Jason Eck interviewed for an offensive line job at South Dakota State by acting out the entire session as role play, assigning coaches to play different Jackrabbits linemen. His flair that day in front of a small audience tells the story of how Eck and his current program, New Mexico, has earned a bigger stage. Eck is the rare head coach with an offensive line background, and his success in Year 2 in Albuquerque comes in part because he's unafraid to wear a bolo tie, cruise Albuquerque in a low rider and act out spoofs of "The Office" on social media to sell tickets.

After flipping New Mexico to a nine-win team last year highlighted by a road win over UCLA, Eck has New Mexico in uncharted territory. After reaching a bowl last year for the first time since 2016 and hosting its first home sellout since 2007, Eck has changed the way college football looks at New Mexico.

Eck met his wife, Kimberly, while he was a graduate assistant at Wisconsin. More than two decades later, they've lived in 11 different spots and had five kids. Jason Eck pondered leaving the profession, even interviewed for a job with a Field Turf company. That meandering path has led to one of the most unlikely uprisings in the sport, as Eck's ability to coach, connect and entertain have turned New Mexico and Eck into sudden factors on the landscape.