Jason Eck named 34th head football coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos Athletics

Jason Eck named 34th head football coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos Athletics

Jason Eck named 34th head football coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos Athletics

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Jason Eck, who led the University of Idaho football program to national rankings and FCS playoff appearances in all three seasons at Idaho, has been named the new head coach of the University of New Mexico football program.

“I am thrilled to have Jason Eck as our next head football coach,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo. “Jason has led Idaho to tremendous success by turning the program around and building on success year after year through recruiting, teaching and a strong culture. Throughout his career, he has been involved in successful programs at all levels of college football and his passion for the success and well-being of student-athletes is evident. We are fortunate to have Jason and his family joining the Lobos and I am confident he will lead us to unprecedented heights.”

A veteran coach with 26 years of experience at the FBS, FCS and Division II levels, Eck has led the Idaho Vandals to three straight FCS playoff berths, including the quarterfinals, over the past two seasons. In the 22 years prior to his arrival, the Vandals had only two winning seasons overall. Additionally, Idaho increased its win total each season under Eck.

“I would like to thank President Stokes, Vice President and Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo and everyone involved in the search process,” Eck said. “I am truly honored to have been selected as head coach of the New Mexico Lobos. I know that the university community, students, alumni, Lobo Nation, and the communities of greater Albuquerque and New Mexico are committed to success, and I can’t wait to help them achieve that success. We will have great coaches and support staff and develop our student-athletes into elite athletes, UNM graduates and people. My wife Kimberly and our five children are thrilled to be a part of Albuquerque and we are ready to go!”

“We are pleased to welcome Jason Eck and his wonderful family to the University of New Mexico,” said President Garnett S. Stokes. “Jason is a visionary leader who puts the student-athlete first, and his teams have consistently achieved tremendous success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. We welcome Jason, Kimberly and their children Quinton, Jaxton, Palmer, Maverick and Lola to Albuquerque and the Lobo Nation!”

In 2024, Eck was forced to reload after losing his starting quarterback and 81.5% of his team’s total receptions and 82.7% of his team’s total receiving yards to graduation or the transfer portal. All he has accomplished in 2024 is beat a second Mountain West opponent and lead Idaho to a 10-4 record and a second straight FCS playoff quarterfinal appearance. After opening the season by giving currently undefeated No. 1 Oregon a scare, losing just 24-14 in a game in which Idaho trailed 17-14 late in the fourth quarter, Eck led the Vandals this time for the second straight Mountain West win, defeating Wyoming 17-13 in Laramie. Idaho then rattled off five straight wins and finished the regular season despite losing its starting quarterback to injury. Three of Idaho’s four losses this season have come against teams ranked No. 1 in the polls.

In 2023 with Gevani McCoy at quarterback, a season after winning the Jerry Rice Award given to the most outstanding freshman in the FCS, the Vandals improved to 9-4 and again finished 6-2 in the Big Sky second place. Playing two FBS programs, the Vandals fell to California 31-17 in a close game and beat Nevada 33-6 in Reno, allowing just two field goals as Idaho defeated the Wolf Pack 463-266. The Vandals went 4-2 against ranked opponents and reached the FCS quarterfinals. Once again, the Vandals finished in the top 20 in a variety of categories, including pass efficiency (12th).Th at 154.7), goal score (14Th at 32.3), total defense (14Th at 306.8), red zone offense (4th).Th at 92.6%), net punting (11thTh at 40.1), punt returns (3rdapprox at 18.4), kickoff returns (7Th at 24.2) and time of ball possession 3approx at 33:48).

Two players, receiver Hayden Hatten and defensive back Marcus Harris, were both named All-Americans. For Hatten, it is his second All-American win in a row.

In his first season as head coach in 2022, Eck led the Vandals to a 7-5 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Big Sky Conference, finishing third. That season included victories over rival No. 3 Montana, a first for the program since 1999, and the team broke the 40-point mark five times. Two of the losses came to Washington State (24-17) and Indiana (35-22). The team qualified for the postseason for the first time since appearing in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2016 and only the fourth time since 1995, when the program last played in the FCS playoffs.

Idaho ranked in the top 20 in the FCS in pass efficiency (5th).Th at 168.1), scoring in attack (13Th at 35.9), the fewest passing yards allowed (19Th at 190.0), sales margin (9thTh at +0.83), red zone offense (5Th at 92.3%), punt return (13Th at 13.9), kickoff returns (13Th at 24.1) and time of ball possession (2nd at 35:07).

Eck’s quarterback, Jerry Rice Award winner Gevani McCoy, threw for 2,725 yards and 27 touchdowns.

In total, Eck coached 16 first-team All-Big Sky players, 12 second-team All-Big Sky players, four third-team All-Big Sky players and 16 All-Big Sky players in his three seasons at Idaho honorable mention.

Before becoming Idaho’s head coach, Eck spent six seasons with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits as an offensive line coach and the last three as offensive coordinator. In 2019, he was named FCS Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches’ Association.

At South Dakota State, he helped lead the Jackrabbits to three FCS playoff semifinal appearances in four seasons and an appearance in a national championship game in the 2021 spring season. In three years as offensive coordinator at SDSU, Eck’s teams averaged 32.5 points per game, including 37.5 in his final season in 2021. The Jackrabbits ranked eighth in scoring offense behind the FCS lead, seventh in team pass efficiency and eighth-ranked rushing offensive rusher, Pierre Strong.

During the 2021 spring season, freshman quarterback Mark Gronowski was a runner-up for the Jerry Rice Award as FCS Freshman of the Year before being injured on the first series of the National Championship game. The Jackrabbits only lost 23-21 despite Gronowski missing.

The 2021 spring team showcased Eck’s experience as an offensive line coach, as the Jackrabbits ranked seventh in the FCS in rushing and fourth in the FCS in tackles for loss allowed despite having some of the most physical defenses in the Missouri Valley Football Conference of the country played. Second-year offensive tackle Garret Greenfield was a near consensus All-America selection and second-year guard Mason McCormick also received All-America recognition.

Eck was the Jackrabbits’ offensive line coach from 2016 to 2018. During his first season with the Jackrabbits, SDSU boasted one of the most productive offenses in the MVFC and FCS, averaging 33.2 points and 437.5 yards of total offense per game. In league competition, SDSU finished second out of ten teams by allowing just 11 total sacks and ranked first in five different offensive categories.

Prior to SDSU, Eck was offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Montana State in 2015. The Bobcats ranked 18th in the FCS for rushing offense and 23rd in the FCS for sacks allowed. MSU was third in the FCS in scoring offense in his only season in Bozeman.

He was the offensive coordinator for the record-setting offense at Minnesota State, Mankato, during back-to-back Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championships in 2013 and 2014. He served as offensive line coach in 2013 and added offensive coordinator duties as offensive coordinator in 2014. The Mavericks reached the championship game of NCAA Division II. In the 2014 season, Mankato ranked first in rushing offense 14th place in Division II.

Eck also coached at Western Illinois (2012), Hampton (2011), Ball State (2009-10) and Winona State (2007-08). He previously served as an assistant coach at Idaho beginning in 2004, when he coached the Vandal offense for three seasons.

A 1999 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Eck played on the Badgers’ 1998 Big Ten Championship team that went on to win the Rose Bowl. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin under head coach Barry Alvarez and later moved to Colorado.

Eck and his wife Kimberly have five children: Quentin, Jaxton, Palmer, Maverick and Lola. Kimberly serves on the board of the American Football Coaches Wives Association.

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