UNM football notebook: Lobos lose projected starter to transfer portal
On the eve of the portal opening, the Lobos are already down one key player.
New Mexico tight end Keayen Nead is no longer with the program and plans on entering the transfer portal, head coach Jason Eck said after Tuesday’s practice.
This page requires Javascript.
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
kAmp7E6C ;@:?:?8 E96 E62> 😕 y2?F2CJ[ E96 e7@@Ed[ aeaA@F?5 (636C $E2E6 EC2?D76C AC@;64E65 2D 2 DE2CE6C 5FC:?8 DAC:?8 AC24E:46 2?5 H2D 4@?D:56C65 E96 36DE 3=@4A=6E6=J C6>256 E:89E 6?5 C@@>] qFE E96 ;F?:@C :?7@C>65 &}|’D DE277 @7 9:D 564:D:@? E@ C66?E6C E96 A@CE2= @G6C E96 H66<6?5[ D6EE:?8 FA 2?@E96C A@D:E:@? E96 {@3@D 92G6 E@ 255C6DD 😕 E96 DAC:?8 EC2?D76C H:?5@H]k^Am
kAmr@==686 7@@E32==’D `_52J DAC:?8 EC2?D76C H:?5@H @A6?D (65?6D52J 2?5 4=@D6D pAC:= ad]k^Am
The big news out of Tuesday’s practice: TE Keayen Nead is no longer with the program and plans on entering the portal, per Jason Eck.
The 6-5, 262-pound Weber State transfer had repped as UNM’s TE1 during his first (and only) spring with the Lobos.
Eck: “(I) wish him well.” https://t.co/jwBG4wI9Kv
— Sean Reider (@lenaweereider) April 15, 2025
kAmt4:EE65 96 H2D “DFCAC:D65 2?5 5:D2AA@:?E65” 3J }625’D 564:D:@? 2?5 H:D965 9:> H6==[ 3FE BF6DE:@?65 E96 H:D5@> @7 C66?E6C:?8 E96 A@CE2= H:E9@FE A=2J:?8 2? 255:E:@?2= D62D@?]k^Am
kAm“Wx7X J@F 92G6 ?@ @E96C 82>6 7:=> E@ 255[ x 5@?’E E9:?@C6 G2=F6 7@C J@FCD6=7[” 96 4@?E:?F65] “x E9:?< 6G6? :7 96 H@F=5 92G6 DE2J65 96C6 7@C @?6 J62C 2?5 H2?E65 E@ 8@ @? ?6IE J62C[ x E9:?6 G2=F6 7@C 9:>D6=7] qFE @3G:@FD=J 96’D 8@E D@>6 A6@A=6 😕 9:D 9625[ 2?5 :E’D E96:C 564:D:@?]k^Am
kAm“p?5[ J@F <?@H[ x’G6 <:?5 @7 =62C?65 ;FDE E@ 36 2E A6246 H:E9 :E] q642FD6 x =@@< 324256 2 =@E @7 325 564:D:@?D] $@>6 @7 E96D6 8FJD 2C6 8@??2 >2[ 3FE WxX 42?’E ECJ E@ JD6=7 FA 2E ?:89E E9:?<:?8 23@FE :E]”k^Am
kAmp $F82C r:EJ[ x529@ ?2E:G6[ }625 A@DE65 `e C646AE:@?D 7@C gg J2C5D 2?5 @?6 E@F495@H? @G6C EH@ D62D@?D 2E (636C $E2E6 367@C6 6?E6C:?8 E96 A@CE2= 😕 s646>36C] w6 E@=5 E96 y@FC?2= =2DE H66< E92E t43F:=56C D@=5 9:> @? ;@:?:?8 &}|j t46C 9625 4@249 2E x529@[ E96 (:=542ED’ 4@?76C6?46 C:G2=]k^Am
kAm(96? C624965 3J E96 y@FC?2= @? %F6D52J[ }625 4@?7:C>65 9:D A=2?D 2?5 H:D965 t4 E96 36DE 8@:?8 7@CH2C5]k^Am
kAm“x ;FDE 766= =::89E 92G6 =67E @? E96 E23=6 H96? x @C:8:?2==J 6?E6C65 E96 A@CE2=[” 96 D2:5 H96? 2D<65 23@FE 9:D 564:D:@?] “p?5[ J@F 2?J J62CD[ >2?] x H2?E E@ E2<6 25G2?E286 2?5 D2J x 4964J 3@I6D 2?5 4C@DD65 2== >J %D]”k^Am
kAm&}| ?@H 92D ;FDE E9C66 E:89E 6?5D @? E96 C@DE6Ci EC2?D76CD s@C:2? %9@>2D WpC:K@?2X[ p:56? ‘2=56K Wr2>A36==X 2?5 r256 z6:E9 W%r&X] q67@C6 }625’D 56A2CEFC6[ t4 A=2??65 @? 255:?8 E@ E96 C@@> G:2 E96 DAC:?8 A@CE2= H:?5@H]k^Am
kAm“(6 8@EE2 4@?DE2?E=J 36 56G6=@A:?8 @FC C@DE6C[ 3642FD6 8FJD 46CE2:?=J 92G6 E96 C:89E E@ =62G6[ ;FDE =:<6 4@2496D 92G6 E96 C:89E E@ =62G6[” 96 D2:5] “p?5 J@F 8@EE2 92G6 8FJD C625J H96? E92E 92AA6?D]”k^Am
kAm}625 😀 @?6 @7 D6G6? {@3@D E@ =62G6 E96 AC@8C2> @C 7@@E32== 2=E@86E96C E9:D DAC:?8] %F6D52J[ t4< D2:5 CF??:?8 324 8@:?8 7@CH2C5]k^Am
kAmp 7@C>6C q*& EC2?D76C[ |2:2G2!6E6CD CFD965 7@C `ac J2C5D 2?5 @?6 E@F495@H? =2DE D62D@? 27E6C ;@:?:?8 E96 AC@8C2> 5FC:?8 72== 42>A] w6 AC@;64E65 2D E96 7:7E9 @C D:IE9 324< E9:D DAC:?8[ EC2:=:?8 EC2?D76CD =:A9C6J[ s2>@? q2?<DE@?[ s6D92F? qF492?2? 2?5 s]y] |4z:??6J]k^Am
kAm“w:> 2?5 9:D H:76 92G6 E96:C D64@?5 323J @? E96 H2J[” t4< D2:5] “p?5[ J@F 66E:?8[ 3FE x E9:?6 @7 E9@D6 @E96C 8FJD H6C6 36EE6C E92? 9:> 2?5 96 H2D?’E 8@:?8 E@ A=2J 2 =@E]”k^Am
kAmt465 E92E @776?D:G6 =:?6>2? |2EE96H %@:=@=@[ 4@C?6C324 2?5 A=2? @? 6?E6C:?8 E96 A@CE2=] %96:C 564:D:@?D[ 96 D2:5[ H6C6 32D65 @? A=2J:?8 E:>6]k^Am
k9am$AC:?8 82>6 FA52E6k^9am
kAm(:== uC:52J’D DAC:?8 82>6 92G6 2 EC25:E:@?2= 82>6 7@C>2E H:E9 EH@ D6E E62>D @C E92E @7 2 DAC:?8 D9@H42D6[ 2 A@AF=2C 2=E6C?2E:G6 😕 C646?E J62CDnk^Am
kAmq2?6E9:?8 4=@D6C E@ E96 =2EE6C]k^Am
kAm“(6’C6 8@??2 5@ >@C6 @7 W2?X @776?D65676?D6 W7@C>2EX H96C6 E96 5676?D6 86ED A@:?ED 7@C 86EE:?8 DE@AD @C 86EE:?8 WE24<=6D 7@C =@DDX[” t4< D2:5] “(6’== ECJ E@ @C6 ?@C>2=[ 3FE E96? E96 5676?D6 H:== 92G6 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 86E D@>6 A@:?ED @? E96 @E96C D:56 3J 86EE:?8 DE@AD 2?5 E9:?8D]”k^Am
kAm%96 564:D:@? E@ ?@E 92G6 2 EC25:E:@?2= 82>6[ t46 @G6C 7@FC “D9@CE6C” BF2CE6CD W“>2J36 `_ >:?FE6D[” t4< D2:5X[ 2?@E96C :?;FCJ AC642FE:@? 2D E96 {@3@D HC2A FA DAC:?8 AC24E:46]k^Am
kAm%96 DAC:?8 82>6 DE2CED 2E eib_ A]>] 2E &?:G6CD:EJ $E25:F> 27E6C 2 ] &}| A=2J6CD H:== 36 2G2:=23=6 7@C 2FE@8C2A9D 2E E96 6?5 @7 uC:52J’D D6DD:@?]k^Am
k9am}@E6D 2?5 BF@E6Dk^9am
kAm p7E6C 36:?8 4=62C65 =2DE H66D H:56 C646:G6C z6282? y@9?D@? 😀 56E6C>:?65 E@ 7:?:D9 DAC:?8 H:E9 2 7=@FC:D9] %F6D52J[ E96 e_[ `gdA@F?5 z2?D2D $E2E6 EC2?D76C 9:89=:89E65 2?@E96C C@4<D@=:5 AC24E:46 H:E9 2 C:5:4F=@FD=J E:89E D:56=:?6 42E49 @? 4@C?6C324< y@? y@9?D@? W?@ C6=2E:@?X[ @?6 t4< C676C6?465 H9:=6 E2=:?8 9:> E96 @776?D:G6 A=2J6C @7 AC24E:46]k^Am
kAm“(6 925 9:89 9@A6D 7@C z6282?[” 96 D2:5] “%96? J@F H6C6 2 =:EE=6 5:D2AA@:?E65 2E E96 DE2CE @7 DAC:?8 3642FD6 96 H2D @FE[ 3FE ?@H J@F’C6 324@DE 36:?8 A=62D2?E=J DFCAC:D65 2?5 92AAJ 255:?8 9:> 😕 96C6 E96D6 =2DE 4@FA=6 H66<D … 96’D =@@<65 =:36C @?6 C646:G6C 96C6 E96D6 =2DE 4@FA=6 H66<D]”k^Am
kAm %F6D52J’D 92>>6C W2H2C565 E@ H9@6G6C t4D E96 A=2J6C @7 E96 AC24E:46X 5:5 ?@E 8@ E@ y@9?D@?[ E9@F89] u6==@H C646:G6C z256C s:@A H2= &}|’D :?5@@C AC24E:46 724:=:EJ H:E9 E96 C65[ {@3@3C2?565 D=658692>>6C 27E6C 42E49:?8 2 4@FA=6 566A 32==D 2?5 ?@E49:?8 2 76H DEC@?8 @?6@?@?6 H:?D]k^Am
kAm“x H2D C62==J AC@F5 @7 9:>[ 3642FD6 x E9@F89E 96 925 D@>6 6CC@CD @? $2EFC52J[” t4< D2:5] “*@F 6 >6?E2= 6CC@CD H96C6 96 5:5?’E 92G6 E96 36DE 677@CE 2?5 :E ;FDE H2D?’E 9:D 36DE 52J] $66:?8 9:> C6DA@?5 – H6 E2=[ 2?5 9@H 5@ J@F C6DA@?5 H96? 325 E9:?8D 92AA6?nk^Am
kAm“x E9@F89E 96 925 2 8C62E C6DA@?D6 E@52J] w6’D C62==J 925 2 8@@5 DAC:?8] x E9:?AC6DD65 FD]”k^Am
Not running the full exchange in today’s notebook, but was interested in Jason Eck’s answers re: if college football should just have one portal window, how that might change spring practice “forever,” etc.
(great @RobTalksLobos follow-up here) pic.twitter.com/z4DHKmzJpz
— Sean Reider (@lenaweereider) April 15, 2025
kAm tG6CJ E:>6 E96 A@CE2= @A6?D[ :E’D 2 5:D4FDD:@? – D9@F=5 4@==686 7@@E32== 8@ 5@H? 7C@> EH@ EC2?D76C H:?5@HD E@ ;FDE @?6n t462?E 2 5C2DE:4 @G6C92F= E@ 9@H DAC:?8 AC24E:46 😀 D4965F=65] xE’D 8@??2 492?86 E9:?8D E@ 86E E@ @?6 A@CE2= H:?5@H[” 96 D2:5] “xE’== AC@323=J 92G6 E@ 36 =2E6C[ 2?5 :E >:89E 492?86 DAC:?8 AC24E:46 7@C6G6C] *@F :89E 36 >@C6 @7 2? ~%p >@56=[ H96C6 J@F 5@?’E 92G6 2 7F== DAC:?8 AC24E:46 2?5 ?@H E96 A@CE2= H:?5@H’D >@C6 😕 E96 DAC:?8]k^Am
kAm“#62==J[ E@ 86E E@ @?6 A@CE2= H:?5@H[ x’5 >2<6 :E H@C@C6 ~%pD E92E 2C6 =2E6CE:?865[ E96J’C6 >@C6 |2J 2?5 yF?6 7@C E96:C ~%pD] p?5 x E9:?< E92E 4@F=5 H@C< 😕 4@==686[ E@@[ E@ ;FDE AFD9 E96 A@CE2= H:?5@H 324<]”k^Am
kAm$62? #6:56C 4@G6CD 4@==686 7@@E32== 2?5 @E96C DA@CED 7@C E96 y@FC?2=] *@F 42? C6249 9:> 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@iDC6:56Co23B;@FC?2=]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?k^2m @C G:2 ) 2E o=6?2H66C6:56C]k^Am