NMSU football begins fall camp with ‘Media Day’ ahead of their season opener against Nevada

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- The start of football season is just around the corner which means programs throughout the country are now getting stuck into fall camp, including the Aggies.

This season brings a lot of changes for NMSU - a completely new coaching staff led by 'Mr. Fix It' Jerry Kill as well as plenty of new recruits coming anywhere from a Power 5 school, a junior college or straight out of high school.

No matter if they're new to the Aggies or a returner everyone seems to be buying into what Kill is bringing.

"The kids they want to win and I think they've embraced the change," Kill said.

"It's a winning atmosphere and mindset," returning NMSU linebacker Chris Ojoh said. "The past is the past and we like to focus on the present moment and the future."

So what does the future of the team look like? All ABC-7 can definitively tell you is that a spot in Kill's starting lineup is up for grabs.

"If you know you've got a position wrapped up then you can't get any better," Kill said. "If you know you've got somebody breathing down your neck it's gonna make you better and everything we do is going to be competition."

Right now the fight for starting QB is fierce. At the end of Spring Ball it looked all but certain that JUCO National Champion transfer Diego Pavia would take the field in their home opener, but he knows he still has to win the job over returning sophomore Weston Eget and freshman Gavin Frakes.

"If there's no competition you're getting worse," Pavia said. "Gavin reminds me of a guy named Josh Allen, [Quarterback for the Buffalo Bills] when he develops on a mental level he's going to be one of the QBs in the country."

"Diego has done a really good job of setting the bar high so that everyone can play up to the competition," Frakes said. "He's executing the plays really well and he's taking our QB room to the next season."

No matter who takes the field this season for the Aggies, Kill is confident they have the keys to succeed but he knows it won't be a quick fix.

"We're going to stay focussed and believe in what we do but it's not going to happen overnight," Kill said.

While this season has already seen a lot of change, there is more to come - this being the last season NMSU will compete as an independent before they join Conference USA next season.

NMSU kickoff their season with a home opener against Nevada on Aug. 27th.

They then have a rough five day turnaround before their next match at Minnesota, where Kill coached from 2011-2017.

Then they will be back in the Borderland but not at Aggie Memorial Stadium. Instead at the Sun Bowl for the ever anticipated Battle of I-10.

ABC-7 will continue to follow the Aggies throughout fall camp and keep you updated on which players you can expect to see in each position.