Aug. 31 Season opener: Texas-San Antonio at UNM, time and TV TBA

Now, the fifth-year senior from Pearland, Texas, is hoping Wright can help him finish his UNM career with his first winning season and his first bowl game.

“I definitely think we can achieve it,” Carrier said Saturday after the sixth workout of UNM’s 2013 spring practice, “with this team and these coaches.”

These coaches? Carrier came to UNM in 2009 as part of coach Mike Locksley’s first recruiting class. His position coach that year and the following season was Darrell Dickey.

Dickey, who also was Locksley’s first offensive coordinator, left after the 2010 season. He was replaced as RBs coach by Vincent White.

New Mexico running backs coach Apollo Wright, right, watches record-setting rusher Kasey Carrier (5) during spring drills on Saturday. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal)

When Bob Davie took over the program before the 2012 season, he hired DeAndre Smith to coach his running backs. But Smith left for Syracuse after one year, and Davie, after a thorough search, lured Wright away from the staff at Florida International.

“Apollo’s got a really good background,” Davie said. “… He’s coached in really successful programs.”

The transition, Wright said, has been a comfortable one – made easier by the presence of Carrier.

Listed at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Carrier gained 642 yards on 165 carries his first two seasons in Locksley’s pass-oriented offense.

After redshirting in 2011, he had a breakout season in Davie’s option-based attack.

Wright coached future NFL Pro Bowler Brian Westbrook at Villanova and coached Kedrick Rhodes to a school-record rushing total at Florida International.

“Kasey’s a great young man, similar to the guys I’ve coached before,” Wright said. ” … He does everything you ask him to do. He studies hard, on and off the field.

“He is very, very explosive.”

Carrier said the transition has gone smoothly for him as well.

“Every coach has their own style,” he said. “Coach Wright wants us to finish the run, take care of the ball high and tight.

“(There are) a lot of little things that he’s come in and taught us that you can tell are going to be to our advantage on the field.”

The Lobos’ only other new assistant, wide receivers coach Scott Baumgartner, has inherited the youngest and least experienced position group on the team.

Wright has the most experienced group. In addition to Carrier, he inherits senior Demarcus Rogers, junior Crusoe Gongbay and sophomore Jurhell Pressley. The four have combined during their UNM careers for 3,579 yards and 33 touchdowns.

“I like the fact that they’re hard runners,” Wright said. “They hit the hole downhill; they don’t dance a lot.

“They know exactly who they are and what their running style is.”

INJURY REPORT: Sophomore defensive lineman Paytron Hightower is scheduled for meniscus surgery on Monday, Davie said. Another sophomore D-lineman, Dominic Twitty, has had concussion symptoms.

The linebacker corps has been thinned as well. Junior Javarie Johnson is out with a groin injury, sophomore Richard Winston has a sprained knee, and senior Rashad Rainey has a shoulder injury.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces in there on defense,” Davie said.

POSITION SHIFT: Junior-college transfer Brett Bowers has been moved from outside rush linebacker to defensive end, Davie said.

“He’s gonna be a force,” Davie said of Bowers, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound junior. “… He’s really strong.”
Carrier says coach Apollo is bringing the Wright stuff

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— This article appeared on page D2 of the Albuquerque Journal