New Mexico Lobos Football

The University of New Mexico is spending nearly $70,000 per week to play its football games in Las Vegas amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic, New Mexico athletic director Eddie Nunez said he is willing to pay that amount of money to have the team play games because it will result in a large payout down the road in distributions from the Mountain West Conference and the College Football Playoff.

"If I'm going to spend $300,000 to put our team in Las Vegas, but I know that at the end of the day, I'm going to get $3.7 million or zero [to not play at all], I think I'd go for 3.7," he said. "To give our kids a chance to play with the circumstances we were dealing with [in the state of New Mexico], it was the right decision."

The eight-game conference-only schedule for Mountain West teams began Oct. 24, but the Lobos found themselves in a bind. Their opening game against Colorado State was canceled because of a spike in COVID-19 cases in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.

Nunez announced Oct. 30 that the football team was moving its operations to Las Vegas, where it will play games at Sam Boyd Stadium, home of fellow Mountain West program UNLV. He told Auerbach the $70,000 being spent each week is used to keep "about 140 people tied to the New Mexico football program living out of the Hilton right now."

The student-athletes are able to attend their classes virtually, but Auerbach noted doing so requires them to wake up an hour earlier because of the time difference between Albuquerque and Las Vegas.

The Lobos have played their first two games of the season on the road against San Jose State and Hawaii. Saturday's contest against Nevada will mark their first game in their adopted home for the 2020 season.

Nahje Flowers, a defensive end at the University of New Mexico, has died at the age of 21.

Head football coach Bob Davie issued a statement through the school's athletic department.

"Earlier this morning we were made aware of the tragic loss of Nahje Flowers," Davie said. "Our entire football team and everyone who knew Nahje are devastated by this loss. Nahje was a wonderful person and great teammate. Our entire Lobo Football family mourns his passing and our prayers go out to his family."

New Mexico athletic director Eddie Nunez said in a statement he was made aware of Flowers' death on Tuesday morning before Davie informed the team:

"Grief counselors, members of our medical team and a psychologist are being made available. [...] Our focus right now is on the well-being of our student-athletes, coaches and staff and the support needed. Nahje was an incredible young man. Our entire Lobo Football family mourns his passing, and our prayers go out to his family."

A cause of death has not been released. Flowers played in five of New Mexico's nine games this season. 

He had been attending New Mexico since 2016. The Los Angeles native appeared in all 24 games for the Lobos in 2017-18. He finished third on the team with 5.5 tackles for loss as a redshirt sophomore last year. 

New Mexico head coach Bob Davie won't travel with the team to South Bend, Indiana, for its Sept. 14 game against Notre Dame as he recovers from a medical setback that led to his hospitalization Saturday. 

In a statement released by the school, Davie said he made the decision to remain in Albuquerque after consulting with his doctors and wife:

Davie was taken from Dreamstyle Stadium to the hospital in an ambulance following New Mexico's 39-31 win over Sam Houston State on Aug. 31. 

Per Rick Wright of the Albuquerque Journal, Davie was believed to be experiencing chest pains when he was taken away. The 64-year-old at one point was seen kneeling on the sidelines during the game. 

The Lobos will go into the Notre Dame matchup with Saga Tuitele, who regularly serves as their run game coordinator and offensive line coach, as their acting head coach. 

Davie has compiled a 34-54 record in eight seasons at New Mexico. He previously spent five years as Notre Dame's head coach from 1997 to 2001 and went 35-25.

New Mexico head football coach Bob Davie was taken to the hospital following his team's 39-31 home win over Sam Houston State on Saturday following "what appeared to be a serious medical incident," per Lobos athletic director Eddie Nunez.

On Sunday, Davie released an encouraging statement via Twitter:

Steve Virgen of the Albuquerque Journal reported that Davie was believed to be suffering from heart trouble and that an ambulance appeared at Dreamstyle Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to take him to the hospital.

A school official also told the Journal the coach "was experiencing chest pains" (h/t ESPN).

The Davie family released a statement soon after the incident, noting the coach is "doing well and recovering."

Davie, 64, just began his eighth season as New Mexico's coach. He also led Notre Dame from 1997 to 2001 and was an ESPN college football analyst for much of the 2000s.

Per Brandon Ortega of KOB 4, Davie and Lobo players were not made available to speak postgame.

Many people provided well-wishes and prayers after news broke, with ESPN's Holly Rowe, UNM President Garnett S. Stokes and the Mountain West Conference among them:

Davie's best season with the Lobos occurred in 2016, when he led the team to a 9-4 and a first-place tie atop the MWC's Mountain Division. The season included a five-game win streak and a victory over UTSA in the New Mexico Bowl.