Layne Assignment: QB Literally Better Armed To Lead New Mexico Football in 2026
“He’s the hardest working guy I’ve ever been around - any team. Kind of insane a little bit. It’s what makes him special.”
Every college football contender needs clarity at quarterback, and New Mexico’s ceiling probably starts with Jack Layne’s productivity in the second year of a rising program hoping to contend for a conference championship.
As a redshirt junior, Layne started all 13 games, threw for 2,486 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also ran for a career-high four touchdowns and 152 yards. But the most important and only stat he cares about is wins - he had nine of them in his first season at UNM.
And consider this; Layne did most of that on a bum elbow for most of the season. According to a report by Sean Reider of the Albuquerque Journal, Layne suffered a ligament tear in his throwing elbow prior to the UCLA game (third game of the year) during warmups. Maybe the injury didn’t draw as much attention as it should have, but the quarterback played on and hardly spoke a word about it publicly until after the season.
The statistics always tell one side of the story, but never the entire one. The true measure of an impactful player is that player’s ability to embrace a leadership role.
There isn’t a stat that measures leadership capability - but if there was one, Layne would probably lead the team. And other team leaders such as Defensive Player of the Year Jaxton Eck acknowledge Layne is “that guy.”
“Jack Layne is my guy. We’re roommates … we’ve been roommates since we got here,” Eck said. “(He’s) the hardest working guy I’ve ever been around - any team, he’s the hardest working guy. Kind of insane a little bit, he’s obsessive with it. I think that's what makes him special. (Last year), playing with a serious tear in his elbow - for really most of the year. He never had an excuse, never talked about it. Most fans never saw that or understood that.”
It’s one thing to be labeled a leader by the position you play - quarterback especially. That role is considered one of the hardest positions in all of sports (if not the hardest). But title and position doesn’t always translate to a true leadership role - that comes with intention, actions and plenty of accountability.
Layne has embraced being a leader and heads into this new season healthy and ready to unlock a level of play he knows he’s capable of playing.
“In my opinion, I think the quarterback has got to be the toughest person on the offense, I really do,” Layne said to The Pit Press at MW Media Day. “And how do you do that? How do you show that? You know, you got to work hard every single day. You got to have guys like Malik (Aliane) and Kaden Robnett - they gotta see their quarterback do hard stuff and be tough. And when I’m a coach, I’m going to look for quarterbacks who are tough, who aren’t going to fold when the pressure’s high, and it’s third and eight and you have to rush for a first down. So you gotta be tough, be tough for your O-line and let them see that.”
Despite playing with a torn ligament in his throwing elbow, Layne set the UNM season record for completion percentage at 65.1% and finished with the sixth-best quarterback rating for a season in UNM history with 136.0.
He tallied 300-plus yards passing three times and set a career high in passing attempts and completions at No. 14 Michigan on Aug. 30, 2025 (going 31 of 47).
Going into fall camp as QB1 also comes with its own set of challenges. Expectations to carry more of the load are non-negotiable, as is setting the tone for the rest of the team.
With 11 returning starters, 26 incoming transfers, and 29 incoming freshmen set to launch in the fall, it is imperative the Lobos have experienced leadership guiding the way.
The offense is set to return six starters total and four on the offensive line. which should be one of the most pivotal elements in boosting Layne’s ability to make the offense more explosive.
The Lobos lost four impact-skill position players in running backs Damon Bankston (NFL - New York Giants) and D.J McKinney (Tulsa - transfer), tight end Dorian Thomas (California - transfer), and wide receiver Keagan Johnson (graduation). However, UNM has some upside with incoming transfers in running back Cam Mathews (Memphis), tight end Tripp Walsh (Iowa State) and wide receivers Troy Omeire (UNLV) and Miles Williams (Eastern Washington) who combine to form a promising reload.
Offensive coordinator Luke Schleusner runs a heavy pro-style offense that emphasizes a balanced run-pass attack where the quarterback is expected to read coverages, progress through multiple receivers, audible and execute creative play-action. The tight ends are also a key component in the scheme, so Layne will have to manage a 12-personnel look (1 running back, 2 tight ends, and 2 wide receivers) with TEs Walsh and Cade Keith.
For now, Layne looks to be well equipped (and finally healthy) to lead a team ready to take the next step toward a Mountain West championship. But with more depth at the quarterback position in James Laubstein and transfer Luke Moga (Oregon) waiting in the wings, Layne must not only lead the team, but he must also stay sharp enough to solidify his QB1 status.
