New Mexico football believes it has found the man who can lift the program back into relevance, but they had to continue the harsh cycle of college sports in order to secure him. After losing Bronco Mendenhall to Utah State earlier in December, the Lobos have successfully persuaded Jason Eck to leave Idaho to become their 34th head coach, per On3's Pete Nakos.

Fans have weathered plenty of uncertainty and futility for the last several years, but the expectation is that the new man in charge can build a stable foundation in Albuquerque. Eck prospered in his first major coaching opportunity, leading the Vandals to a 26-13 record over the last three seasons and a trip to the FCS Playoffs in 2022. When the FBS comes a calling, though, one tends to drop what they are doing and make the jump.

The new College Football Playoff format affords a Mountain West school like New Mexico a favorable opportunity to earn a slot in the 12-team bracket. Boise State's remarkable 2024 season, which will earn it a New Year's Eve date in the Fiesta Bowl with the winner of Penn State versus SMU, illustrates the quantity of success a Group of Five program can reach in the modern era. Both the Lobos and Eck are surely taking note of that fact.

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Jason Eck must quickly get to work

While there is cause for celebration within the New Mexico football community, a challenging road lies ahead. The team must replace transferring quarterback Devon Dampier and running back Eli Sanders, both of whom each eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards this season. Beyond plugging in those holes on offense, the defense must be emphatically addressed. The Lobos allowed a ghastly 38.0 points per game, ranking last in the conference and 130th in the country.

Though, a head coach with the reputation of Jason Eck should be able to make some noise in the transfer portal and recruiting circuit. An exciting renovation project is officially underway in New Mexico.