UNM position preview: CB Abraham Williams headlines Lobos' secondary

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Secondary

It has become perhaps the most recognizable sound at any New Mexico practice, booming throughout any team period.

Body language!

You can hear it anywhere on the practice field, after any play — good or bad.

Body language!

Its originator? None other than cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator Stanley Franks Jr.

Body language!

“It’s not just to the (defensive backs), but to the whole defense,” Franks said of his daily call during practices. “We don’t wanna look vulnerable on the field. We want to look like we are ready, and we believe that. And we wanna present that to the offense — that we’re ready for whatever might be coming towards us.”

And among UNM’s secondary, no player might be more ready for the season than cornerback Abraham Williams. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound Idaho transfer was named preseason All-Mountain West as a returner in July. He has five career kick return touchdowns to his name over the last three seasons with the Vandals and Weber State.

But Franks and head coach Jason Eck have said they believe Williams is their best corner, with the former saying he looks more comfortable with his technique and movement compared to a year ago.

“When we got him, he was very rigid,” said Franks, the former cornerbacks coach at Idaho. “Things you take for granted, simple (things like) learning how to break, that wasn’t quite under his belt. So just his movement alone — when he goes through drills, he looks like a DB now … And then his football IQ, he’s really worked at it, and now it’s translating where he’s getting presnap formation recognition and everything.”

Beyond Williams, transfers Jon Johnson (Montana State), Jayden Sheridan (Utah Tech) and Frankie Edwards III (Weber State) round out UNM’s top four corners. Johnson is expected to start alongside Williams after the former had a disruptive fall camp on top of a productive spring.

“He knows what it takes to win, and (he’s) bringing that attitude here,” Franks said of Johnson. “He buys into technique … He’s continued to improve and absorb football, the knowledge side of it, so that’s big to see.”

Among the safeties, UNM is expected to start Ohio transfer Austin Brawley at field safety and Tavian Combs at boundary safety. The former previously played under defensive coordinator Spence Nowinsky with the Bobcats, a quality safeties coach Clay Bignell said he “can’t be understated.”

For his part, Combs is in line to start for the first time in two seasons after nearly missing all of last season recovering from injuries suffered in 2023.

“Each and every day, I’ve seen growth out of him,” Bignell said. “(His) knowledge and understanding of the game, and just being able to let free and go play ball. There’s no hesitancy, he’s just pulling the trigger.”

UNM will operate with a fifth defensive back: nickel safety, or star as it’s called in the Lobos’ 4-2-5 base defense. Transfers Albert Nunes (Northern Iowa) and Caleb Coleman (Texas State) have both run with the first team defense at star throughout camp, while David Murphy has worked at the spot and developed a role in the Lobos’ dime (six defensive backs) package.

“Murph is awesome,” Bignell said. “He’s the kind of kid that you want on your team. Like, he’s gonna play hard and he understands the defense. He’s a kid that’s fun to coach because he’ll give it his all each and every day.”