Since walking on, senior nose tackle Wesley Beck has been noted for his gridiron smarts.
After all, football runs in his family - Beck's father, Curlin, played tailback at West Virginia from 1979-82.
Senior defensive tackle Jeremiah Lovato, who has been Beck's roommate for three years, said he will remember Beck's intelligence.
"He is a smart guy who plays hard," he said. "And I am going to remember all the good times we had on the field together."
But while brains are needed to compete on the football field, brawn is needed to win the battles in the trenches.
Beck, a 6-feet-1-inch, 285-pound senior, started his high school playing career as a linebacker at Klein High School in Houston.
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Beck was too big and not quick enough to play the linebacker position at UNM, so he switched positions to play on the defensive line.
Having to bulk up to gain a competitive edge, Beck added on 20 pounds and improved in the weight room to become a presence on the defensive line.
Beck maxed out at 330 pounds in the bench press, power cleaned 306 and squatted 520.
Entering the 2008 football season, he was one of the most experienced players on the defensive unit.
Known primarily for plugging up the running lanes, Beck has 97 career tackles - 31 solo and 63 assisted - and one career sack.
And against the No. 9 Utah Utes, it was Beck and the Lobos' defense that kept UNM in the game of the season in Saturday's 13-10 loss.
"I think we played great," a choked-up Beck said. "We had a great scheme from the coaches. We played our hearts out. It is just sad that the game didn't fall our way."
In his last home game, Beck had two assisted tackles.
Making tackles isn't what Beck will miss, though. He'll miss his brothers, his teammates.
"I care for all these guys - they are like my family," he said. "I think just being here at UNM and just playing the game of football - it's (about) camaraderie in addition to being in school. I feel for my teammates. I built relationships over the years. I love them and all the fans."
Beck said he's not ready for the journey to end. But he knows the only way the Lobos can extend their season and become bowl-eligible is by winning out.
"We just have to pull each other together for the next two games," Beck said. "It will be tough, but it has to be a unified effort from the offense, the defense and the special teams units."
