Jason Eck Has New Mexico 7-1 and Rolling in His Second Season

Jason Eck has New Mexico at 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Mountain West in his second season, according to the Mountain West standings, a run that has turned a once-struggling program into a league story. The Lobos have won five straight and are next set to play at Nevada.

From 5-7 to a bowl game

Eck arrived after leading Idaho to FCS playoff appearances in all three of his seasons there, according to the school. New Mexico had gone 5-7 the year before, per the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Year one changed the mood quickly. Eck led a season that ended in the Rate Bowl in Phoenix, and he became the first Lobo head coach to take UNM to a bowl in his debut season, per golobos.com. He also passed Gwinn Henry for the most wins by a first-year Lobo head coach with his ninth victory. ESPN noted that the Lobos went 9-3 in the regular season, their best mark since 1982 and only the fourth time they had won nine games since 1997.

The payday

The reward was a new five-year contract that keeps Eck in Albuquerque through the 2030 season, KOB 4 reported. ESPN reported, citing sources, that his average salary rose to $1.75 million from $1.25 million. The school did not confirm those figures in the material reviewed here.

Expectations and the early 2026 run

New Mexico was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Mountain West in the league's media poll, according to Wikipedia's season page. That claim has not been checked against a primary source. The Lobos' lone loss so far was a 14-6 defeat at Oklahoma, SI reported.

Coach of the Year talk

Eck is among the coaches on the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award watch list, according to the American Heart Association. The watch list is a starting point, not an award. Whether Eck wins is an open question that no source answers yet, and the Nevada game is the next test.