ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The UNM football team began fall training camp on Wednesday, exactly one month before the season opener against Michigan.
UNM head coach Jason Eck had some positive things to say about a few position groups including the running backs, interior offensive line and defensive line.
Eck and players also said that urgency was not high enough for the first day. There were multiple alignment errors and the team was slow getting in and out of huddles.
Now that the season is nearing, Eck said the focus is less on getting induvial players better and more on players carving out roles. There isn’t a starting spot set in stone and Eck is looking for competition.
“We’re just kind of in a different phase now,” he said. “Really everything now is getting ready to play games and we’re closer so that ups the urgency.”
Starting quarterback is one of the main position battles to start camp. Jack Layne, who was projected to be the starter after transferring from Idaho, missed the entire off-season after suffering a UCL injury at the start of spring ball. Eck then opened up the starting job and gave praise to James Laubstein.
Layne is now cleared to throw.
“I thought he made some nice throws,” Eck said about Layne. “He showed good accuracy, we’re keeping him on a pitch count to make sure he doesn’t over use it which kind of led to his injury in the first place. But it will be good competition here through the first few weeks of camp.”
Eck said the team plans to name its starting quarterback by August 18.
