Lobos take down Air Force; some take a knee

ALBUQUERQUE — At least five Lobo football players took a knee during the national anthem of Saturday’s game against Air Force at Dreamstyle Stadium.

Two of the players knelt near the 38-yard-line along the New Mexico sideline. They were Elijah Lilly and Michael Sewell Jr. Lilly is a sophomore cornerback from San Bernardino, Calif., while Sewell is a junior safety from Palmdale, Calif.

A third UNM player, whom one local media member said was defensive lineman Garrett Hughes — which was later confirmed by a UNM spokesperson — took a knee behind the Lobo bench, about 50 feet away. Hughes is a senior from Corona, Calif.

A fourth was junior defensive back Stanley Barnwell Jr. of Opa-Locka, Fla. A photo of him showed him down on

one knee in front of the players and coaches along the sideline. To his left stood safety Marcus Hayes, who had both of his hands stuffed down the front of his pants.

“That’s their right,” said Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun. “They live in a country where they’re allowed to do that. We’ve got service members all over the world currently and who have served, so if somebody chooses not to stand, they’re allowed to. There’s no law and there should be no law and it should be your choice.”

The fifth player to not stand was senior linebacker Kimmie Carson of Tulsa, Okla.

Lobos head coach Bob Davie said wasn’t aware ahead of time that any of his players intended to take a knee. He said there was a little bit of confusion along the sidelines because of the timing of the song.

The anthem is typically played before the game when both teams are still in their locker rooms. A pregame rain storm kept the stadium closed to fans until 30 minutes before the opening kick.

Their delayed entry prompted school officials to push the anthem back to halftime. Davie said he, Calhoun and head referee Cooper Castleberry agreed before the game that the anthem wouldn’t be played at all, so when the song began, Davie said he was surprised to hear it.

“We’ve never been out there before the national anthem,” Davie said. “The agreement was made that there was going to be no national anthem played.”

Davie said he would talk to his team about it before addressing the matter further.

“I wouldn’t want to judge or have too much of a critique, at least speaking from my standpoint as far as a coach of a football team because, in fairness to [his players], I never talked to them about it,” he said.

Lobos running back Richard McQuarley refused to comment about the matter and UNM linebacker Alex Hart said he didn’t notice any of his teammates taking a knee.

As soon as the second quarter ended the anthem was played, meaning Air Force’s players were also on the field when the song began.

As is protocol, service members not in uniform are told to place their hands over their hearts while those in uniform render salutes.