The University of New Mexico isn’t known for stellar football performances, having not made a bowl game since 2016 and only having one 10-win season (1981) in program history. Regardless of past results, every program carries hope that someday it will take a step forward.
For New Mexico, a step forward doesn’t mean making the College Football Playoff. It doesn’t mean winning recruiting battles over Alabama and Georgia. The Lobos, at the very least, believe they can become a team that makes bowl games semi-regularly.
The lack of recent success puts head coach Danny Gonzales on the hot seat entering 2023. The Lobos are 7-24 across three seasons with Gonzales as the head coach, and they’ve actually gotten worse in conference play during that time. They won two Mountain West games in 2020, one in 2021, and none in 2022.
It doesn’t matter how little recent success a program has found, winning zero conference games isn’t accepted by any fan base in America.
Major Improvement Needed
On the positive side for Gonzales and company, they’ve crafted a favorable non-conference schedule in 2023, which could lead to an increased win total. The program opens the season with Texas A&M, one of the more talented teams in the country, before then facing Tennessee Tech, New Mexico State, and UMass.
New Mexico needs to grab at least two non-conference wins before entering conference competition. The conference slate isn’t overwhelming, but the Lobos can’t fake their way through a league like the Mountain West.
Last season, New Mexico averaged an abysmal 13.1 points per game, the worst mark of any team in the Mountain West. The Lobos scored just 17 touchdowns all season, an alarming mark.
For New Mexico to compete at all this season, it needs to find some level of offensive consistency. Fortunately for the Lobos, they seemingly have some options at quarterback. Dylan Hopkins transferred into the program from UAB, where he played in over 30 games during his career and performed well for a solid Blazers squad. He would be a solid starter in the Mountain West if he wins the job.
Gonzales did well in the portal to revamp New Mexico’s offense, adding potential improvements like Hopkins to increase the overall roster talent.
The team defense wasn’t quite as bad as the offense in 2022, but it still ranked toward the bottom of several statistical categories, especially when facing conference competition. If the Lobos make steady improvements on both sides of the ball and perform well against weak non-conference foes, a bowl game isn’t out of the question.
Patience With Gonzales
New Mexico’s head coach adding key players through the portal is a good sign for future success. New Mexico doesn’t need to get crazy with expectations in 2023, as a four-win season shouldn’t be deemed a complete failure.
Certainly, the program would like to make a bowl game, but there’s an argument to be made that Gonzales deserves more time to help elevate the team. He played at the school 20 years ago before starting his coaching career with the Lobos, and he seems committed to building a winner.
New Mexico has a head coach who cares about the program, and while the Lobos have struggled under Gonzales in previous seasons, new transfer portal acquisitions could boost the program to a few conference wins in 2023. For Gonzales to feel safe keeping his job, he’ll likely need to win at least five games, though.
Bennett Conlin is a college football contributor for HERO Sports, and he works full-time covering sports betting industry news and legislation for Sports Handle and US Bets.
