When Ellenberger was fired in December 1979, lead assistant Charlie Harrison was elevated to head coach for the remainder of the season. Only four scholarship players remained on the team, so a campus tryout filled out the roster with walk-ons. The team limped to a 6–22 record. One stand-out was Kenny Page, a transfer from Ohio State. Page was the only consistent offensive threat on the team, averaging 28 points a game, still the Lobo record for best season average. Harrison and his players gained fan appreciation for persevering under difficult circumstances, but he served primarily as a caretaker until a new head coach was named.