Staff Report
UNM head coach Rocky Long announced Jan. 3 that he is replacing departed defensive coordinator Bronco Mendenhall with Osia Lewis.
Mendelhall left the Lobos' staff last month to take the defensive coordinator post at Brigham Young University. His final game as part of UNM's staff was the Las Vegas Bowl Dec. 25.
Lewis, who has spent the last six seasons as a defensive assistant at the University of Illinois, will be reuniting with Long and is familiar with the Lobos defensive tendencies -- including the 3-3-5 defensive alignment Long has helped popularize.
Lewis coached outside linebackers and special teams at Oregon State University from 1991-95, the same time Long was there as defensive coordinator. Lewis also coached at OSU in 1996 when Mendenhall was the schools defensive coordinator.
"Osia is very familiar with our scheme because of our years together at Oregon State," Long said in a UNM press release. "He is a great addition to the staff."
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Lewis said he was thrilled with the opportunity and was looking forward to returning to the Southwest.
"I look forward to being the defensive coordinator of the Lobos and continuing the success they have enjoyed over the past few years," Lewis said.
At Illinois, Lewis coached the defensive line from 1997-2000 and linebackers the past two seasons.
