Per a memorandum of understanding, or term sheet, signed Saturday and released Tuesday, Eck is set to make $1.15 million in his first season as the Lobos’ head coach.

Thomas Ford was named head football coach at Idaho on Wednesday. Ford replaces Jason Eck, who left to take the same position at New Mexico on Saturday. Ford spent last season as running backs coach at Oregon State. Previously, he worked under Eck at Idaho as special teams coordinator and running backs coach during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Sources share at least four assistants are set to join Eck from the Idaho staff, while more are possible in the near future.

Standing at the podium, Jason Eck spoke about his new opportunity as if he was pitching a recruit’s family instead of a room filled with vested supporters.

MOSCOW, Idaho – A day after being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs by Montana State, Idaho is suddenly scrambling to maintain a three-year upswing in its football fortunes as coach Jason Eck and key players are leaving.

New Mexico has agreed to a five-year deal to hire Idaho coach Jason Eck, sources told ESPN. Eck has been a successful FCS head coach, as he is 26-13 in three years at Idaho. He reached the FCS playoffs all three years there,

The University of New Mexico officially welcomed Jason Eck to the Lobo family on Tuesday morning. The new head coach of the football program held his introductory press conference and said that he plans to build a program at New Mexico where he’ll stay for the foreseeable future.

Everyone asks me that question, why New Mexico?” Eck said Tuesday. “Why not? Everything I need to build a program these people are proud of is right here."