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UNM coach Danny Gonzales confirms the expected: Dylan Hopkins is No. 1 at QB for Lobos
Dylan Hopkins, shown in pregame last year for UAB in its game at LSU, will be the starting quarterback in camp for New Mexico, coach Danny Gonzales says.
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LAS VEGAS, Nevada 鈥� It wasn鈥檛 much of a secret this spring. Nor was it much of a mystery when University of New Mexico quarterback Dylan Hopkins took the podium at Mountain West football media days this week.
鈥淭o bring a transfer to media days when he鈥檚 been in your program for six months is pretty significant,鈥� UNM coach Danny Gonzales said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good tale of what our guys on our team think about him.鈥�
On Thursday, Gonzales confirmed the expected: Hopkins will be the starter heading into training camp.The UAB transfer completed 291 passes on 450 attempts (64.6%) for 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his final two seasons with the Blazers before reuniting this spring with UNM offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent.
鈥淐oming in with a new offense, when you have the most important piece, that helps significantly with the install,鈥� Gonzales said. 鈥淪o we had a leg up there, and then Dylan鈥檚 a good player 鈥� players know who good players are. He鈥檚 really helped our program.鈥�
Hopkins has 25 career starts over four seasons, making him the second-most experienced quarterback in the Mountain West behind only San Jose State鈥檚 Chevan Cordeiro (35). Starting UNM鈥檚 season opener at Texas A&M would also make him the 10th different opening day quarterback for the Lobos in as many seasons.
Gonzales added the competition for the backup spot between quarterbacks D.C. Tabscott, Justin Holaday and Devon Dampier is still unsettled and will be contested this fall.
Camp begins August 3.
TRANSFER UPDATES: With the release of the 2023 media guide, all announced midyear and post-spring transfers were listed on the roster 鈥� except for one. Oklahoma transfer safety and midyear headliner Bryson Washington will not be at UNM this fall, with Gonzales citing incomplete academic work.
The replacement? Another former four-star.
On Thursday, Gonzales confirmed the addition of Noa Pola-Gates, a Nebraska transfer safety who played primarily on special teams with the Huskers. While serving as the defensive coordinator at Arizona State, Gonzales recruited the Gilbert, Arizona native hard out of Williams Field High School before losing a national recruiting battle to Nebraska.
鈥淗e鈥檚 explosive, he鈥檚 talented and I鈥檝e had a really good relationship with him and his family for the past five years,鈥� Gonzales said. 鈥淚t was an easy transition when he became available in the transfer portal.鈥�
Pola-Gates is one of eight spring-window transfer additions Gonzales confirmed on Thursday. The only other defensive addition, East Los Angeles College transfer linebacker Kamron Robinson, had 55 total tackles (27 solo), one sack and one interception in 2022 and looks to play at linebacker and on special teams this fall.
鈥淗e鈥檚 fast, he鈥檚 twitchy,鈥� Gonzales said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 played significant time off the ball.鈥�
Offensively, Gonzales also confirmed the addition of two Alabama State transfers in running back Jacory Merritt and offensive lineman Taurian Stafford. Wide receiver Jeremiah Hixon 鈥� also an Alabama State transfer 鈥� played a key role in UNM鈥檚 vetting process.
鈥�(Merritt) and (Stafford) were in the portal and we asked Jeremiah Hixon about those guys,鈥� Gonzales said. 鈥淭he worst thing you can do is bring in a bad apple and he vouched for those guys.鈥�
Colorado transfer Travis Gray joins Stafford as the other offensive lineman picked up through the spring window. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 324 pounds, Gray was 鈥渃ut鈥� as part of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders鈥� roster purge at the conclusion of spring practice.
鈥淚 think they made a mistake, which is our benefit,鈥� Gonzales said. 鈥�(He鈥檚) 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, which you can鈥檛 teach. He鈥檚 an athlete, but he鈥檚 a freshman. And you鈥檝e got to develop those guys.鈥�
The Lobos added Mississippi State transfer Kaydin Pope. As Gonzales tells it, the former three-star receiver made the decision to transfer due to Mississippi State transitioning away from the Air Raid offense of former coach Mike Leach, who died last December.
鈥淲hich is kind of ironic, because they鈥檙e changing to more of what we do 鈥� I think he really liked what we鈥檙e trying to build here,鈥� Gonzales said.
Rounding out the spring additions, Gonzales confirmed the addition of two tight ends: 6-foot-6 East Carolina transfer Max Lantzsch and 6-foot-6 Riverside CC transfer Wyatt McClour. Born in Dresden, Germany, Lantzsch joins Magnus Geers (Switzerland) as UNM鈥檚 second European-born tight end.
鈥淭hey look the part,鈥� Gonzales said of Lantzsch and McClour. 鈥淲e鈥檒l see if we can teach them to play like they鈥檙e supposed to.鈥�
PREP ADDITIONS: Transfers weren鈥檛 the only new names on the roster. The new additions from the prep ranks: Dereck Moore (S); Edward Blacklock (CB); Hunter Wiggins (S); Aiden Armenta (QB); Jayden Wilson (LB); Skylar Cook (S); Ezra Sexton (S); Austin Ackel (LB); Zach Doyle (DL).
