They’re young and they don’t have the largest roster, but Capital head football coach John Michael Salazar has liked what he’s seen from his Jaguars in the early days of practice for the 2025 football season. Coming off a 2-7 year, the Jaguars bring back some strong athletes at their skill positions and an improved culture in the locker room, which gives Salazar hope for the team to take another step this year. 

In the latest episode of “The Sports Den,” Salazar joins Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron to discuss his expectations for the Jaguars. He talks about their struggles to finish tight games last season and what they need to do to get over the hump next year. He also talks about the importance of a strong line and the need to balance the team’s propensity for passing with a serviceable ground game. 

Salazar expects his varsity roster to be in the low to mid 30s, a small number for competing in Class 5A. He says he may have lost some kids due to how he’s run the program, but he feels he’s got a solid group of high-character, hard-working players. 

In the second half of the show, Will and James talk about a new video put out by the University of New Mexico this week to promote their plan to allow children 12 and under to get in free to Lobo home football games. Featuring head coach Jason Eck and athletic director Fernando Lovo, the humorous video gained traction on social media. The guys say efforts like that are needed to help drum up interest in a program that is often an afterthought in the state. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.