Story by
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Lobos defensive end Karhu gets an Oklahoma homecoming
- Story byThe Santa Fe New Mexican
- Lobos defensive end Karhu gets an Oklahoma homecoming
Brett Karhu is playing on borrowed time.
And, honestly, he couldn't be happier.
A starting defensive end for the University of New Mexico football team, the 6-foot-1, 226-pound edge rusher was granted a fifth year of eligibility in August as part of the giant mess that is the NCAA's latest reimagining of eligibility rules.
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Thinking his college days were over after a breakout year with the Lobos last season, he took a construction job this summer and resigned himself to watching from afar while he figured out his next step.
Then came the flurry of lawsuits as student-athletes from the high school class of 2022 sought a fifth year of eligibility after the NCAA implemented its new five-for-five policy that gives athletes five years to play five seasons in their chosen sport. Karhu was granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, which came after the Lobos had begun preseason camp.
Next is an Oct. 8 hearing in New Mexico's 2nd District Court in front of judge Joshua Allison, a graduate of UNM's law school. The Lobos will play three games between now and then, giving Karhu a lot to think about regarding a future that might send him back to the trades or keep him on campus and in a New Mexico uniform for the remainder of the season.
"Yeah, it's been stressful, but what I've told people it's like riding a bicycle, you know. I played a lot of football, so at the end of the day, it's just football when you get out there," he said after last weekend's 70-7 blowout win over Mercyhurst.
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Karhu had 1.5 sacks against the Lakers, one of which was a devastating shot to the chest of Mercyhurst quarterback Anthony Wolter. Wolter's eyes were focused downfield when Karhu charged in from the right side and lowered the boom, dislodging the ball and forcing a fumble.
Karhu has four tackles this season, 2 1/2 of which are credited with sacks. He's also been used as a blocking fullback in short-yardage situations. He was called upon to do just that on a short touchdown run in the first half by Scottre Humphrey, a play in which Karhu plowed into the line off the right tackle's shoulder and wiped out an unblocked lineman.
Considering Karhu's inauspicious start to college ball, his time at UNM is a storybook ending to a career that began with humility. Barely recruited out of Independence High School in Frisco, Texas, he played at Division II Oklahoma Baptist for two years before transferring to Memphis for his junior season.
He didn't have much of an impact with the Tigers, recording one tackle in 10 games. He was scooped up from the transfer portal when Jason Eck took the job at New Mexico and hired Memphis assistant Spence Nowinsky as his defensive coordinator.
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Karhu immediately blossomed, flourishing in a system where Nowinsky gave him the scheme to excel. Karhu started 12 of UNM's 13 games last season and led the team with 7 1/2 sacks and 17 solo tackles, 11 of which were for losses. When the Lobos lost to Minnesota in the Rate Bowl on Dec. 26, he figured he might be done.
That's why he is savoring every moment he gets. As the Mercyhurst game turned into a rout, he was pulled out to give some of the backups a little time.
"I was upset that I got pulled out [Saturday] because I don't know how many more chances I get," he said with a big smile.
Karhu is particularly happy about this week's game against Oklahoma. Oklahoma Baptist's campus in Shawnee is only 30 minutes from Norman. On the occasion OBU played on a Thursday, he and a bunch of his teammates would make the short drive and watch the Sooners play.
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He said he remains in contact with a number of his former teammates and friends. He said he's trying to secure 30 or more tickets to Saturday's game.
"There might be a little UNM section of my guys out there," he said. "It's going to be exciting. Really excited to get back to Oklahoma."
NOTES
Precipitous drop: Oklahoma plunged 13 spots in this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll to No. 24 following the Sooners' upset loss at Michigan. They fell 11 spots to No. 21 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
It was the second-biggest slide of any team not named Oregon. The Ducks began the season at No. 2, dropped to No. 6 after a close win at home over Boise State, then to No. 21 in the AP poll following their loss at Oklahoma State over the weekend.
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Texas is the new No. 1 after its come-from-behind thriller against previous No. 1 Ohio State. At No. 2 is Georgia, the team Oklahoma will play next week in its SEC opener.
What: New Mexico (2-0) at No. 24 Oklahoma (1-1), 5:30 p.m. Where: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. TV: ESPN2 Radio: KKOB 96.3-FM Live stats: GoLobos.com/mbbstats
