Why Dylan Hopkins will start (but Devon Dampier might finish) as UNM heads to Fresno State

Nov. 14—For most, it's the perfect Saturday. Two TVs going all day, curled up on the couch with a remote in hand. Primetime matchups, conference showdowns, a seemingly never ending feast of college football.

For Dylan Hopkins? It was a little unusual to say the least.

"It was different," New Mexico's quarterback laughed after practice on Tuesday. "I was not used to that. That was my first Saturday in a looonngg time during football season (where) I got to stay home and actually watch football."

Hopkins, a fifth-year transfer from UAB, had started every game since he arrived in Albuquerque — until Saturday. A bad case of strep throat held him out of practice for most of last week and by the time it had been determined that true freshman Devon Dampier would start in his place, Hopkins hadn't watched any film of Boise State.

And despite a shutout second half — the Lobos gained just 69 total yards after the break against the Broncos — Dampier dazzled in the first: 17-of-26 passing for 200 yards with no interceptions and 13 carries for 48 rushing yards. At one point, he completed 13 straight passes and consistently kept a solid Broncos defense on its heels before Boise State turned it around and cruised to a 42-14 win on the blue turf.

Hopkins, of course, was at home watching.

"(Dampier) played awesome," he said. "Being a true freshman, coming into an environment like that, (like) Boise State, and just having the poise that he did in the game, not having any turnovers or anything. Super proud of him and just how he's become a better player."

Hopkins feels better and has returned to practice. So it wasn't a huge surprise when head coach Danny Gonzales clarified he'd be the starter for Saturday's game at Fresno State.

Whether he finishes or not, we'll have to wait and see.

"Dylan will start Saturday and we'll play both quarterbacks like we have," Gonzales said in a Tuesday press conference. "If Devon's hot, Devon will stay. If Dylan's hot, Dylan will stay. We'll go back and forth and do different things with both of them, because both of them do different things really, really well."

UNM has implemented and typically used 15- to 20-play packages for Dampier over the course of the season. In that vein, Gonzales indicated they'd lean into each quarterback's strengths with the play calling but added there won't be a strict pitch count for either quarterback.

"If they're both hot, then it'll be a combination — you could see it 50/50," Gonzales said. "But it's all going to be predicated on how the game's going: What gives our football team the best chance to win.

"And if it's Dylan, it's Dylan. If it's Devon, it's Devon."

Injury/availability update

Dampier wasn't the only surprise starter last Saturday night. Devon Smith played a game-high 60 snaps at right tackle in place of regular starter D.J. Wingfield and from what Gonzales indicated, it'll be his spot for the final two games.

"D.J. 's got some things going on in his life personally, had a funeral in the family, and just needed to step away from football for a while," he said. "Devon Smith was the next man up, and he (had) a couple of protection (issues) but Devon did a nice job."

Running back Zach Vigil (concussion) returned to practice this week but Sherod White (turf toe, knee) did not. Safety Tavian Combs (knee/leg) will not play against Fresno State while linebacker Ja'Shon Lowery (concussion) has returned to practice and Alec Mareno will attempt to "go as long as he can" on Saturday, per Gonzales.

Further, Gonzales said safety D'Arco Perkins-McAllister will not be cleared for game action this season after injuring his back in August. He also clarified that TCU transfer cornerback Marvin Covington did not make the trip to Boise after he decided to retire from football last week.

Covington did not respond when reached by the Journal for comment.

Coaching carousel

College football's coaching carousel started Sunday morning, when TexAgs.com executive editor Billy Liucci tweeted at 6:30 a.m. that Texas A&M was planning to part ways with former head coach Jimbo Fisher. A&M made it official later that day, clearing the way for a record-breaking $76 million buyout to be paid out over the next eight years.

Afterward, Boise State — not even 12 hours removed from a suffocating win over UNM — fired head coach Andy Avalos. On Monday, San Diego State head coach Brady Hoke announced he was retiring after a 25-22 loss to Colorado State guaranteed the Aztecs' first losing season since 2009.

And later that day, Mississippi State announced its decision to dismiss head coach Zac Arnett, a La Cueva High School and UNM graduate. Gonzales has known Arnett since he was a linebacker with the Lobos and over the course of nine seasons spent together on the staff at San Diego State.

"I talk to Zac here and there," he said when asked if he had reached out to Arnett in the wake of the news. "With everything coach Arnett has going on right now — he's got a little bit more to worry about than me calling him. We'll talk and we'll connect, because he is a really good friend. Um ..."

Gonzales paused.

"I'm not even gonna say anything about that."