If Lobos are looking, some suggestions on picking next coach
Time for some random and completely baseless speculation! Simple logic suggests that the University of New Mexico will be looking for a new football coach pretty soon — if, that is, the school can somehow find a way to pay the estimated $1.5 million (or negotiate something less) it will take to buy out the contracts for head coach Bob Davie and his staff.
Athletic director Eddie Nuñez said during Saturday’s season finale at Dreamstyle Stadium that he had no plans to make an announcement on Davie’s future. But that was Saturday and today is another day, and it’s clear the clock is ticking.
Rest assured, a list of names exists somewhere inside the UNM athletic department, a list that has potential replacements waiting on speed dial. No one really knows who’s on there, so it’s up to us, the reckless media and semi-informed opinions of the fans, to throw names against the wall and see what sticks.
Chances are the next head coach isn’t on this list, but this is the fun part. It’s sort of like casting a net into the water and not knowing what will come back, if anything. Kind of like online dating.
There’s also a slight chance nothing happens. Davie is under contract through 2021, and barring some logistical move we haven’t anticipated yet — like him retiring, violating his contract and getting fired for cause, winning the Powerball and walking away with stacks of cash — he’ll be here another three seasons.
That includes next year’s Lobo road trip to Notre Dame. That should be interesting.
If he’s gone, there are two ways to go. Hire the older recycled coach who’s had his fair share of success and failure; a retread, a gray-haired patriarch with more miles than your grandpa’s gas guzzler. He’s looking for one final shot or merely trying to hold back the assault of Father Time by collecting a paycheck and winning the news conferences with his “one play at a time” rhetoric.