News: Davie and UNM to Part Ways

The University of New Mexico and Head Coach Bob Davie have decided to part ways after the season finale this Saturday versus Utah State, ending what has been a mostly tumultuous tenure at UNM.

Davie was hired in November of 2011 to replace Mike Locksley, who had been fired earlier in 2011. Davie started out by going 4-9 in his first season, winning more in that one season than the previous regime had done in three seasons combined. From there, Davie’s 2013 team went 3-9, and followed that up with a 4-8 record in 2014. That 2014 season included the first win outside of the state of New Mexico in almost seven years. Davie’s 2015 team went 6-7 overall and played in the New Mexico Bowl, losing to Arizona. In 2016 the Lobos posted a 9-4 record and a 23-20 win over UT-San Antonio in the New Mexico Bowl. The nine wins are tied for the second most in program history and the bowl win was just the program’s fourth.

Academically, UNM set a program record for single-season GPA, single-year GPA, and four times set a record for most Mountain West All-Academic selections. UNM also led the Mountain West in 2018 in Mountain West scholar-athletes.

The past three seasons, including this one, have been the opposite as far as on the field product. The 2017 and 2018 teams both finished with 3-9 records. Between the 2017 and 2018 seasons Davie was suspended without pay due to an investigation that found Davie violated several UNM policies in his handling of players and a separate investigation that was on going into some of his players. During the 2018 season senior linebacker Evahelotu Tohi had been suspended from the team for beating up a teammate at a party following a game.

The 2019 season began with a win and a scare. After beating Sam Houston State to open the season, Davie had a health scare that sent him to the hospital and caused him to miss the next two games. Though no official word was given, Davie was seen grabbing his chest several times during the Sam Houston State game. The Lobos would go 1-1 in their next two contests, losing to Notre Dame and then beating New Mexico State. The NMSU win is the last the Lobos have had this season. Since then they have lost eight consecutive games, seven by 11 points or more. To compound matters, quarterback Sheriron Jones was suspended indefinitely on October 22^nd for reportedly exposing himself to a woman four days earlier.

Davie has a current record of 35-66 at UNM. Saturday’s contest against Utah State will end Davie’s eighth season at UNM, and his 13^th overall as a head coach in College Football.