New Mexico was supposed to be the Mountain West's breakout story again this fall. Instead, the Lobos are heading into the September 5 opener not knowing if their starting quarterback can even suit up.
Per Pete Thamel, Jack Layne is 'questionable' for the opener against Central Michigan. He's been practicing some but still hasn't done full team segments as he works back from offseason elbow surgery, and Eck told ESPN his return timeline remains uncertain.
That's not exactly new. Layne tore the common flexor tendon in his elbow last season and had it surgically repaired in the offseason, which cost him all of spring ball. Reports out of Albuquerque this month have been blunt about it: Eck said there's 'no clear timeline' for Layne's return, and that the veteran is 'frustrated with it' while trying to keep his head up. He hasn't thrown with his right arm at all during fall camp, despite doing so over the summer.
The stakes here go beyond one guy's elbow. Layne led New Mexico to a 9-4 season that included an upset of UCLA, a Mountain West record of 6-2 and a bowl trip.
Layne led New Mexico to a 9-4 season last year that included an upset of UCLA, Rate Bowl appearance and 6-2 league record.
That resume is exactly why national voices have started talking about the Lobos as a real Mountain West contender under Eck, the reigning conference Coach of the Year. Losing that quarterback for even part of a marquee opener is a real problem for a program trying to prove last year wasn't a fluke.
With Layne sidelined, Eck has a three-way battle brewing behind him between Oregon transfer Luke Moga, sixth-year senior James Laubstein and sophomore Toa Fa'avae. Eck has called it a 'pretty even battle' and reportedly plans to name a starter within 2 weeks of kickoff to get that guy more first-team reps down the stretch of camp. Whether that starter is a placeholder for a few weeks or the guy for the whole season is the question hanging over University Stadium right now.