2021 HONORS
All-RMAC First Team Kick Returner
At University of New Mexico:
2019 (Senior Season): Played in three games, starting two, before opting for shoulder surgery, earning a medical redshirt for the season … caught seven passes for 95 yards, and rushed twice for three yards … caught three passes against Sam Houston State for 33 yards, with a long of 36 … had a catch against Notre Dame for 24 yards … caught three passes for 38 yards against New Mexico State with a long of 29.
2018 (Junior Season): Played in all 12 games, starting six at wide receiver in his first season as a receiver … he tied for second on the team in receptions with 21, and he was second in receiving yards with 375 … also rushed for 56 yards on eight carries, and he led UNM with 14 kickoff returns for an average of 17.6 yards per return … also tied for the team lead with five receiving touchdowns … caught at least one pass in each of the first three games of the season … recorded his first offensive touchdown in the opener, catching a 51-yard touchdown right before halftime … had a career-high four catches for 53 yards against New Mexico State … had a career-long 74-yard catch for a touchdown against UNLV … caught three passes in three different games, against Liberty, Colorado State and Utah State … had a 23-yard touchdown catch against Colorado State … ran his streak of games with a touchdown catch to three with a 16-yard touchdown against Fresno State … had his season-long kickoff return of 40 yards in the opener against Incarnate Word.
2017 (Sophomore Season): Played in all 12 games, returning kickoffs and serving as a corner … as a kickoff returner he averaged 23.6 yards per return on 31 returns … scored a touchdown, his second career kickoff return touchdown, on a 100-yard return against Texas A&M … had a touchdown earlier in that game of 98 yards called back upon review, and had a 100-yard kickoff return called back against New Mexico State on a penalty well behind play … had a 43-yard return against UNLV to open that game … also recorded 14 tackles on defense, 13 solos with one pass breakup … had a career-high three tackles against both Abilene Christian and New Mexico State.
2016 (Freshman Season): Was originally slated to redshirt, but due to injuries at corner, he was pressed into service against Boise State … while he has played corner at times, biggest contribution has been as a kickoff returner … opened his return career with four returns for 160 yards, including a long of 51 as he earned Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week … returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown against ULM, giving UNM a kickoff return for a touchdown in seven straight seasons … reeled off a 48-yard return against Colorado State.
High School: Lettered in football at Cajon High School … recorded 64 career tackles on varsity over two seasons plus one game … had 46 tackles as a junior with five interceptions … overall had seven career interceptions … also played on offense, rushing for 196 yards as a senior with three touchdowns … had 13 catches as a senior for 269 yards and four touchdowns after 14 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown as a junior … was unreal as a kickoff returner, returning 13 kickoffs for five touchdowns and a 60.5 yard average … also returned 12 kickoffs for a 32.1 yard average with a touchdown as a junior … averaged 20.9 yards per punt return as a senior.
Personal: Earning his masters in Sports Management…Parents are Jerry Lilly and Monique Ware…Has two brothers, Tahjhay and Syrano, and six sisters, Jazmine, Amori, Liric, Justice, Emajea and Solana...Chose Colorado Mesa because it felt like another home...Enjoys watching anime, listening to music and watching movies.
