Dec. 23—New Mexico announced six staff additions Monday, filling out coordinator and position coach vacancies heading into head coach Jason Eck’s first season leading the Lobos.
Formally announced as UNM’s coach on Dec. 14, Eck is set to bring over all six staffers from his three-year tenure at Idaho. The announced group is composed of two coordinators, two position coaches and a pair of key off-field staffers; the Lobos still have to fill at least four on-field positions.
“I had a very good FCS staff (at Idaho), but I wanted to make sure, to make the move up, I needed the elite guys,” Eck told the Journal on Dec. 17 when asked how he planned on assembling his staff. “I need to bring the best. I didn’t feel that right to bring everybody because, you know, we’re elevating a level — we gotta up our game.
“Now, we had some guys who I think were elite coaches, (who) we were very fortunate to have at Idaho … It’ll be a chunk of guys (from) there.”
The full list:
Luke Schleusner
Position: Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach
Background: Schleusner — pronounced Schlice-ner — joins Eck in Albuquerque after serving as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Idaho. The veteran FCS assistant has worked with Eck for the last nine years and brings a long history of offensive talent development to UNM.
“Extremely excited to accept the position(s) of offensive coordinator and (quarterbacks) coach at the University of New Mexico!” Schleusner posted on X. “Thank you (Eck) and (UNM Athletic Director Fernando Lovo) for this amazing opportunity! My wife (Jenilee) and I are eager to transition to the beautiful city of Albuquerque!”
Over three seasons at Idaho, Schleusner directed the Vandals to two top-three scoring offenses in the 12-team Big Sky Conference. In doing so, he helped lead Idaho to three straight FCS playoff appearances for the first time in nearly 30 years, revitalizing a program that had only two winning seasons in the 22 years prior.
In 2024, Schleusner oversaw an offense that averaged 27.9 points per game (10th in the Big Sky) and helped propel the Vandals to a rare 10-win season. Idaho notably did so while working with backup quarterback Jack Wagner for over half of the schedule after starter Jack Layne suffered an injury during the season opener against Oregon.
Schleusner also coached former Idaho quarterback Gevani McCoy to the 2022 Jerry Rice Award, annually given to the most outstanding FCS freshman. McCoy passed for 5,654 yards, 42 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in two seasons with the Vandals before transferring to Oregon State.
A Menomonie, Wisconsin native, Schleusner played wide receiver at North Dakota before graduating in 2002. He earned All-North Central Conference honors in 2001, the same season the Fighting Hawks went on to win an FCS national title.
Dan Jackson
Position: Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach
Background: Jackson served as Idaho’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach last season, reuniting with Eck after the pair worked together at South Dakota State from 2016-19. In his lone season calling the Vandals’ defense, Idaho allowed 25 points per game, the fourth-best mark in the Big Sky.
“Let’s get GRITTY!” Jackson posted via X on Monday. “We will build a culture on defense that our university, alumni, fans and community will be proud of.”
Jackson joined the Vandals after spending two seasons as the defensive backs coach at Vanderbilt under former New Mexico defensive coordinator Nick Howell. Before that, he served as Northern Illinois’ cornerbacks coach from 2020-21, his first FBS coaching job following a largely successful eight-year run at South Dakota State.
From 2012-2019, Jackson rose from his role as a defensive assistant with Jackrabbits to assistant head coach for the perennial FCS powerhouse. He primarily served as SDSU’s defensive backs coach before adding recruiting coordinator and special teams coordinator duties throughout a run that saw the Jackrabbits make the playoffs each season he was on staff.
An Omaha, Nebraska native, Jackson played linebacker at South Dakota State from 2003-05. He started his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Omaha Burke (Nebraska) High School.
Cody Booth
Position: Offensive line coach
Background: Booth joins UNM after spending three seasons under Eck as Idaho’s offensive line coach. Before that, he helped Colorado State tight end Trey McBride win the Mackey Award (annually awarded to the best tight end in college football) as the Rams’ tight ends coach in 2021.
Booth previously worked as a graduate assistant at Boston College and Temple after playing three years in the NFL as an offensive tackle. The Millersville, Pennsylvania native played tight end and tackle at Temple from 2009-13.
Hebron Fangupo
Position: Defensive line coach
Background: Fangupo comes to Albuquerque after spending last season as Idaho’s defensive line coach. The Santa Ana, California native previously worked in the same role at Utah Tech from 2019-22 before spending a season as a defensive analyst at Texas Southern.
A former nose tackle, Fangupo spent three years in the NFL with five different teams. He finished his college career at BYU after playing at USC and Mt. San Antonio (California) Community College.
John Waters
Position: Director of scouting
Background: Waters spent last season as a recruiting quality control assistant with Idaho. Before that, the Phoenix native worked as a defensive quality control assistant at Butler after graduating from Arizona State in 2022.
Caleb Heim
Position: Head strength and conditioning coach
Background: Heim spent the last 2 1/2 years as Idaho’s head strength and conditioning coach after stops at South Dakota (2018-22), Nebraska (2016-17) and Southwest Minnesota State (2015-16).
