James Wright Class: Senior Hometown: Dallas, Texas High School: South Oak Cliff HS Height / Weight: 5-11 / 227 Position: Running Back Experience: 3L

NEW MEXICO: Fifth-year running back who has all the physical tools to be a standout performer at the position...got caught in a youth movement in 2011 and came off the bench the last five games of the season...played in 38 games with 19 career starts...finished with 1,163 rushing yards for his career...was the lone true power back in the Lobos' stable of RBs in 2011, possessing similar abilities as former all-MWC performer Rodney Ferguson (2005-08)...does an outstanding job of keeping his legs churning and has surprising speed in the open field...timed at 4.52 in the 40...maintains a low center of gravity and is tough to get a clean hit on...got his opportunity sooner than expected and turned heads with his performances in 2008 when midseason injuries slowed both Ferguson and senior Paul Baker...phenomenal weight room performer who is easily the strongest RB in the program...redshirted in 2007, but spent much of the season on the travel squad.

2011 (SENIOR): Played in 10 games with six starts...a knee injury limited him to three games over the last five weeks of the season...finished with 61 carries for 220 yards (a 3.6-yard average)...also had 13 receptions for 88 yards...best game came in the season opener against Colorado State in which he had season highs in carries (12), rushing yards (65) and all-purpose yards (74, that included nine receiving yards)...had 45 rushing yards on nine carries against New Mexico State in week five.

2010 (JUNIOR): Played in 11 games with six starts...showed his ability to make plays as a running back and as a receiver...rushed for 304 yards on 89 carries and he found the end zone twice...had seven catches for 50 yards...finished the year with 354 all-purpose yards...had a season-high 65 yards rushing against Wyoming in the Lobos' lone win.

2009 (SOPHOMORE): Finished 2nd on the team with 291 rushing yards on just 50 carries (5.8 avg.) in 10 games (7 starts)...did not play in the season opener, saw minimal action in week 2 vs. Tulsa (coach's decision), and missed the week 5 Texas Tech game with a hamstring injury....made his season debut late in the 2nd half in week 2 vs. Tulsa before breaking out in his first significant action of the year in week 3 vs. Air Force (team's offensive player of the game)...3 runs of 20+ yards, including TDs of 43 and 85 yards...4 catches - the first of his career - for 36 yards, inluding a long of 21.

`09 HIGHLIGHTS: vs. No. 22 BYU...Team-high 37 rushing yards on 7 carries...long of 16...vs. New Mexico State...Made his first career start alongside Demond Dennis and finished with 47 yards on 4 carries...left after injuring his hamstring on a 39-yard run in the 2nd quarter...bounced off a few would-be tacklers before the hamstring appeared to give way mid-stride...UNM scored 3 plays later...vs. Air Force...Sensational performance in his first significant offensive action of the season...racked up career-highs of 126 yards and 2 TDs on just 5 carries, averaging a school record 25.2 yards per attempt...burst up the middle for a 43-yard TD on his first carry of the season late in the 2nd quarter and struck again late in the 4th with an 84-yard score...took a shotgun hand-off, found a seam on the left side of the line and flew past the secondary en route to the fourth-longest run in UNM history and longest since 1982...also added a 13-yard catch for 139 scrimmage yards on 6 touches (23.2 avg.)...effort earned him Honorable Mention RB Performer of the Week recognition by the national College Football Performance Awards group.

2008 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Burst onto the scene late in the Lobos' week 5 win at New Mexico State and gave the team yet another dynamic threat in the running game when seniors Rodney Ferguson and Paul Baker were hampered by injuries...piled up 348 yards, scored 2 TDs, and averaged 6.6 yards on just 53 carries (7 games)...had 4 runs of 20+ yards, including 2 over 40, with a season-long of 44...only had 10+ carries in 3 games, but averaged 86 yards in those contests with 2 100-yard efforts...became the first Lobo freshman since DonTrell Moore in 2002 to rush for 100 yards with a season-high 120 vs. Wyoming...7th in the league, averaging 58.6 yards/game (5.9 avg.) in 5 MWC games...only 2 carries in the final 3 weeks of the season.

`08 HIGHLIGHTS: vs. San Diego State...Erupted in the 3rd quarter en route a 110-yard effort on just 16 carries (6.9 avg.)...73 yards on 7 3rd quarter carries...long run of 27 on the day...vs. Wyoming...Became the 3rd different Lobo RB in as many weeks to surpass 100 yards rushing, reaching the century mark for the first time in his career with a game-high 120 yards on 15 carries (8.0 avg.)...ripped off runs of 42 and 22 yards...barreled into the end zone from a yard out on 4th down on his 2nd carry of the 1st quarter...96 yards (10 att.) in the final 2 quarters, including 66 as the featured back in the 4th quarter...at New Mexico State...Made his career debut, coming off the bench late in the 4th quarter with the game on the line and finished with 55 yards and a TD on just 3 carries...powered through 2 defenders for an 8-yard gain to the NMSU 3 on his first attempt, setting up Paul Baker's game-winning TD on the next play...replaced the injured Baker on the next UNM posession with the Lobos' clinging to a 4-point lead and burst through the middle of the defense on his 3rd carry of the night for a game-clinching 44-yard TD.

HIGH SCHOOL: A 2007 graduate of Dallas South Oak Cliff High School...Texas District 14-4A Player of the Year after rushing for 1,479 yards and 11 TDs as a senior...gained 340 yards and scored three TDs for the Golden Bears against Seagoville...a three-year letterman and two-year starter for head coach Chris Gilbert...member of the A-B Honor Roll.

PERSONAL: Born Aug. 8, 1989, in Dallas...full name is James Wallace Wright...son of Clementine Levingston...major is University Studies.

CAREER HIGHS
Rushing Yards: 126 vs. Air Force (9/19/09)
Rushing Attempts: 19 vs. Wyoming (11/6/10)
Long Rush: 84 vs. Air Force (9/19/09)
Receptions: 2 vs. Utah (9/18/10)
Receiving Yards: 21 vs. Utah (11/7/09)
Longest Catch: 21 vs. Utah (11/7/09)

Lobos Football

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