Quartet from UNM football opts to enter transfer portal

Nov. 29—The offensive line for the University of New Mexico football team struggled during the 2021 season, resulting in an area of concern for the offseason, which began after the Lobos' 35-10 loss to Utah State on Friday.

Improvement for the offensive line appears even more glaring after Cade Briggs and Jack Buford were among four (former) Lobos who said via Twitter they will enter the transfer portal.

Senior wide receiver Mannie Logan-Greene and senior safety Nic Wilson have also entered the transfer portal

Briggs, a left tackle who started in all 12 games for the Lobos (3-9, 1-7 Mountain West), has two years of eligibility remaining and a redshirt season. He started at left tackle in all seven games for UNM in 2020 and had five starts in his freshman year in 2019 coming out of Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Buford, a right tackle, logged two starts and played in three other games for the Lobos this past season after transferring in from Missouri. He opted out of his redshirt freshman season in 2020 with the Tigers, but returned to play in one game. He had signed with Mizzou as a four-star recruit out of Lutheran North High in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Lobos have high hopes for freshman Shancco Matautia, a 6-foot-2, 295-pound right guard, who started twice and played in two other games before being redshirted for the season.

Logan-Greene played in four games before suffering a season-ending chest injury late in the 38-10 loss to Air Force on Oct 2. His sternum dislocated, UNM coach Danny Gonzales said at the time.

Logan-Greene led the Lobos in receiving and all-purpose yards as a valuable punt and kickoff return specialist through the first five games of the season. He missed UNM's 20-13 loss at UTEP on Sept. 25, when he was one of six who had to sit out due to COVID-19 contact tracing protocols.

He finished third on the team in receiving with 14 catches, along with 155 yards and one touchdown. He had 548 all-purpose yards, third on the team.

He was one of 14 super seniors who returned this past season after the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season.

He has one season of eligibility remaining.

Wilson played in all 12 games and finished with two tackles as a redshirt junior.

Gonzales is scheduled to meet with the media on Tuesday.