Three main questions for the New Mexico Lobos as spring football begins

Feb. 11—After a 2-10 season in 2022, there will be questions. New Mexico is no exception.

The Lobos are set to begin spring practice on Tuesday with two new coordinators, 20 new players and concerns at each position, unit and the roster as a whole. And yet, heading into coach Danny Gonzales' fourth year at the helm, there's a level of excitement around the program regarding the changes and a return to practice.

Here are three key questions they'll look to answer before their spring game on March 6:

WHO'S NEXT UP AT QUARTERBACK? Dylan Hopkins spent less than 24 hours in the portal before becoming the third graduate transfer quarterback to join the Lobos in as many years. Gonzales said that wasn't quite the plan but Hopkins' addition was a "special case" given his experience and familiarity with new cordinator Bryant Vincent's offense.

The numbers aren't bad, either: the former UAB starter completed 136 of 215 passes (63%) last season for 1,913 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Hopkins possessed sneaky efficiency, finishing ninth in the country in passing yards per completion (14.07 yards) among qualified starters. He remains the early favorite to come out on top in an open competition.

The rest of the depth chart? That's where it gets interesting.

The holdovers: Sophomore Justin Holaday (26-of-59, 222 yards, one touchdown, one interception in 2022) makes sense as a backup with his skill set but needs to become a more polished passer.

In January, Gonzales said redshirt sophomore Isaiah Chavez is "between" the quarterback room, wide receivers room and linebackers room, expected to have multiple roles on the team. Spring practice should give a quick answer on how the Lobos plan to use him.

The prospects? David Charles Tabscott is a former three-star recruit but an unknown at the collegiate level after two seasons with Appalachian State. At 6-4 and 200 pounds, he's got a long, easy release, sound accuracy and a considerable frame to build upon.

Freshman Devon Dampier, an early enrollee from Saguaro (Arizona) High School, is another former three-star recruit. Dampier is understandably raw, barely a month into his time at New Mexico, but possesses a big arm and legitimate dual-threat potential.

Barring injury or other unforeseen circumstances, Hopkins is likely to take snaps with the starters throughout spring practice. And it's doubtful there'll be any backlash — it's a position desperately in need of a quick fix in a big way. If all goes according to plan, Hopkins can provide that.

But how Holaday, Tabscott, Dampier and even Chavez perform behind him won't be ignored.

WHO WILL EMERGE AT RECEIVER? New Mexico wide receivers coach Cornelius Williams will tell you what he wants out of his position group: guys who can win more one-on-one battles than not, catch balls underneath and ultimately, serve as legitimate scoring threats for an offense that only had three passing touchdowns last season.

The good news on that front? There's options. The bad news? There's not a ton to distinguish them from each other right now.

Consider: New Mexico lost five wide receivers in the transfer portal, notably Geordon Porter, the team leader in receiving yards (321) and touchdowns (two). Of the 11 remaining receivers, only two (Luke Wysong and Andrew Erickson) had 10-plus receptions and 100-plus receiving yards last season.

Maybe that doesn't leave a completely depleted unit but there's plenty of room for improvement. In that vein, the Lobos landed eight receivers through the portal, the most of any position group, with six enrolled for the spring semester.

Of the six, redshirt juniors Jeremiah Hixon (31 receptions for 364 yards and four touchdowns with Alabama State in 2022) and Ryan Davis (six receptions for 74 yards with UAB in 2022) bring experience. Sophomore Caleb Medford, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound TCU transfer, carries potential and a solid recruiting pedigree after appearing in six games over two years with the Horned Frogs.

However, there might not be a more intriguing addition than D.J. Washington, a midyear transfer out of Iowa Central Community College. In three seasons with the Tritons, the Belle Glade, Florida native had 107 receptions, 2,027 yards and 24 touchdowns in what's generally regarded to be one of the toughest JUCO conferences in the country.

At 6-5 and 205 pounds, Washington's tape pops — physical off the line of scrimmage with good separation, good hands and a real knack for turning 50/50 balls into 80/20 balls. He leaves some room for growth as a route runner, and whether or not he can develop a true third gear will likely determine his long-term usage.

Going off his build and skill set, Washington will start spring practice as the JUCO player most poised to make an instant impact on offense, with receiver Duke Miller (57 receptions for 622 yards and six touchdowns in 2022 at East Mississippi Community College) not far behind.

Wysong and Erickson seem primed to get theirs in a new offense but if the unit is going to take a step forward, it'll likely require some new names coming into the fold.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE DEFENSE? This offseason wasn't the kindest to New Mexico's defense, to say the least.

For starters, seven of the Lobos' nine leading tacklers departed by way of graduation or the transfer portal. That figure includes key players like linebacker Cody Moon (105 tackles), safety Jerrick Reed II (94 tackles) and safety A.J. Haulcy (87 tackles). Approximately 57% of the team's tackles departed in a month-and-a-half span.

Further, defensive coordinator Rocky Long left to assume the same position at Syracuse after leading the Lobos to a 46th-ranked finish in yards allowed. In Long's absence, Troy Reffett was promoted after three years of coaching cornerbacks.

The question here isn't scheme-related: the Lobos will still run a 3-3-5, and Reffett is more than experienced in that capacity. Nor is it coaching-related, with a defensive staff that's generally done well in terms of defensive player development throughout Gonzales' tenure.

But it's a significant amount of production to replace — one that would mark a challenge for most staffs and rosters, not even considering how the defense has been the team's saving grace through the last few seasons. Whether New Mexico's defense regresses or improves starts with a crucial spring session as eight transfers and a slew of returners look to fill vacant spots.

Sept. 2

Season opener: New Mexico at Texas A&M, time, TV TBA