New Mexico has agreed to a five-year deal to hire Idaho coach Jason Eck, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

Eck was a successful FCS head coach, going 26-13 in three years at Idaho. With the Vandals he reached the FCS playoffs all three years, including the quarterfinals in the last two years.

It marked a significant turnaround in Idaho, which had only two winning seasons in the 22 years before Eck’s arrival. Sources said New Mexico officials liked his work in a place that doesn’t traditionally win.

He will replace Bronco Mendenhall, who left New Mexico after one season. The Lobos went 5-7 under Mendenhall, and many of the program’s key players entered the NCAA transfer portal, including quarterback Devon Dampier.

Eck takes over a difficult situation with a depleted roster and a program that hasn’t reached a bowl game since 2016.

He is a former Wisconsin offensive lineman who has coached everywhere from Ball State to Montana State to South Dakota State. Eck was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at South Dakota State before taking the job at Idaho in 2022.

Eck is the first major hire for New Mexico athletic director Fernando Lovo, who was hired in early December.