to come back and excited to come back.”
Wide receiver Jordan Kress and defensive backs Michael LoVett III and Letayveon Beaton were seniors who recently entered the transfer portal. Before the 2020 season, when UNM had 31 seniors, Elijah Burton (wide receiver), Jacobi Hearn (linebacker) and Brandon Burton (defensive back) entered the transfer portal.
Linebacker Brandon Shook, who led
UNM (2-5) with 60 tackles and earned All Mountain West Conference second-team honors, was invited to return, but chose to move on from football and pursue a career in law enforcement, Gonzales said.
“I wanted him to come back from the onset,” Gonzales said of Shook, who had 19 tackles in a 28-0 loss to Air Force, the most tackles in a game by a Mountain West player and fourth-most by any FBS player this past season.
“I was hoping with the success he had that it would persuade him to stay. But, it’s why he’s so good, he’s very goal oriented, he has his mind made up to what he wants to do. He’ll be an outstanding police officer. I’m proud of him for being smart and knowing what he wants to do.”
Marcus Williams, the former Cleveland High standout who led UNM tight ends with 11 catches for 114 yards, hasn’t entered the transfer portal, but has told
Gonzales he does not plan to return.
Offensive lineman Teton Saltes and punter Tyson Dyer have said they are attempting to play professionally.
The Lobos still have five scholarships available while recruiting for the next signing date on Feb. 3. It’s possible UNM could add graduate transfers, Gonzales said.
UNM was scheduled to begin weight training workouts and meet as a team Tuesday, but Gonzales has moved that start date to Feb. 1. Instead, the players will quarantine for two weeks and will then be tested for the coronavirus before training in small groups, Gonzales said. UNM is restricted from training as a team in large groups due to the COVID-19 guidelines in New Mexico.