New Mexico State Sun Bowl champions write book about special season

Members of New Mexico State University’s 1960 Sun Bowl championship team spent the last three years writing a book to document their historic season. The book is called Magic in the Desert and it’s now available at Coas Bookstore in downtown Las Cruces.

“They’re so good these guys are so fine,” Charley Johnson said.

26 members of the team were interviewed for the book Magic in the Desert, which details the Aggies’ perfect season.

“These individuals as a unit performed extraordinarily well,” Don Yenessa said.

Members of the undefeated team gathered to sign the book. They’re the only NMSU team that’s been to a bowl game in the past 55 years.

“Our era as a football team certainly enhanced the reputation of New Mexico State University,” Yenessa said.

Don yenessa credits their coach Warren Woodsen for bringing together a solid team.

“Not only were these guys good football players they were characters and characters that ended up being very successful in their line of work,” Yenessa said.

Yenessa says they all enjoy coming together to share memories. Quarterback Charley Johnson starred in the NFL for 15 years. He says one of his greatest memories that year was beating Utah State in theSunBowl.

“They were good,” Johnson said.

The former players say their 1960 team is like family. They say when it comes to rooting for a team they put so much heart into, they won’t give up.

“We’re not going to give up I promise you that,” Yenessa said.

The undefeated team will be signing copies of the book on Saturdayat Coas bookstore on Main Street before the game.