Three takeaways from UNM's first week of spring practice
New Mexico wrapped up its first week of spring practice under second-year head coach Jason Eck on Friday, closing its fifth session with a scrimmage period. Here are three things we learned: The defense is (unsurprisingly) ahead of the offense For high school, college and professional teams, it’s a fact of life when practice starts back up: The defense is usually ahead of the offense. A lot of that has to do with the general nature of playing defense — you don’t need to get your timing down in the same way you might if you were playing offense.
In UNM’s case, much of that quality has to do with the fact that it's returning five true starters on defense — linebackers Jaxton Eck and Mercury Swaim, safeties Tavian Combs and Austin Brawley and defensive lineman Brian Booker — while bringing back plenty of guys (safeties C. J. McBean and Drew Speech and cornerbacks Frankie Edwards III and Jahmir Torres) who got meaningful reps last year.
So, if it wasn’t all too surprising, Friday’s scrimmage period served as a relatively clear confirmation of that: The defense is, in fact, ahead of the offense. UNM’s third-string offense managed the lone offensive touchdown of the day, one countered by McBean’s pick six on quarterback Toa Fa’avae. And while the Lobos ran the ball relatively well at all levels, the first- and second-string offenses struggled to move the ball a good bit.
Is that a bad thing, at least right now? I’m inclined to say no. For starters, the offense is dealing with some injuries (more on that later), but I like what I’ve seen from the defense at all levels at this point.
Replacing the production of Keyshawn James-Newby and Brett Karhu might be impossible, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised with what I’ve seen from transfer defensive ends Albert Tuakalau and Jalen Charles so far. As a matter of fact, I think the defensive line has collectively stolen the show a few times this spring. Connect that with a linebackers room that’s working in some new players like Clay Martineau and C.
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