ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The University of New Mexico’s first-year football coach Danny Gonzales is making the most out of a tough situation. With his season postponed due to health concerns over the coronavirus, Gonzales hopes to use the extra time to get his team even more prepared should they get the opportunity to have a season before or after the spring. As a first-year coach redeeming the time can prove to be valuable.

“With the parameter of not having a scheduled football game, we’re going to adjust how we do things,” said Gonzales. “We’re going to take this opportunity to get bigger, faster, stronger. In the protocols that we currently have, we can design that. I met with our strength coach. I met with our coaches on how we can get the most out of our football team and get them prepared.”

The Lobos are also keeping an eye on players and their mental state as they navigate through a postponed season during a pandemic. “Now, more than ever, we have to continue to stress the importance of taking care of yourselves,” said UNM athletic director Eddie Nunez. “There are kids have a lot of questions. This is not usual. They are very structured individuals like many of us. They’re no different and this has really rocked everybody’s world. So, those concerns are really concerning to us as much as it is to them.”

Other sports affected by the postponement of fall sports include men’s and women’s cross country, women’s soccer and volleyball.

The Pac-12 and Big Ten are the latest conferences to postpone football. Both leagues announced their plans Tuesday. So far, four conferences has postponed football.

New Mexico State University continues to go forward with the 2020 football season. The Aggies, who plays as an independent in football, may have to add some games. UMass became the eighth school to drop a game with the Aggies during all the uncertainty in college football. That only leaves four teams remaining on the current Aggies schedule.

Lobo basketball player Zane Martin has entered the transfer portal. The senior guard said he had a blessed two years at New Mexico but needs to go for his physical and mental safety. Martin played in 33 games last season, averaging over ten points with a little under three rebounds per game.

Sadi Butler is a champion track and field athlete from Artesia who wanted to add to her impressive resume. She had to settle for a starring role in The Lost Season.