The 2023 Borregos Salvajes Monterrey football team represented the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) in the 2023 ONEFA Liga Mayor season. The Borregos Salvajes competed in the top-tier Conferencia 14 Grandes and played their home games at the Estadio Borregos in Monterrey. They were led by head coach Carlos Altamirano in his sixth full season and seventh overall since taking over midway through the 2016 season.
The Borregos Salvajes compiled a 10–1 record (7–1 in conference games) and won the ONEFA Liga Mayor national championship by defeating the Auténticos Tigres UANL in the Conferencia 14 Grandes championship game. It was the program's second consecutive national championship under Altamirano.
The Borregos Salvajes led the Conferencia 14 Grandes during the regular season in both total offense (427.8 yards per game) and total defense (235.8 yards per game). The team tallied a conference-best 3,422 yards in the regular season (2,551 passing, 871 rushing). They were led on offense by quarterback Fernando Sarabia, who completed 151 of 250 pass attempts for 1,955 yards and 12 touchdowns during the regular season. Additionally, defensive back Patricio Santisteban led the conference with six interceptions while kicker Leonardo Guajardo won the scoring title with 80 points scored (29 extra points, 17 field goals).
Offseason 2023 LFA draft The 2023 Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) draft was held on 7 January 2023. The following Borregos Salvajes Monterrey players were selected.
12Dinos de SaltilloJulio CovarrubiasRB15Fundidores de MonterreyIsaac CuevasOL
Schedule The Borregos Salvajes' 2023 schedule consisted of four home games, three away games, and one neutral site game in the regular season. They also hosted two of their three postseason games, with the national championship game being hosted by the Auténticos Tigres UANL.
The team opened their season with a matchup against rivals Auténticos Tigres UANL at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game, presented as the inaugural Mexican College Football Showcase, was jointly organized by the Houston Texans and NFL México, and commemorated the 80th and 90th anniversaries of ITESM and UANL, respectively. It was the first-ever ONEFA regular season game held in the United States, as well as the first time the Clásico regio estudiantil rivalry game was played outside of the Monterrey metropolitan area.
Roster
Awards and honors Annual Awards Fernando SarabiaEduardo "Pocho" Herrera Player of the YearCascos de Oro2 March 2024Leonardo GuajardoJosé Guzmán Veracomo Specialist of the YearCarlos AltamiranoRoberto "Tapatío" Méndez Coach of the YearCoach of the YearONEFA 2024Kickoff Awards27 August 2024
Equipo Ideal All-MéxicoPlayerPositionTeam Mauricio Santos WR First Team Eduardo Ortega WR Steven Zambrano OL Pedro García OL Rodrigo Aceves Edge Marco Antillón DL Mauricio Martínez LB Fabrizzio Mejía LB Alonso Gaxiola DB Patricio Santisteban DB Iván Covarrubias CB Leonardo Guajardo PK Miguel Salazar OL Second Team Manuel Canales OL Source:
Aztec Bowl The following players were selected to represent the ONEFA All-Stars in the 48th Aztec Bowl on 1 December.
Rodrigo Aceves (LB) Jesús Aguirre (P) Marco Antillón (DL) Renzo Bibiano (CB) Manuel Canales (OL) Santiago Castañeda (FS) Mauro Cavallari (RB) Fernando Contreras (LB) Iván Covarrubias (CB) Alejandro Cruz (RB) Mikel Delgado (DL) Fernando García (OL) Pedro García (OL) Alonso Gaxiola (SS) Leonardo Guajardo (PK)
José Francisco López (DL) Miguel Lozano (WR) Mauricio Martínez (LB) Fabrizzio Mejía (SS) Eduardo Ortega (WR) Eugenio Pedraza (DL) Luis Pulido (WR) Miguel Salazar (OL) Diego Sánchez (DL) Daniel Santos (WR) Mauricio Santos (WR) Fernando Sarabia (QB) Óscar Soto (DL) Steven Zambrano (OL)
Players drafted into the LFA The 2024 LFA draft was held on 13 January 2024. The following Borregos Salvajes Monterrey players were selected.
1 1 Alonso Gaxiola DB Jefes de Ciudad Juárez 1 9 Elías Richo DL Dinos de Saltillo 1 10 Héctor Ramírez WR Jefes de Ciudad Juárez 2 20 Héctor Zepeda OL Galgos de Tijuana 3 21 Luis Pulido WR Fundidores de Monterrey 4 40 Jorge Alberto Casian WR Caudillos de Chihuahua 5 47 Manuel Canales OL Fundidores de Monterrey 6 55 Emilio Elizondo QB Galgos de Tijuana
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References