New Mexico Finalizes Football Staff With Many Bronco Mendenhall Connections
New Mexico Finalizes Football Staff With Many Bronco Mendenhall Connections
Lobos fill out staff
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A very Broncon Mendenhall staff
Finally, the moment has arrived. The spotlight falls on DC Nick Howell and QBs/OC Jason Beck as the prominent figures in Mendenhall’s fresh coaching lineup, showcasing, as anticipated, many connections from BYU and Virginia.
New head football coach Bronco Mendenhall has announced his 2024 coaching and support staff, and it’s a group that features a wide range of experience, highlighted by a pair of Power 5 Coordinators.
Overall, Mendenhall announced his 11 full-time coaches (10 position and head strength coach) and three key support staff positions. The 11 full-time coaches come to UNM from 11 separate schools, although most have a lineage that can be traced back to previous experience with Mendenhall, either at BYU or Virginia.
Below are short capsules on the members that will make up the 2024 coaching staff for The University of New Mexico.
Jason Beck, Offensive Coordinator at UNM. Commencing his role on February 1, 2024, Beck arrives from Syracuse, where his dynamic coaching led to an impressive tally of 83 touchdowns over two seasons, with 43 in 2022 and 40 in 2023.
Noteworthy achievements under Beck’s guidance include LeQuint Allen‘s Second Team All-ACC recognition at running back, amassing 1,089 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Quarterback Garrett Shrader showcased his prowess with 1,686 passing yards on 214 attempts, boasting 13 touchdowns and an impressive 143.24 rating. Syracuse earned a spot in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl on December 21, facing off against South Florida.
Drawing on his extensive 11-season experience as an FBS quarterback coach, Beck has consistently steered quarterbacks to surpass 3,000 yards passing and nearly 3,800 yards of total offense per season.
Meet Nick Howell, Defensive Coordinator:
Bringing a wealth of experience cultivated alongside Bronco Mendenhall at BYU and Virginia, Nick Howell arrives in Albuquerque with 11 years of defensive coordinator expertise across the independent, ACC, and SEC realms.
In his recent tenure, Howell assumed the role of defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Vanderbilt for the past two seasons, preparing his defense for formidable SEC opponents. Notably, the Commodores achieved a tie for the SEC lead in interceptions, claiming 12 in the last season. In 2022, they equaled the SEC lead with four defensive touchdowns— a stark contrast to the previous season, where Vanderbilt failed to record a score. In 2018, Howell’s defensive unit at Virginia ranked among the top 20 in passing efficiency defense, passing yards allowed, scoring defense, and total defense. The following year, his 2019 defense at Virginia set a school record with 46 sacks, propelling the team to the ACC Championship Game and a coveted spot in the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Before his successful collegiate coaching career, Howell spent five seasons, three of which as a head coach, on the high school level in Utah. His swift ascent in the collegiate ranks at BYU, progressing from a defensive intern to a defensive coordinator in just six seasons, underscores his remarkable coaching journey.
Shane Hunter, the Special Teams Coordinator and Linebackers Coach:
New Mexico welcomes Shane Hunter, who assumes the roles of special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, arriving from his position as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Utah Tech.
During his tenure with the Trailblazers, a relatively young Division I FCS program in its third and fourth seasons, Syrus Webster earned unanimous All-United Football Conference honors with an impressive stat line of 79 tackles, 7.0 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss (TFLs), and four forced fumbles. The Trailblazers accumulated notable defensive statistics in just two years, including 37.5 sacks, 124.5 TFLs, 16 interceptions, and 18 fumble recoveries.
Hunter’s coaching journey includes serving as the inside linebackers and safeties coach under Mendenhall at Virginia from 2016 to 2021. Among his notable achievements, Jordan Mack received the ACC’s 2019 Jim Tatum Award, recognizing him as the league’s scholar-athlete of the year. This marked Hunter’s second time having a Campbell Trophy (Academic Heisman) finalist at UVA, with Micah Kiser winning the award in 2017.
Hunter commenced his coaching career at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, where he held the roles of special teams coordinator and defensive line coach. Then, he served as a graduate assistant under Mendenhall at BYU from 2013 to 2015. Hunter also played at BYU from 2008 to 2010, earning honorable mention All-Mountain West honors.
Meet Famika Anae, the Offensive Line Coach:
Famika Anae joins New Mexico following a successful two-year term as the offensive line coach at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
During his tenure at Campbell, Anae’s coaching prowess was evident as two of his linemen received All-CAA honors, with Mike Edwards earning first-team honors at offensive tackle and Tyler McLellan securing third-team honors. This achievement followed a noteworthy 2022 season where Edwards earned first-team All-Big South honors, and Isaiah Burch received second-team honors.
In the 2023 season, Campbell’s offense, under Anae’s guidance, averaged just over 390 yards per game. Notably, in the preceding season, Anae’s coaching was pivotal as the offensive line contributed to the Camels setting a school record for passing yards with 2,915 over 11 games.
Anae’s impact extends beyond Campbell, as evidenced by his time at Texas A&M-Commerce, where tackle Amon Simon earned All-America honors twice. This success contributed to the Lions being ranked No. 11 in the final AFCA Poll in 2019 after an impressive 11-3 season.
A former two-year starter for BYU, Anae adds his personal experience as a player, earning All-Independent honors in 2012, to his coaching expertise.
Donte Wilkins, the Defensive Line Coach:
Donte Wilkins joins New Mexico following a two-year coaching role with the Lafayette Leopards, where he dedicated his expertise to developing the defensive line.
Under Wilkins’ guidance, notable achievements were realized. Malik Hamm secured back-to-back All-Patriot League honors and earned the prestigious two-time Patriot League Player of the Year title. Additionally, Damon Washington achieved First Team All-Patriot League honors for the first time in his career.
Before assuming his first full-time coaching position, Wilkins contributed to the coaching staff at Virginia for three years. In 2019, he served as a regional scout; in 2020 and 2021, he took on the role of defensive graduate assistant.
Wilkins also spent two years at UCLA as an assistant football performance coach. His collegiate playing experience includes four years at Virginia, culminating in a standout final season under Mendenhall, where he started all 12 games.
Micah Simon, the Receivers Coach:
Micah Simon brings his wealth of experience to New Mexico, having recently served as a receivers coach at Northern Colorado, with previous coaching experience at Syracuse. The former NFL receiver played a crucial role in shaping the receiving corps at Northern Colorado, where standout performances by Blake Haggerty and Jamarii Robinson saw both players surpass the 40-reception mark. Haggerty recorded 49 receptions for 515 yards and two touchdowns, while Robinson contributed 42 grabs for 490 yards and two scores.
In the 2022 season, Simon took on the offensive analyst role for Dino Babers at Syracuse, contributing to the team’s success in reaching the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl. During this season, Syracuse showcased an impressive offensive performance, averaging 374.4 yards over 13 games and achieving over 20 first downs per game. The Orange scored over 30 points in six games, securing a 6-0 start and reaching as high as No. 14 in the national rankings.
Jan Jorgensen, specializing in Edge coaching, returns to an on-field coaching role following a two-year tenure as a defensive analyst at BYU. Before this, he served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Snow College.
Jorgensen played a crucial role in facilitating the Cougar defense’s transition to the Big XII, overseeing six Cougars who earned All-Big XII honors. Notably, defensive lineman Tyler Batty secured Second Team honors under his guidance. During his time with Snow College, the Badgers boasted a commendable 15-3 record over their last two seasons, with Jorgensen at the helm of the defense. In 2021, the Badgers held their opponents to a remarkable 13.7 points per game, an improvement from the 2020 season that allowed 15.8 points per game while achieving an 8-1 record.
Matt Johns, the Tight Ends Coach:
Matt Johns brings a wealth of experience to New Mexico, having completed a five-year tenure at William & Mary, where he held various roles and most recently served as passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
In 2022, under Johns’ guidance, The Tribe showcased an impressive passing game, ranking seventh nationally in passing efficiency at 164.62, fourth in yards per attempt at 9.64, and sixth in yards per completion at 15.06. The previous year saw William & Mary quarterbacks throw 12 touchdowns and just four interceptions out of 240 attempts, contributing to the team’s third consecutive winning season.
Notably, Johns’ quarterback Darius Wilson, in 2021, earned the title of CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Adding to his coaching accolades, during his five-year career as a player, Johns had the privilege of playing under Mendenhall at Virginia for one season. Johns concluded his time at Virginia, ranking 11th in passing yards (4,233), sixth in passing touchdowns (30), and 11th in 200-yard passing games.
Meet Kirk Garner, Running Backs Coach:
Kirk Garner joins New Mexico following a one-year term with the East Tennessee State Buccaneers, where he excelled as the running backs coach.
During the 2023 season, East Tennessee State showcased a robust rushing game, amassing 1,704 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns in just 11 games. Running back Bryson Irby stood out as a key contributor, leading the team with a career-high 531 yards on 108 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per tote. Irby also achieved a personal best with five touchdowns and recorded two 100-yard rushing games.
Garner’s coaching journey includes a role as an offensive quality control coach with Vanderbilt. He initiated his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant under Mendenhall from 2018 to 2020. Notably, in 2017, Garner served as a student-assistant coach following a season-ending injury, contributing to Virginia’s success in reaching the Military Bowl.
