Previewing Michigan vs. New Mexico with a Lobos insider

By Clayton Sayfie

TheWolverine.comcaught up with Sean Reider of the Albuquerque Journalfor insight on the New Mexico Lobos ahead of their season-opening matchup with Michigan Wolverines footballSaturday evening in Ann Arbor. Reider broke down the Lobos and made a final score prediction. We begin with the projected starting lineup for New Mexico:

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New Mexico projected starters on offense

• #2 – Junior QB Jack Layne (6-2, 206) — The Idaho transfer completed 100 of his 155 pass attempts (64.5 percent) last season, amassing 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns in seven outings. He missed time with injury but returned late in the year and posted a season-high 318 passing yards and 3 touchdowns against Lehigh in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. Layne showed a strong ability to push the ball down the field last season, going 24-of-37 on intermediate passes (10-19 air yards) and 11-of-22 on deep balls (20-plus air yards). Layne rushed 25 times for 23 yards and 1 touchdown.

• #22 – Junior RB Scottre Humphrey (5-10, 209) — The Montana State transfer was tabbed as a second-team FCS All-American and first-team All-Big Sky honoree in 2024. He notched 199 rushing attempts for 1,386 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 7 yards per carry. That came a year after he averaged 8 yards per carry and totaled 8 touchdowns while registering 433 total rushing yards in 2023.

• #6 – Senior WR Keagan Johnson (6-0, 199) — The transfer newcomer dealt with an injury during fall camp. Appearing in 11 games with eight starts at Kansas State last season, he reeled in 20 receptions for 359 yards and 1 touchdown. He hauled in 24 grabs for 227 yards and 2 scores in 2023, after spending his first two seasons at Iowa, where he was a starter as a freshman in 2021.

• #0 – Freshman Zhaiel Smith (6-0, 184) — The former three-star recruit and Portland, Ore., native was a four-year starter on varsity in high school, having totaled 25 touchdowns in his career. He emerged as a starter in fall camp, due in part to injuries to others, and is reportedly proving to be a downfield threat.

• #17 – Redshirt senior WR Michael Buckley (6-0, 179) — Recorded 8 catches for 113 yards last season. The former walk-on’s 8 catches are the overwhelming majority of the 9 catches last season from returning players.

• #7 – Sophomore TE Dorian Thomas (6-4, 239) — The Arizona transfer redshirted in 2023, before missing the majority of the 2024 campaign with a foot injury. The newcomer was a fall camp standout and is primed to break out leading into the 2025 campaign

• #51 – Redshirt senior LT Malik Aliane (6-1, 310) — Played in 12 games with two starts at center last season, and has moved out to tackle. He appeared in seven outings as a backup in 2023. He graded out at 68.8 overall on PFF a year ago, highlighted by a 75.7 mark in pass protection.

• #66 – Senior LG Israel ‘Mook’ Mukwiza (6-1, 329) — The Mercer transfer was a first-team All-Southern Conference performer last season. He started his final 27 games over two seasons in the FCS.

• #59 – Redshirt freshman C Kaden Robnett (6-2, 296) — The Idaho transfer started for the Vandals last season, but lasted only two games before going down with a season-ending meniscus injury.

• #78 – Redshirt senior RG Richard Pearce (6-2, 311) — A team captain and the lone returning starter on the offensive line, Pearce played 904 snaps on offense last season. He posted a 70.6 overall PFF rating, and allowed 6 pressures and no sacks.

• #72 – Senior RT Nevell Brown (6-3, 287) — The competition at right guard is still ongoing for New Mexico, with others potentially set to rotate in against Michigan. Brown is an Alabama A&M transfer who appeared in 34 career games at his previous school.

New Mexico projected starters on defense

• #9 – Redshirt senior DT Gabriel Lopez (6-2, 246) — Recorded 31 tackles, 5 stops for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and a fumble recovery last season. He checked in third on the team with 13 pressures, having played the defensive end position before moving inside this year.

• #17 – Senior DT Okiki Olorunfunmi (6-5, 265) — In nine games last season, he made 9 tackles and a pass breakup as an edge rusher before kicking to the interior in 2025.

• #1 – Senior DE Keyshawn James-Newby (6-2, 244) — The Idaho transfer exploded for 14.5 tackles for loss — including 10.5 sacks — in 2024. A first-team All-Big Sky selection, he totaled 65 tackles.

• #15 – Junior DE Xavier Slayton (6-2, 243) — The Idaho transfer posted 31 tackles, 6 tackles for loss and 4 sacks in the FCS a year ago.

• #6 – Junior LB Jaxton Eck (6-1, 224) — The son of Jason Eck followed the head coach from Idaho to New Mexico. He started all 14 games for Idaho last season, earning first-team All-Big Sky honors and recording 134 tackles with 3.5 for loss and an interception. He recorded double-digit tackles in each of the team’s final six outings.

• #20 – Redshirt senior LB Ky’Won McCray (6-4, 200) — The Jacksonville State transfer tallied 66 tackles, with 4.5 for loss, 1 sack, 4 pass breakups, a fumble recovery and an interception in 2024. He recorded 26 tackles and 1 interception in 2023.

• #0 – Senior STAR Albert Nunes (6-1, 207) — The Northern Iowa transfer registered 68 tackles and 3 pass breakups last season. He’s on his fifth college in the last six years, having played for Hutchinson CC, Garden City CC, Eastern Kentucky, Northern Iowa and now New Mexico. Senior Caleb Coleman, a 6-foot-2, 191-pound Texas State transfer, also took first-team reps at STAR during fall camp and may play a role in Saturday’s game.

• #2 – Senior CB Abraham Williams (6-1, 186) — The Idaho transfer played in four games before going down with a season-ending injury in 2024. Eck said Williams is his best cornerback. He made 16 tackles last season.

• #12 – Senior CB Jon Johnson (5-11, 181) — The Montana State transfer recorded 28 tackles with 1 for loss, 2 interceptions and 4 pass breakups at his previous school in 2024.

• #21 – Senior S Austin Brawley (5-10, 180) — Registered 38 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, 1 interception and 2 pass breakups while playing for the Ohio Bobcats in 2024. He was a two-year starter in the MAC, where he played for current New Mexico defensive coordinator Spence Nowinsky from 2022-23.

• #7 – Senior S Tavian Combs (6-2, 196) — Missed all but one game with injury last year, and has battled health his entire career. He posted 46 tackles in six games in 2023.

New Mexico specialists

• #13 – Senior K Luke Drzewiecki (6-0, 186) — The Shelby Township, Mich., native went 13-of-18 on field goals with a 45-yard long last season. He was 11-of-13 on attempts inside 40 yards. He has connected on 41 of his 42 extra point attempts.

• #35 – Redshirt junior P Charles Steinkamp (6-5, 211) — During his Monday press conference, Eck didn’t commit to a starting punter this week, with Steinkamp and sophomore Daniel Hughes — a Melbourne, Australia, native — both in the mix. Steinkamp hasn’t attempted a punt in college, while Hughes averaged 37.3 yards per attempt on 49 punts at City College of San Francisco in 2024.

• #2 – Senior KR Abraham Williams (6-1, 186) — Earned preseason All-Mountain West honors as a return man. The Idaho transfer has returned 5 career kicks for a touchdown over the last three seasons with the Vandals and Weber State.

• #17 – Redshirt senior PR Michael Buckley (6-0, 179) — Returned 1 punt for 4 yards last season.

Jack Layne expectations

Layne doesn’t have great experience, having only started seven games at Idaho, but he’s a poised quarterback.

“Doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and throws with accuracy and touch,” Reider said. “His arm isn’t super strong, but he’s got outstanding football IQ and knows this offense in and out after playing in it for the last few years. I don’t know if he has a huge day — especially against this defense — but I’m not expecting a meltdown under center so long as UNM can protect him.”

Watch out for New Mexico running backs

New Mexico doesn’t just have a strong starting running back in Humphrey, but also several others who make up a deep stable of ball-carriers.

“As of now, I think the clear strength of the offense lies with the running backs,” Reider opined. “Transfers Scottre Humphrey (Montana State), Damon Bankston (Weber State), Deshaun Buchanan (Idaho) and D.J. McKinney (Sam Houston State) all led their respective programs in rushing last season, and set the Lobos up with what figures to be the deepest position on the team. Humphrey is the de facto lead back, but expect to see all of them against Michigan.”

The wide receivers, though, are banged up, which won’t do Layne any favors while going up against what’s expected to be a strong Michigan defense.

“As for a weakness, let’s go with the wide receivers. Kansas State transfer Keagan Johnson was a pretty good get for UNM and true freshman Zhaiel Smith has flashed, but Eck said they’ll probably only play four receivers against Michigan because of injuries,” Reider said. “Of course, that’s on top of previous concerns that the room might be lacking in quality depth, so if there’s a spot that presents major red flags, it’s definitely this one.”

New Mexico finished worse than 125th nationally in just about every major defensive statistical category last season, but a new coordinator and influx of talent should help the group improve.

“UNM has been among the worst programs in the country when it comes to rushing the passer and defending the run the last few years, so it’s not like there’s a high bar to clear,” Reider pointed out. “But this is definitely the best front seven I’ve seen in my time on the beat, and adding guys like defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby (Idaho) and linebacker Ky’Won McCray have gone a long way in that regard. Plus, they actually have enough depth up front to rotate, and that just hasn’t been a luxury the Lobos have had in the recent past.”

The defensive backfield, though, is a potential concern.

“I still think this can be a pretty solid secondary in the end, but I don’t know if they’ll be settled enough to keep it close with Michigan,” Reider said. 

Reider’s final score prediction

“I do think UNM can make life somewhat difficult for [Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce] Underwood at points — I just don’t think they can do it consistently, and get the breaks they need to truly threaten Michigan,” Reider said. 

“Let’s go with a thin cover for the Lobos.”

Prediction: Michigan 38, New Mexico 7