New Mexico

Jason Eck Named 34th Head Football Coach

Published

1 year ago

December 14, 2024

Jason Eck Named 34th Head Football Coach

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jason Eck, who has led the University of Idaho football program to a national ranking and FCS playoffs appearances in all three of his seasons at Idaho, has been named the new head coach of the University of New Mexico football program.

“I am thrilled to have Jason Eck as our next head football coach,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo. “Jason has led Idaho to tremendous success, turning around the program and building upon success year after year, through recruiting, teaching and a strong culture. Throughout his career, he has been a part of winning programs at all levels of college football and his passion for student-athlete success and well-being is evident. We are fortunate to have Jason and his family join the Lobos and I am confident that he will take us to unprecedented heights.”

A veteran coach with 26 years of experience at the FBS, FCS and Division II levels, Eck has led the Idaho Vandals to three straight playoff berths in the FCS, including the quarterfinals the past two seasons. In the 22 years prior to his arrival, the Vandals totaled just two winning seasons. Additionally, Idaho increased its win total each season under Eck.

“I want to thank President Stokes, Vice President and Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo and everyone involved with the search process,” said Eck. “I am truly humbled to be selected as the head coach of the New Mexico Lobos. I know that the university community, students, alumni, Lobo Nation and greater Albuquerque and New Mexico communities are eager for success and I cannot wait to give that to them. We will have tremendous coaches and support staff and develop our student-athletes into elite athletes, UNM graduates and people. My wife,Kimberly, and our five children are thrilled to be a part of Albuquerque and we are ready to go!”

“We are excited to welcome Jason Eck and his wonderful family to The University of New Mexico,” said President Garnett S. Stokes. “Jason is a visionary leader who puts the student-athlete first, and his teams have always enjoyed tremendous success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. We welcome Jason, Kimberly and their children Quinton, Jaxton, Palmer, Maverick and Lola to Albuquerque and to Lobo Nation!”

In 2024, Eck had to reload after losing his starting quarterback and 81.5% of his team’s total receptions and 82.7% of the total receiving yards from his team to graduation or the transfer portal. All he has done in 2024 is beat a second Mountain West opponent and led Idaho to a 10-4 record and a second straight FCS Playoff quarterfinal appearance. After opening the season by putting a scare into currently undefeated No. 1 Oregon, losing just 24-14 in a game where Idaho trailed 17-14 late in the fourth quarter, Eck led the Vandals to a second straight Mountain West win, this time beating Wyoming in Laramie 17-13. Idaho then rolled off five straight wins to end the regular season, despite losing their starting quarterback to injury. Three of Idaho’s four losses on the season were to teams ranked No. 1 in the polls.

In 2023 with Gevani McCoy at quarterback a season after winning the Jerry Rice Award, presented to the most outstanding freshman in the FCS, the Vandals improved to 9-4, again finishing 6-2 in the Big Sky, tying for second place. The Vandals played two FBS programs, falling in a close game to California 31-17 and defeating Nevada 33-6 in Reno, allowing only two field goals as Idaho outgained the Wolf Pack 463 to 266. The Vandals went 4-2 against ranked opponents and advanced to the FCS Quarterfinals. Once again, the Vandals ranked in the Top 20 in a host of categories including passing efficiency (12^th at 154.7), scoring offense (14^th at 32.3), total defense (14^th at 306.8), red zone offense (4^th at 92.6%), net punting (11^th at 40.1), punt returns (3^rd at 18.4), kickoff returns (7^th at 24.2), and time of possession 3^rd at 33:48).

Two players, receiver Hayden Hatten and defensive back Marcus Harris, were both named All-Americans. For Hatten, marking his second straight All-American nod.

In his first season as head coach in 2022, Eck led the Vandals to a 7-5 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Big Sky Conference, finishing third. That season included wins over rival No. 3 Montana, a first for the program since 1999, and the team broke the 40-point mark five times. Two of the losses were to Washington State (24-17) and at Indiana (35-22). The team qualified for the postseason for the first time since playing in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2016, and for the just the fourth time since 1995 when the program last played in the FCS Playoffs.

Idaho ranked in the Top 20 in the FCS in passing efficiency (5^th at 168.1), scoring offense (13^th at 35.9), fewest passing yards allowed (19^th at 190.0), turnover margin (9^th at +0.83), red zone offense (5^th at 92.3%), punt returns (13^th at 13.9), kickoff returns (13^th at 24.1), and time of possession (2^nd at 35:07).

Eck’s quarterback, Jerry Rice Award winner Gevani McCoy, threw for 2,725 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Overall, in his three seasons with Idaho, Eck coached 16 First Team All-Big Sky players, 12 Second Team All-Big Sky players, four Third Team All-Big Sky players and 16 Honorable Mention All-Big Sky players.

Prior to becoming Idaho’s head coach, Eck spent six seasons with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits as offensive line coach and the final three as offensive coordinator. In 2019, he was named the American Football Coaches’ Association FCS Assistant Coach of the Year.

At South Dakota State, he helped lead the Jackrabbits to three FCS Playoff semifinal appearances in four seasons and a national championship game appearance in the spring 2021 season. In three years as the offensive coordinator at SDSU, Eck’s teams averaged 32.5 points per game, including 37.5 in his final season in 2021. The Jackrabbits were eighth in scoring offense, seventh in team passing efficiency and eighth in rushing offense behind the FCS’ leading rusher, Pierre Strong.

In the 2021 spring season, freshman quarterback Mark Gronowski was the runner-up for the Jerry Rice Award as the FCS freshman of the year before being injured on the first series of the National Championship game. The Jackrabbits fell just 23-21 despite missing Gronowski.

The 2021 spring team showed off Eck’s experience as an offensive line coach as the Jackrabbits were seventh in the FCS in rushing and fourth in the FCS for tackles for loss allowed despite playing some of the most physical defenses in the country in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Sophomore offensive tackle Garret Greenfield was a near-consensus All-America selection and sophomore guard Mason McCormick also received All-America recognition.

Eck served as the offensive line coach for the Jackrabbits from 2016-18. During his first season with the Jackrabbits, SDSU featured one of the most prolific offenses in the MVFC and the FCS, posting averages of 33.2 points and 437.5 yards of total offense per game. In league contests, SDSU ranked second out of 10 teams in allowing only 11 total sacks and ranking first in five different offensive categories.

Before his time at SDSU, Eck was the offensive line coach and run-game coordinator at Montana State in 2015. The Bobcats were 18th in the FCS for rushing offense and 23rd in the FCS for sacks allowed. MSU was third in the FCS for scoring offense during his one season in Bozeman.

He was the offensive coordinator for the record-setting offense at Minnesota State, Mankato during back-to-back Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championships in 2013 and 2014. He served as the offensive line coach in 2013 and added offensive coordinator duties in 2014 as the Mavericks advanced to the NCAA Division II championship game. The 2014 season saw Mankato finish 14th in Division II in rushing offense.

Eck has also served coaching stints at Western Illinois (2012), Hampton (2011), Ball State (2009-10), and Winona State (2007-08). He had a previous stop at Idaho as an assistant coach, starting in 2004 when he coached the Vandal offensive line for three seasons.

A 1999 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Eck played on the Badgers’ 1998 Big Ten Championship team which went on to win the Rose Bowl. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin under head coach Barry Alvarez and later moved on to Colorado.

Eck and his wife Kimberly have five children: Quentin, Jaxton, Palmer, Maverick and Lola. Kimberly is on the Board of Directors of the American Football Coaches Wives Association.

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New Mexico

New Mexico reaction to Trump’s deadline on Iran war

Published

9 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

New Mexico reaction to Trump’s deadline on Iran war

Sen. Ben Ray Luján says Trump is waging an illegal war

THIS IS KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS AND THAT BREAKING NEWS IN THE WAR IN IRAQ. IF YOU’RE JUST TUNING IN, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYING ON TRUTH SOCIAL, HE WILL AGREE TO A TWO WEEK CEASEFIRE ON THE CONDITION THAT IRAN AGREES TO REOPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. HIS NEW OFFER, COMING HOURS BEFORE HIS DEADLINE FOR IRAN TO OPEN THE STRAIT, THREATENING IF THEY DIDN’T. QUOTE, A WHOLE CIVILIZATION WILL DIE TONIGHT, NEVER TO BE BROUGHT BACK AGAIN. NOW, HE SAYS HE’S HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FIELD MARSHAL AND PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN AGREEING TO HOLD OFF FORCE BEING SENT TONIGHT TO IRAN. HE POSTED THIS. I’LL HOLD OFF THE DESTRUCTIVE FORCE BEING SENT TONIGHT TO IRAN AND SUBJECT TO THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN, AGREEING TO THE COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE AND SAFE OPENING OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. I AGREE TO SUSPEND THE BOMBING AND ATTACK IRAN FOR A PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS. HE CALLED IT A DOUBLE CEASE FIRE AFTER GETTING A PROPOSAL FROM IRAN AND WORKABLE BASIS ON WHICH TO NEGOTIATE. PROTESTERS AND LAWMAKERS REACTING TO THE PRESIDENT’S EARLIER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT ENDING A CIVILIZATION. IF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ WAS NOT REOPENED. PRIOR TO THAT TEMPORARY CEASE FIRE DEAL HAS BEEN SUSPENDED. NOW, GETTING REACTION FROM SENATOR LUJAN. YEAH. SENATOR LUJAN, TODAY REACTING TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF NEW MEXICO CALLING FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S IMPEACHMENT. BUT FIRST, PROTESTERS GATHERED IN ALBUQUERQUE THIS MORNING. THE WAR IN IRAQ, IN ALBUQUERQUE, A FAMILIAR SPOT IN FRONT OF KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE TUESDAY, WHERE PROTESTERS HAVE BEEN GATHERING. BUT TODAY’S TONE WAS A BIT DIFFERENT. WHAT WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY IS A UNIVERSAL PURGE OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE PENTAGON. THERE’S NO REASON TO HAVE THESE WAR CRIMINALS IN OUR SERVICE, OR EVEN IN OUR GENE POOL ANYMORE. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF NEW MEXICO CALLING FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S IMPEACHMENT. IN AN EMAIL SENT TO KOAT, U.S. SENATOR BEN RAY LUJAN IN ALBUQUERQUE AND RESPONDING, DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE? PRESIDENT TRUMP, WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WHICH IS WHERE THERE WOULD BE ANY IMPEACHMENT CONSIDERATION OR HEARINGS. SENATOR LUJAN, REACTING TO THIS SOCIAL MEDIA POST BY TRUMP WHERE HE CALLS FOR ATTACKS ON THE IRANIAN INFRASTRUCTURE, BRIDGES AND POWER PLANTS. IF A DEAL WASN’T REACHED, THERE HAS STILL NOT BEEN A VOTE THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE BROUGHT TO THE SENATE FLOOR, GIVING THE PRESIDENT THE TOOLS THAT ANY PRESIDENT WOULD NEED TO GO TO WAR. AN AUMF THIS PRESIDENT IS GOING AT IT AGAIN, RECKLESSLY. LUJAN FALLING SHORT OF CALLING TRUMP A WAR CRIMINAL. I BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT IS NOT FOLLOWING UNITED STATES LAW. WHEN THE PRESIDENT IS THREATENING THE ELIMINATION OF A CIVILIZATION OF PEOPLE, I WOULD ARGUE THAT THAT IS BREAKING U.S. LAW, FEDERAL LAW, GLOBAL LAW, AS WELL. OKAY. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF NEW MEXICO RELEASING THIS STATEMENT TO US JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, SAYING IN PART, MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE WAY PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS DEALT WITH IRAN HAS FUNDAMENTALLY MADE OUR COUNTRY SAFER. AS THE PRESIDENT HAS STATED, OUR MILITARY OBJECTIVES IN IRAN ARE NEARLY FINISHED. AND THE TWO WEEK CEASEFIRE ANNOUNCED TODAY PROVES THAT WE ARE IN TOTAL CONTROL OF THIS CONFLICT. IN THE STUDIO, JOHN POLO, KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS TONIGHT AT TEN. OUR WASHINGTON BUREAU WILL HAVE MORE ON THIS BREAKING DEVELOPMEN

New Mexico reaction to Trump’s deadline on Iran war

Sen. Ben Ray Luján says Trump is waging an illegal war

Updated: 7:06 PM MDT Apr 7, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Protesters gathered Tuesday in front of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, a familiar location for demonstrations, as tensions rose following the missed deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz. “What would make me happy is a universal purge of the White House and the Pentagon. There’s no reason to have these war criminals in our service, or even in our gene pool anymore,” one protester said. The Democratic Party of New Mexico called for President Trump’s impeachment in an email sent to KOAT on Tuesday. U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, who was in Albuquerque that day, addressed the issue. “Do you think he should be removed from office?” asked KOAT reporter John Rupolo.”We’ll see what happens in the House of Representatives, which is where there would be any impeachment consideration or hearings,” Luján said. Luján also reacted to a social media post by Trump in which the president called for attacks on infrastructure, bridges, and power plants if a deal was not reached by Tuesday night. “There has still not been a vote that Republicans have brought to the Senate floor, giving the president the tools that any president would need to go to war and a umph. This president is going at it again recklessly,” Luján said. While Luján stopped short of labeling Trump a war criminal, he expressed strong criticism of the president’s actions. “When the president is threatening the elimination of a civilization of people, I would argue that that is breaking U.S. law. Federal law. Global law as well,” Luján said.We reached out to state Republican leaders, but they refused to comment. We also reached out to the New Mexico Republican Party and never heard back.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

Protesters gathered Tuesday in front of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, a familiar location for demonstrations, as tensions rose following the missed deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz.

“What would make me happy is a universal purge of the White House and the Pentagon. There’s no reason to have these war criminals in our service, or even in our gene pool anymore,” one protester said.

The Democratic Party of New Mexico called for President Trump’s impeachment in an email sent to KOAT on Tuesday. U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, who was in Albuquerque that day, addressed the issue.

“Do you think he should be removed from office?” asked KOAT reporter John Rupolo.

“We’ll see what happens in the House of Representatives, which is where there would be any impeachment consideration or hearings,” Luján said.

Luján also reacted to a social media post by Trump in which the president called for attacks on infrastructure, bridges, and power plants if a deal was not reached by Tuesday night.

“There has still not been a vote that Republicans have brought to the Senate floor, giving the president the tools that any president would need to go to war and a umph. This president is going at it again recklessly,” Luján said.

While Luján stopped short of labeling Trump a war criminal, he expressed strong criticism of the president’s actions.

“When the president is threatening the elimination of a civilization of people, I would argue that that is breaking U.S. law. Federal law. Global law as well,” Luján said.

We reached out to state Republican leaders, but they refused to comment. We also reached out to the New Mexico Republican Party and never heard back.

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New Mexico

Political divisions fuel push to have Texas annex part of New Mexico

Published

21 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Political divisions fuel push to have Texas annex part of New Mexico

WASHINGTON — Everything is bigger in Texas, but could the state get even larger? Texas lawmakers have begun exploring whether to annex a part of neighboring New Mexico, where many residents say they would prefer to join the Lone Star State. However, key officials in New Mexico are dismissing the idea.

What You Need To Know

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, directed the governmental oversight committee to study the constitutional and economic implications of adding a couple of counties in southeast New Mexico to Texas

The Republican state lawmakers in Lea and Roosevelt counties in New Mexico, just west of Lubbock, have expressed an interest in leaving their state

Legal experts said under the U.S. Constitution, not only would New Mexico and Texas need to agree on annexation, but Congress as well

State Rep. Carl Tepper, R-Lubbock, told Spectrum News that Texans have a lot in common culturally with those from the eastern portion of New Mexico. He said hospitals, companies and universities in his community have many people from there.

“These are oil producers. They’re cattlemen. They’re farmers. They are fiercely independent. They don’t rely on government. Texas is a smaller government state, less regulations, less taxes,” Tepper said. “They feel much closer to us than they do the government in Santa Fe.”

And that is why he believes the Texas Legislature should explore annexing a part of New Mexico.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, directed the governmental oversight committee to study the constitutional and economic implications of adding a couple of counties in southeast New Mexico to Texas. The Republican state lawmakers in Lea and Roosevelt counties in New Mexico, just west of Lubbock, have expressed an interest in leaving their state.

In a statement to Spectrum News, Burrows said, in part, “This conversation is ultimately about culture, opportunity, and the right to choose a path that reflects the shared values of the Permian and Delaware basins.”

Tepper agreed. He said it would be “historic” if the Republican-led Legislature could pull it off.

“There’s a vast amount of conservative voters out there. People who are conservative economically, with their faith, and are very frustrated with the core urban high-density areas and the voters there ruling over vast portions of the geographic areas of these states,” Tepper said.

“If we could find a way to essentially liberate these New Mexico counties into Texas, I think we would also be cutting a path for other counties that are frustrated with their centralized governments being overbearing in other states and bringing them over to more conservative states,” Tepper continued.

New Mexico Democrats are dismissing the idea. A spokesperson for the governor reportedly called it “not serious,” and the New Mexico House speaker said on social media, “Dude, over my dead body, man. No way, no way.”

Legal experts said under the U.S. Constitution, not only would New Mexico and Texas need to agree on annexation, but Congress as well.

“It’s very, very hard to imagine winning that trifecta,” said Sanford Levinson, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law. “It’s hard for me to imagine that New Mexico would be delighted to lose this population, even if the Democrats who run the state probably have no love lost for the Republicans who want to leave.”

Levinson said one big reason the idea is a non-starter is that because of the population change under the new borders, New Mexico would likely lose a congressional seat and Texas would gain one.

He added that conservatives in Oregon and Illinois are also looking at leaving their states.

“The polarization that we talk so much about is found as much within states as among states and the United States, that if you look at practically any state in the union, you find these sharp divisions,” Levinson said.

And despite the sharp divisions, new state lines are hard to draw.

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New Mexico

Record heat, drought prompts early statewide fire restrictions – New Mexico Political Report

Published

1 day ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

Record heat, drought prompts early statewide fire restrictions – New Mexico Political Report

Hot dry summer calls for fire caution:

Those whose outdoor plans include fires will need to review updated rules to stay in compliance with state law. The New Mexico Forestry Division is enacting statewide fire restrictions in an effort to reduce the risk of wildfire starts.

The new restrictions taking effect today, April 6, apply to all “non-federal, non-Tribal and non-municipal lands in New Mexico”:

Prohibited:

Flaring of gas related to oil and gas production
Smoking
Fireworks
Campfires
Prescribed, open, agricultural and/or debris burning

The agency cited unseasonably hot weather and dry fuel conditions in its announcement Monday morning. Erin Taylor, acting secretary of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, said nine of 10 wildfires in the state are caused by humans, and therefore can be prevented.

“Fire restrictions are about individual actions that protect our communities as a whole,” Taylor said in a news release. “We’re asking that every resident and every visitor take extra precautions during a particularly risky wildfire season.”

The National Weather Service’s seasonal outlook shows persistent drought for most of New Mexico through June. The release states that the annual monsoon season is expected to arrive on time in July, potentially bringing above-average precipitation.

These restrictions will remain in place until rescinded. Exceptions are allowed for certain prohibited actions in specific cases or when specific conditions are met, the release states, and the state forester may allow additional exceptions upon receiving a written request.

“If monsoon rains are productive, the state could see these restrictions lifted,” the release states. “However, high temperatures are predicted to persist, and high fuel loads will continue to pose a risk across the state.”

Rodd Cayton is a senior reporter with nm.news covering local news and government as a local reporting fellow with NM Reports.
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