Ninth, New Mexico

2005 record: 6-5

2005 MWC record: 4-4

Predicted 2006 record: 3-9

Head coach: Rocky Long, ninth year

Last bowl appearance: 2004 Emerald Bowl, lost to Navy 34-19

QUARTERBACK: A 6-5 season used to be reason to celebrate in Albuquerque, but that was before New Mexico coach Rocky Long took over the program as an alumnus. Long enters his ninth season having strengthened the program to the point the Lobos consider last year’s winning record a down season because the New Mexico missed advancing to a bowl game for the fourth straight year. Long has a head start on returning to a bowl game with the the return of senior quarterback Kole McKamey. The 6-2, 205-pounder enters 2006 with 20 career starts. He can run and throw, averaging 207 yards passing with a completion percentage of 62.5 and 54 yards rushing.

RUNNING BACK: Long, a former UCLA assistant under Bob Toledo, hired his former boss as offensive coordinator. Toledo will be trying to find offense to compensate for the loss of DonTrell Moore, the MWC Offensive Player of the Year who was the most celebrated in-state recruit in New Mexico history. Matt Quillen returns as a blocking back at fullback, but the Lobos will be looking for a No. 1 tailback from a cast that includes returning lettermen Martelius Epps and Rodney Ferguson. Epps had only three carries last year and Ferguson is coming off a redshirt season.

RECEIVER: New Mexico returns two starters at wide receiver with Travis Brown and Thomas Wilson. The played complimentary roles last year behind All-MWC pick Hank Baskett. Brown has some big-play ability and was second on the team with 35 catches for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson caught 12 balls for 102 yards for no scores, but he moves up in the pecking order. The Lobos also need to find a new starter at tight end. John Muchrone caught 12 balls last year while Curtis Pino is a blocking tight end.

OFFENSIVE LINE: One of Long’s trademarks at New Mexico is developing all-conference offensive lineman. The Lobos had two first-team picks last year with Ryan Cook graduating but Robert Turner returning. Turner, a senior, is one of three returning starters. He played guard last year but is shifting to tackle this season. The other returning starters are Bo Greer at guard and Anthony Kilby opposite Turner at tackle. Vince Natali is a returning letterman at center and Patrick Hodges saw some time at tackle, but otherwise this is a green group of Lobos.

DEFENSIVE LINE: New Mexico’s most critical rebuilding job on the defensive side of the ball starts in the trenches with the loss of all three starters. But the backups have seen playing time over the past two years with three-year letterman Billy Brittain at nose tackle and a pair of two-year lettermen at defensive end, Michael Tuohy and Stephen Hutchison. Three backups coming off redshirt seasons are junior nose tackle Ryan Boyd, junior end Tyler Donaldson and freshman Phillip Harrison.

LINEBACKER: The Lobos’ only returning all-conference honoree on the defensive side of the ball is Cody Kase, a junior outside linebacker who earned honorable mention. Kase was fourth on the team in tackles with 62 and also has the ability to make plays in the backfield. He led the team in both sacks (5.5) and tackles for a loss (11.5). Kase is one of two returning starters with senior Quincy Black manning the other outside backer position. In the middle, the Lobos are looking for senior Justin Clayton, a three-year lettermen, to make an impact in his first year as a starter.

SECONDARY: Two starting safeties return in Rocky Long’s trademark 3-3-5 alignment, but the Lobos must fill holes at the two cover cornerback positions as well as the roving “Lobo” position. The safeties are sophomores Blake Ligon and DeAndre Wright. Taking over at cornerback are Ian Clark, a redshirt freshman, and Juamar Hall, a junior. They are being pushed by Glover Quin and Mike Vandenburg. Tyson Ditmore takes over as Long’s “Lobo.” New Mexico’s recent success has helped Long recruit bigger defensive backs to the roster.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Lobos lost four-year starter Tyler Gaus as their reliable punter, but Kenny Byrd returns for his senior year as the place-kicker. Byrd connected on 13-of-15 field goals and 33 of 38 extra-points. He was successful on 4-of-5 field goal tries from 40 to 49 yards.