New Mexico Football Report

"We had a divided and apathetic fan base," UNM Athletic Director Paul Krebs

UNM 45  Sam Houston St. 48

An overtime loss to Sam Houston St. (a FCS school, albeit a good one) by the score of 48-45, did not get Locks fired. A close heartbreaking loss coupled with the Joshua Butts fiasco and continued regression by The Lobos on the field is was what did Locksley in. A narrow Lobo victory and maybe Mike gets by, a decisive win by the Lobos and the entire matter gets swept under the rug. But, the Lobos didn't win, and it's starting to look like they won't win any games this season.

The Mike Locksley era is over. Defensive Coordinator George Barlow will run the team for the remainder of the season. Paul Krebs does not have a black eye or broken jaw, so the firing went about as well as can be expected. Let's take this moment to remember Mike..... on second thought, fuck him! Although, I would like to thank Joshua Butts, a high school classmate of Locksley's son Meiko, for his role in getting Locks run off.  Butts was pulled over by APD on his way to the game for speeding after almost hitting a pedestrian.

Butts had been drinking and failed a field sobriety test. He told police that he's from Chicago and had been brought to New Mexico to play for the Lobos. The car he was driving is owned by Mike Locksley and registered to Mike & Kia Locksley.  Reports surfaced that Meiko uses the car and that he either allowed Butts to drive it or Butts took it without permission. If Butts were an actual UNM recruit it would be a major NCAA violation, except he's not a recruit and is not associated with the football program, outside of being Meiko's homeboy.

Sam Houston St. came into town undaunted at the task of taking on a Div. 1 (FBS) school on their home turf. The Bearkats arrived with a 2-0 record and lots of swagger. Rightfully so, because they had a secret weapon in Tim Flanders, a man who will play in NFL one day.  For the Lobos this was billed as the game they would win, and when Deon Long returned the opening kickoff for a td, that certainly appeared to be the case. The Bearkats however came back to score twice and take a 14-7 lead, it was all rock 'em sock 'em football after that.

A 54yd. td. strike from Tarean Austin to Deon Long just before halftime pulled the Lobos even at 21 In the second half the Lobos had no answer for Tim Flanders. He would finish with a career-best 194 yards on 30 carries, 5 tds, including the game winner in overtime from four yards out. For UNM Deon Long had nine receptions for 209 yds. and 378 all purpose yds, which is a school and Mountain West record. With the clock running down, Long capped an 80 yd. drive with a td. catch to send the game into overtime. The two teams combined for 1,075 yds. of offense and not one lick of defense.

In overtime, The Lobos settled for a field goal after their drive stalled at the four yard line, James Aho then chipped in a field goal.  With their first win of the season and just their third in three seasons within reach, the Lobo defense couldn't stop the Bearkats, who needed just four downs to score the winning touchdown. This was the Lobo's sixth loss in their last seven homecoming games and as fate would prove, Locksley's final game as Lobo head coach.

NMSU 24  San Jose St. 34

The Spartans were riding a thirteen game losing streak, the longest in the nation for FBS schools. San Jose St. had not defeated an FBS school since 2009 when they beat The Aggies 13-10. So, who strolls into town minus  Qb. Andrew Manley (who is out for the season with an ACL injury) That's right! The NMSU Aggies, on the road in search of their lost mojo. By the end of the game, the Aggies would prove to be the magical cure-all for what ailed SJSU football.

Matt Christian took over the Qb. duties for the Aggies and damned if he didn't pick up right where Manley left off. Christian threw for 238 yds. and 1 td while giving NMSU the added weapon of having a mobile Qb. The Aggie running game which was non-existent against UTEP suddenly came to life. Rb. Kenny Turner registered 129 yds. rushing with 1 td.  Matt Christian carried 13 times for 58 yds. Taveon Rogers continues to shine at wide receiver, he had 5 receptions for 120 yds, but no tds for Mr. Rogers this week.

After finishing the first half tied up at 10, the Aggies came out slinging the pigskin. Following a San Jose St. touchdown that put them up 17-10, NMSU scored twice to pull ahead 24-17. That's all the points the Aggies would get as SJSU's defense clamped down.  Spartan Sr. Rb. Brandon Rutley overpowered the Aggie defense rushing for 209 yds on 33 carries, including a 66 yd. scramble for a touchdown. When Rutley blasted into the end zone late in the third quarter, it gave San Jose St. not just their first lead of the game, but for the first time this season. 

The Spartans scored 17 straight points to put the Aggies away. The Aggies played two and a half good quarters, but the last half of the third quarter and the fourth quarter belonged to San Jose St. Brandon Rutley was the key, the Aggies never stopped him and this allowed Spartan Qb. Matt Faulkner to pick the Aggie pass coverage apart. Faulkner had all the time in the world as NMSU failed to register a single sack.  

The Aggies at 1-3 now face winless in-state rivals UNM, and once more it's a must win game.  DeWayne Walker has had the Lobo's number, or I should say he had Locksley's number. With Mike's departure anything can happen. Will the Lobos rally around interim head coach George Barlow and get pumped up for the Aggies, or are they slated for a long death march towards an almost certain winless season?.... to be continued!

On paper the game looks like a toss-up. Neither defense is capable of stopping anyone and both teams have trouble running the ball. UNM has a potent offensive weapon in Deon Long while the Aggies answer with Taveon Rogers. Tarean Austin is a better runner, but Matt Christian is a better passer. If Kenny Turner shows up and runs like he did against SJSU, the Lobo's are screwed. The Aggie receiving corps is much deeper than the Lobos and given time, Christian will find them.