If New Mexico is going to produce back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2015 and 2016, it’s going to have to do so without last year’s starting quarterback Jack Layne.
Layne is out for the entire 2026 campaign due to an elbow injury. Layne already had offseason surgery on the elbow, but now he needs a second procedure performed on it.
“We really feel for Jack,” UNM head coach Jason Eck said Thursday. “He’s a great competitor, he’s someone who absolutely loves football, loves being a part of it.”
Layne helped UNM to a 9-4 straight-up record and a 7-5-1 against-the-spread mark last year. The Lobos nearly produced the first double-digit win total in program history, but they dropped a 20-17 decision vs. Minnesota in overtime as 1.5-point underdogs in the Rate Bowl.
Layne set a single-season program record by completing 65.1 percent of his passes last year. He threw for 2,486 yards with a 13/10 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Layne added 152 rushing yards and four TDs.
During UNM’s six-game winning streak to end the regular season, Layne had five TD passes compared to only one interception. Six of his 10 picks came in losses at Michigan and at San Jose St. In a 40-35 win at UNLV, Layne completed 17-of-22 throws for 342 yards and three TDs.
When the Lobos coasted to a 35-10 win at UCLA in Week 3, Layne connected on 12-of-16 throws for 152 yards and two TDs without an interception.
Eck told the media yesterday that he’ll play multiple QBs when UNM hosts Central Michigan in its opener at home on Sept. 5. Senior James Laubstein, junior Luke Moga and sophomore Toa Fa’avae have been splitting most of the snaps during training camp.
Laubstein completed 11-of-17 passes (64.7%) for 96 yards and two TDs without an interception in 2025. He appeared in nine games, producing 363 rushing yards, one TD and a 6.2 yards-per-carry average. Laubstein had 99 rushing yards on eight attempts in the Lobos’ win at UNLV.
Moga played in three games for Oregon last year, completing 3-of-5 passes for 58 yards. He had 49 rushing yards on just three attempts for a 16.3 YPC average. 247Sports had Moga as a three-star transfer that was ranked the #117 QB available in the portal.
As of Friday afternoon, most books had the Lobos installed as 10.5-point home favorites vs. CMU. The total was 46.5 points, and the Chippewas were +320 on the money line.