It isn’t all “rainbows and unicorns,” Craig Neal said. He knew these Lobos would have ups and downs this season.
But when you’re the head coach for a program that draws as much local attention as New Mexico does, expectations come with the territory.
Ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Fresno State, the UNM head coach said he understands that. When more fan criticism rolled in after the two most recent road losses – at Air Force last Saturday and at Colorado State on Tuesday – Neal denounced the idea spectator expectations are excessive.
He pointed to the seven Mountain West regular-season and tournament championship titles won here since 2009, when he was either an assistant coach under Steve Alford or with himself in charge.