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Senior quarterback B.R. Holbrook has returned to the UNM football team in the nick of time.
The signal-caller was sidelined for about two weeks with chest inflammation and swelling. He returned to Lobo practice on Monday, the first day of game-week practice for the squad.
Holbrook said he may not be up to speed with aspects, like his footwork and field vision, but he feels better physically and is excited to be “back in the groove of things.”
“I feel good,” he said after Monday’s practice session. “I mean, obviously probably not 100 percent, just feet-wise, seeing things.
But that all just takes time. It’s a matter of rhythm and playing, but physically I feel 100 percent. No complaints.”
Senior wide receiver Lamaar Thomas said Holbrook appears to be back in form.
“To me, he still looks like B.R,” Thomas said. “I run my routes and the ball is still right there, just how it was before he was gone. He looks good to me.”
Adversity isn’t anything new for Holbrook. He won the starting role in 2010, but was sidelined after a shoulder injury that October. He was not named the starter for the first three games in 2011, but he earned the job and started the final eight games.
That year, he passed for 1,490 yards with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. He completed 59.7 percent of his passes (141 of 236), which is the fifth-highest single-season percentage in school history.
He has seen changes in the coaching staff during his time at UNM, most recently the appointment of head coach Bob Davie and offensive coordinator Bob DeBesse.
With DeBesse spearheading a new pistol offense, Holbrook is adjusting to a new scheme. However, that system fits UNM’s personnel quite nicely, Holbrook said.
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“It’s just so dynamic — we’re able to do so many different things, you know,” he said. “Quarterback-wise, you have to be a running back, a passer. Wide outs, they’re sent in motion all the time. There are so many different looks you can give.”
DeBesse said Holbrook has successfully adjusted to the new scheme and coaching staff.
“To his credit, I think I’m the fourth offensive coordinator he’s had, and so he’s had to do some adjusting over the years,” DeBesse said. “He’s done a nice job. He’s been very accepting of coaching, and he’s tried to learn and continues to learn. I’m very pleased with him.”
As far as Holbrook’s illness is concerned, DeBesse said he has no residual effects and there wasn’t much concern Holbrook would miss Saturday’s start.
“I thought he was sharp mentally, a little rusty with his mechanics, especially in the run game,” DeBesse said. “But I thought in the throwing game he was real sharp.”
