UNM football: Six Lobos leave program after first week of spring practice

Since taking over at New Mexico, Bronco Mendenhall has never shied away from the reality of the transfer portal and everything that comes with it. Simply put: players will come – and players will go.

“When I became the head coach, there were 19 players already in the portal before I was announced,” UNM’s head coach said after last Thursday’s practice. “Others have chosen to enter the portal along the way. And so, I’m sure probably before spring is over or even before then you’ll see what the clear roster looks like.”

That roster, however slowly, is starting to take shape. Six Lobos left the program after the first week of spring practice, a program spokesperson confirmed to the Journal on Tuesday, continuing a steady churn that leaves just 87 players on UNM’s listed roster.

Three players announced their departures via social media, including defensive lineman Hunter Rapolla. A Temecula, California native, Rapolla had four solo tackles for the Lobos in 2023 after transferring in from Mt. San Jacinto (California) college last January.

“To (former defensive line coach Jerome Haywood), (former special teams coordinator Jamie Christian) and (former head coach Danny Gonzales), I am truly grateful for you taking a chance on me as a JUCO player and providing me with the platform to showcase my abilities on a larger scale,” Rapolla wrote Tuesday in a post on X. “Your guidance and mentorship have shaped me as both a player and a person, and I will never forget the impact you have had on my life … After much reflection and prayer, I have decided to enter the transfer portal as a graduate student with one more year of eligibility remaining.”

Brothers Kade and Tate Zimmerman also announced their decisions to enter the portal over the weekend with separate posts. Kade, a wide receiver, recorded two receptions for 33 yards in two years with the Lobos; Tate, a linebacker, totaled nine solo tackles in two seasons at UNM.

“I am so thankful for the last two years I have spent wearing a New Mexico football jersey,” Kade wrote in a post on X. “I cannot express how much I have learned and grown since I have stepped into the facilities, campus and city. I want to thank every coach, teammate and person I have met here for making this chapter of my journey worth everything.

“I am extremely grateful for it all and with that, I believe God is calling me somewhere else and I am entering the transfer portal with two years of eligibility (remaining).”

A few players did not issue formal announcements, including defensive end Destin Gainer, safety Bobby Wooden and wide receiver Jace Taylor. Gainer played in all 12 games and made two starts last season, finishing with 10 solo tackles over two seasons as a Lobo.

Taylor made two catches for 20 yards in 20 career appearances over three seasons. He previously entered the transfer portal after former head coach Danny Gonzales’ firing in late November, but withdrew in December.

Wooden, who played both running back and wide receiver in his first three seasons, finishes his Lobo career with 121 rushing yards and 21 catches for 104 receiving yards. He was converted to safety last season, recording two tackles over nine game appearances.

It is unclear if any of the aforementioned three have entered their names into the transfer portal.

All six departures come less than a week after Mendenhall confirmed that wide receivers and Manzano High School products Andrew and Austin Erickson and linebacker Syaire Riley were no longer with the program. Running back and Cleveland High School graduate Dorian Lewis’ also announced his decision to enter the portal one week before spring practice began.

UNM began its first spring practice session on March 26. All practices are closed to the public except for the Lobos’ spring game, set to kickoff at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20 at University Stadium.

Have more questions about UNM football? Feel free to email sreider@abqjournal.com.