ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Rumors swirled last week when University of New Mexico Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez was named as a front-runner for a position in Houston. 

On Saturday afternoon, it was confirmed Nuñez is off to Texas. KOB 4 spoke to some Lobo fans Sunday about the news. 

“Whenever there’s changed, there’s always good, there’s always bad. So, hopefully, it’s for the good,” said Bryce Hammond, a Lobo fan. “I think he did great. I think he did a lot with the football program, as far as advertising and stuff, the Lobos basketball program. Nothing went less than when he first came, so I would say he did a good job.”

Nuñez accepted a position at the University of Houston as vice president for Intercollegiate Athletics. 

Some in Lobo Nation have a wish list for the new AD. 

“It would be nice if they could try to bring back some of the things, men’s soccer. Men’s soccer was a huge deal at UNM. There were UNM players all through MLS, and it’s disappointing the fact that that program got shut down,” said Sean Hollister, a UNM alum.

Nuñez’s latest hire, Lobo head football coach Bronco Mendenhall, makes his debut next Saturday, and Lobo fans are hopeful. 

“Bronco Mendenhall is going to be good for UNM, it’d be interesting to see if we can actually keep them for any length of time. And I think that UNM basketball programs are going in a good direction too, with Pitino. But again, I don’t know if we can keep Pitino for any length of time, either,” said Hollister. 

Lobo Nation seems to be embracing the change and preparing to represent the Cherry and Silver. 

During his career, UNM made 53 NCAA tournament appearances across different teams in the Athletic Department, along with 22 Mountain West Conference titles. 

He also made some major hires too, like head basketball coach Richard Pitino, track coach Darren Gauson. 

While Mendenhall’s football season doesn’t start until this Saturday, his hire was voted as the number one hire of the off season by USA Today.

Aside from the hires and the numbers, Nuñez affected so many student athletes and co-workers in a positive way as they took to social media to discuss that and wish him and his family luck.

 There’s no work on his replacement just yet.