Weekly Edge: a weekly takeaway from Edgerrin Garcia
“One thing we like to do is meet in the evenings right after practice... I’ll just say, ‘Hey everyone, bring up your dinner,’ and we go over everything that needs to be corrected. We try to make it a fun, chill time, but we’re also talking ball and getting better as a defense.”
The green dot is more than just a sticker on the back of a helmet.
It sits on the headpiece of the player tasked with anticipating every move on the field—including their own—just moments before the ball is snapped. Now, that crucial leadership role belongs to fifth-year linebacker Mercury Swaim.
The green dot signals the player who is wired directly to the defensive coordinator, relaying play calls and keeping all 11 defenders connected throughout every snap.
Jaxton Eck, who served as New Mexico’s primary green dot since 2025, is expected to miss significant time with a nagging shoulder injury. With Eck sidelined for the foreseeable future, Swaim took over as UNM’s defensive signal-caller and didn't miss a beat in his first full start in the role.
“I thought it was fun,” Swaim said. “You know, I like playing football—who doesn’t?
LB Mercury Swaim (2) blitzes through the A-gap and sacks QB Micah Alejado (12)
Swaim, who leads the Lobos with 32 total tackles through six games and is one of nine players with at least one sack, noted how his responsibilities expanded during UNM’s victory over Hawaii last weekend.
“It definitely changed a little,” Swaim admitted. “I [have to] be a little more vocal... it’s definitely a little bit more communication on my end, but it’s nothing too crazy, and it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.”
Saturday’s win on the island wasn’t the first time Swaim had defensive coordinator Spence Nowinsky calling plays in his ear. During last season’s Rate Bowl against Minnesota, Eck left with an injury, tasking Swaim with running the defense in one of the biggest games in program history.
Swaim also logged significant reps at mike linebacker in the spring and stepped in whenever Eck rested this season. He credits those practice reps with making the game-day transition seamless.
“It wasn’t something that was strange or uncharted territory for me,” Swaim said. “I don’t think it was much different than normal. I pride myself on knowing what every single position does on any given play... If anyone out there is unsure of what to do, the mike linebacker is supposed to tell them. So, I put a big emphasis on knowing the defense even better than I already did.”
Eck isn’t the only linebacker UNM has lost to injury. Sophomore Nick Wheeler, who played significant snaps against UTEP and served as a core special teams contributor, is out for the season with a torn ACL.
“Obviously, it's unfortunate with Wheeler and Jaxton both being injured,” Swaim said. “But we’re such a deep team. One person doesn’t define this team—that’s why we call ourselves the ‘Mutts.’ It’s a collective effort toward a common goal of stopping the offense.”
Even with two of their top five linebackers sidelined, UNM’s room remains deep. Boise State transfer Clay Martineau has emerged as a versatile weapon, shifting between the edge and inside linebacker spots.
LB Clay Martineau (18) loops inside the A-gap and tackles RB Sitani Mikaele (26) for a loss.
Meanwhile, Memphis transfer Jayden Flaker—who arrived just three weeks before the season opener—has showcased elite athleticism and instincts, steadily earning more snaps outside of UNM’s base 3-4 package.
“Both Flaker and Clay are athletes,” Swaim said. “They move well; they’re fast; they’re big. [They] really bring a lot of dynamic athleticism... they’ve really stepped up in their roles.”
LB Jayden Flaker (38) blitzes up the A-gap and tackles RB DeVon Rice (1) for no gain.
To keep the unit cohesive, Swaim pointed out a subtle yet vital routine: evening film sessions driven by the players themselves.
“One thing we like to do is meet in the evenings right after practice,” Swaim said. “I’ll just say, ‘Hey everyone, bring up your dinner,’ and we go over everything that needs to be corrected. We try to make it a fun, chill time, but we’re also talking ball and getting better as a defense.”
With high expectations surrounding the program this season, Swaim emphasized that losing key leaders doesn't change the ultimate goal.
“One thing you can’t do is just panic and have crap hit the fan,” Swaim said. “We have to prepare the same way and be ready.”
Fifth-year linebacker Mercury Swaim steps into the green dot leadership role for the New Mexico Lobos following key defensive injuries. Discover how Swaim’s preparation and communication are keeping UNM’s defense calm, connected, and cohesive.