With a familiar face gone, Lobo head coach Rocky Long must now pick a winner in what is amounting to an old-fashioned quarterback competition.
With reliable quarterback Casey Kelly gone after three years of service, the spot under center now belongs to either Tali Ena or Kole McKamey. The in-practice performances will decide who takes over as UNM's starting quarterback.
"Hopefully we'll know the first week to 10 days of (fall) practices," Long said.
McKamey played out last year as the team's definitive number two. He saw time in every game last year, usually as a placeholder.
Mostly confined to the mop-up duties customary to a backup role, McKamey also played relatively well when called upon to lift a staggering offense. Sept. 27 against New Mexico State he took over for an ineffective Kelly and threw the game-winning touchdown to Hank Baskett in a 24-17 win.
Ena threw just two passes last year, completing one for a deep touchdown.
Yet despite the disparity in playing experience, Long said he has no preference which quarterback helms his offense.
"I see this as a good thing for the whole team," Ena said. "We're not threatened by each other or anything, we're just both working our tails off to get better."
McKamey feels the same way.
"He and I are making each other better," he said. "Every day in practice we're just pushing each other because we're both competing so hard.
"I think he enjoys it," McKamey said.
He added that he understands why Long hasn't named a starter yet, as the competition has been forcing the prospective quaterbacks to play at their best. We're going to make each other better, and whoever is made the best is going to come out as the starter."
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Long said the differences between his two quarterbacks are not so glaring as the press guides or media releases would have fans think. McKamey is the faster of the two, but that should not hint at a lack of mobility on Ena's part.
"Both QB's have enough mobility," Long said. "As far as that goes, I'm just as comfortable with either one. Kole might run a little better, but Tali's a mobile guy as well."
Sheer size would seem to indicate as much. McKamey is listed at 6-feet-2 inches tall and 208 pounds. Ena is an even bigger presence, at 6-foot-5inches, 253 pounds.
"Tali's taller and does better fading back, and he's got a stronger arm," Long said.
Long said that the team will look to run more option plays with McKamey in the game. With Ena, the team will run more play-action offense.
The quarterback position may be a tough one this year with the top two receivers from last year's team gone. Star runner DonTrell Moore will certainly carry a hefty load, but the team still needs its field general. Though both men will see field time this year, expect the starter to play significantly more minutes. As to who that will be - not even the coach knows that yet.
