Jason Eck Named 34th Head Football Coach

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jason Eck, who has led theUniversity of Idaho football program to a national ranking and FCS playoffsappearances in all three of his seasons at Idaho, has been named the new headcoach 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, turning around the program and building upon success year after year, through recruiting, teaching and a strong culture. Throughout his career, he has been a part of winning programs at all levels of college football and his passion for student-athlete success and well-being is evident. We are fortunate to have Jason and his family join the Lobos and I am confident that he will take 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 playoff berths in the FCS, including the quarterfinals the past two seasons.  In the 22 years prior to his arrival, the Vandals totaled just two winning seasons.  Additionally, Idaho increased its win total each season under Eck.

“I want to thank President Stokes, Vice President and Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo and everyone involved with the search process,” said Eck. “I am truly humbled to be selected as the head coach of the New Mexico Lobos. I know that the university community, students, alumni, Lobo Nation and greater Albuquerque and New Mexico communities are eager for success and I cannot wait to give that to them. We will have tremendous 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 excited 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 always enjoyed 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 to Lobo Nation!”

In 2024, Eck had to reload after losing his starting quarterback and 81.5% of his team’s total receptions and 82.7% of the total receiving yards from his team to graduation or the transfer portal. All he has done in 2024 is beat a second Mountain West opponent and led Idaho to a 10-4record and a second straight FCS Playoff quarterfinal appearance. After opening the season by putting a scare into currently undefeated No. 1 Oregon, losing just 24-14 in a game where Idaho trailed 17-14 late in the fourth quarter, Eck led the Vandals to a second straight Mountain West win, this time beating Wyoming in Laramie 17-13. Idaho then rolled off five straight wins to end the regular season, despite losing their starting quarterback to injury. Three of Idaho’s four losses on the season were to teams ranked No. 1 in the polls.

In 2023 with Gevani McCoy at quarterback a season after winning the Jerry Rice Award, presented to the most outstanding freshman in the FCS, the Vandals improved to 9-4, again finishing 6-2 in the Big Sky, tying for second place. The Vandals played two FBS programs, falling in a close game to California 31-17 and defeating Nevada 33-6 in Reno, allowing only two field goals as Idaho outgained the Wolf Pack 463 to 266. The Vandals went 4-2 against ranked opponents and advanced to the FCS Quarterfinals. Once again, the Vandals ranked in the Top 20 in a host of categories including passing efficiency (12^th at154.7), scoring offense (14^th at 32.3), total defense (14^th at306.8), red zone offense (4^th at 92.6%), net punting (11^th at40.1), punt returns (3^rd at 18.4), kickoff returns (7^th at24.2), and time of possession 3^rd at 33:48).

Two players, receiver Hayden Hatten and defensive back Marcus Harris, were both named All-Americans. For Hatten, marking his second straight All-American nod.

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 wins 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 were to Washington State (24-17) and at Indiana (35-22). The team qualified for the postseason for the first time since playing in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2016, and for the just the fourth time since 1995when the program last played in the FCS Playoffs.

Idaho ranked in the Top 20 in the FCS in passingefficiency (5^th at 168.1), scoring offense (13^th at35.9), fewest passing yards allowed (19^th at 190.0), turnovermargin (9^th at +0.83), red zone offense (5^th at92.3%), punt returns (13^th at 13.9), kickoff returns (13^th at24.1), and time of possession (2^nd at 35:07).

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

Overall, in his three seasons with Idaho, Eck coached 16First Team All-Big Sky players, 12 Second Team All-Big Sky players, four ThirdTeam All-Big Sky players and 16 Honorable Mention All-Big Sky players.

Prior to becoming Idaho’s head coach, Eck spent sixseasons with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits as offensive line coach and thefinal three as offensive coordinator. In 2019, he was named the AmericanFootball Coaches’ Association FCS Assistant Coach of the Year.

At South Dakota State, he helped lead the Jackrabbits tothree FCS Playoff semifinal appearances in four seasons and a nationalchampionship game appearance in the spring 2021 season. In three years as theoffensive coordinator at SDSU, Eck’s teams averaged 32.5 points per game,including 37.5 in his final season in 2021. The Jackrabbits were eighth inscoring offense, seventh in team passing efficiency and eighth in rushingoffense behind the FCS’ leading rusher, Pierre Strong.

In the 2021 spring season, freshman quarterback MarkGronowski was the runner-up for the Jerry Rice Award as the FCS freshman of theyear before being injured on the first series of the National Championshipgame. The Jackrabbits fell just 23-21 despite missing Gronowski.

The 2021 spring team showed off Eck’s experience as anoffensive line coach as the Jackrabbits were seventh in the FCS in rushing andfourth in the FCS for tackles for loss allowed despite playing some of the mostphysical defenses in the country in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.Sophomore offensive tackle Garret Greenfield was a near-consensus All-Americaselection and sophomore guard Mason McCormick also received All-Americarecognition.

Eck served as the offensive line coach for theJackrabbits from 2016-18. During his first season with the Jackrabbits, SDSUfeatured one of the most prolific offenses in the MVFC and the FCS, postingaverages of 33.2 points and 437.5 yards of total offense per game. In leaguecontests, SDSU ranked second out of 10 teams in allowing only 11 total sacksand ranking first in five different offensive categories.

Before his time at SDSU, Eck was the offensive line coachand run-game coordinator at Montana State in 2015. The Bobcats were 18th in theFCS for rushing offense and 23rd in the FCS for sacks allowed. MSU was third inthe FCS for scoring offense during his one season in Bozeman.

He was the offensive coordinator for the record-settingoffense at Minnesota State, Mankato during back-to-back Northern SunIntercollegiate Conference championships in 2013 and 2014. He served as theoffensive line coach in 2013 and added offensive coordinator duties in 2014 asthe Mavericks advanced to the NCAA Division II championship game. The 2014season saw Mankato finish 14th in Division II in rushing offense.

Eck has also served coaching stints at Western Illinois(2012), Hampton (2011), Ball State (2009-10), and Winona State (2007-08). Hehad a previous stop at Idaho as an assistant coach, starting in 2004 when hecoached the Vandal offensive line for three seasons.

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

Eck and his wife Kimberly have five children: Quentin,Jaxton, Palmer, Maverick and Lola. Kimberly is on the Board of Directors of theAmerican Football Coaches Wives Association.

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