UNM FOOTBALL
Roster cuts have arrived in college football. How is UNM managing them?
Not including designated student-athletes, Lobos' roster needs to be at 105 by their 1st game
Published
In the NFL, 鈥渃ut-down day鈥� has long been an established part of the league calendar.
Each August, each of the 32 NFL franchises are tasked with cutting its roster size from 90 to 53 players ahead of the season. More than 1,100 players 鈥� long shots, aging veterans and agonizingly close calls 鈥� lose their jobs on a day coaches, front office personnel and players have long referred to as the worst of the year.
This summer, college teams face something similar 鈥� albeit at a smaller scale.
By opting into the House v. NCAA settlement last year, . Unlike previous rules allowing for only 85 full scholarships 鈥� on rosters that could swell to 120 鈥� all 105 players can be put on full or partial scholarship.
The 105 is, however, a hard cap. Teams didn鈥檛 have to worry about meeting that number last summer due to after the settlement went into effect.
This summer? There will almost assuredly be cuts as teams 鈥� New Mexico among them 鈥� work to meet that cap.
How, then, are the Lobos managing it?
UNM carried 101 players into spring practice, including seven designated student-athletes (DSAs). DSAs are players 鈥渨hose roster spots would have been impacted by immediate implementation of the roster limits鈥� last summer, , and do not count towards the 105-player limit.
Likely starting defensive end Darren Agu and running back Cameron Mathews are among UNM鈥檚 seven DSAs. The Lobos are also bringing in 20 incoming freshmen, putting the Lobos at 121 rostered players on paper when they likely need to be at 112 by the first game.
In April, coach Jason Eck said UNM would use a two-pronged approach split across the spring and late summer to meet that number. That approach is already underway. Friday, Eck said he and his staff met with some players this week to let them know 鈥渨here they stood鈥� as that number looms.
鈥淪ome of them, we鈥檙e not going to be able to bring back,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome of them, (it鈥檚) kind of, 鈥楬ey, you鈥檙e back, but you鈥檙e still at risk. You鈥檙e one of the guys who鈥檚 kind of in a pool that needs to improve.鈥欌��
Depending on the timeline, players have some options. Those that won鈥檛 be coming back for training camp can go try and play at another non-NCAA program, like a junior college or an NAIA team. Those programs are not subject to the players who leave one NCAA program and enroll at another without formally entering the transfer portal.
For players coming back for training camp but might not make it to the season, Eck said he鈥檚 told some he would bring them back for spring practice if they stay enrolled at UNM.
鈥淭he guys who are leaving right now, if we can鈥檛 bring them back for camp (this summer), we鈥檙e trying to help those guys figure out what they want to do,鈥� Eck said. 鈥淚f they wanna stay here in school and try to get their degree from the University of New Mexico, if they wanna play 鈥� you know, one of the guys is a graduate, so he wants to move on as a grad transfer (and try) to find some place where he can play and go to grad school.
鈥淓veryone鈥檚 a little different (with) different scenarios.鈥�
But it might not be as simple as making it to 112, which might work to UNM鈥檚 advantage. Last year, Eck said players who suffered a season-ending injury before games started were not subject to the roster limit, which could give UNM some wiggle room beyond 112.
Regardless, Eck says he sees UNM coming to camp with 鈥渘o more than鈥� 115 on the roster.
鈥淚t is a little tricker that way,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also, you gotta play by the rules. If guys are frustrated, you just gotta tell them, 鈥楬ey, we gotta make tough decisions.鈥�
鈥淎nd these are tough decisions.鈥�
Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at .
