New Mexico Football Report

Visions of Joe Morrison, Joe Lee Dunn, Dennis Franchione & Rocky Long dance through my head.

But, it's not highlights that I see, instead what stands out is the parting shot they took at UNM in particular and Lobo fans in general. "We gave you a winner and you didn't fill the seats"  Morrison's teams were  good... they deserved better, Dunn was handed a solid program and couldn't muster a single winning season, Franchione was overrated... he had one good season and then bolted.

That brings me to the prodigal son... Rawkylawng! (pronounced as one word) Rocky pointed the Lobos down the road to continued success, he built the foundation for a competitive program. Under Long the Lobos were a force, they fought for conference titles and earned respect around the league. Bowl appearances followed, including a rare bowl victory (albeit The New Mexico Bowl) Rocky Long did what he could do, but when the well ran dry he too played out his string and went out the door. 

When first hired, Rocky had advised us to be patient, that it would take time to build the program up. We responded with the patience of Job, Rocky had eleven years to get 'er done. It was his criticism of UNM that hurt the most, even if the poor results during the last two seasons of his tenure, were the product of a head coach on the verge of burn out. Nonetheless, the blueprint was there all we needed was a good craftsman to finish the building.

As UNM Athletic Director, Paul Krebs recently stated "When we hired Mike Locksley, a lot of schools were after him" Locks was out to get paid and that's what he got. What we got from him, I won't say out of decency. All responsibility for the demise of The Lobo football program can be pinned on Paul Krebs. Let's put this shameful episode to rest, and look to the future. Two currently unemployed head coaches come to mind as potential leaders for the UNM football program.

1. Mike Leach (ex-Texas Tech coach, a proven winner who ran afoul of a pissy, but well connected Craig James) Mike is Mormon, New Mexico has a strong LDS church presence. This is a potential fan base that has been ignored by UNM for too long. 2. Rich Rodriguez (West Virginia, Michigan) a winning coach with an Hispanic name (he's no more Hispanic than Al Pacino) what is there not to like? Should race & religion be factors in hiring a head coach?... of course not.  But, they can't be any worse than Krebs criteria for hiring Mike Locksley, "other people wanted him."

UNM  7   Nevada  49

You can leave the interim tag on George Barlow's job description. Nothing that Barlow or his staff have done since Mike Locksley's dismissal warrants their continued employment at UNM. The Lobos are floundering. Coming off a bye-week, their effort against Nevada was embarrassing. It's not even about X's & O's anymore, now it boils down to pride & effort and on Saturday the Lobos fans saw neither.

Fr. Qb. Cody Fajardo passed for 203 yards and ran in two td's as Nevada waltzed past the Lobos, 49-7 this past Saturday in Reno,Nv.  Lampford Mark added 3 short td's runs as The Nevada Wolfpack racked up 598 yards of total offense. Nevada was up 28-0 at halftime and would enjoy an equal amount of success in the second half as well. The Wolfpack, playing out their final season in the WAC before joining the Mountain West were too talented and balanced for the woeful Lobos.

Nevada had 338 yds. total rushing, led by Stefphon Jefferson with 108. The Lobos avoided a shutout with 6:38 left to play when Tarean Austin ran in from 17 yds. out for UNM's lone score of the game. There is nothing else to be said about UNM's effort... simply because there was no effort, it was nothing more than a controlled scrimmage, one where both sides knew the outcome before the kickoff.

This was just another low point in a season that will see plenty more, beginning next week with TCU.  The Horned Frogs are not what they once were, but they are good enough to pour 70-80 points on the Lobos. Six games down and six to go, a win less season is a foregone conclusion. God Help the MWC school and coaching staff that can't whip these jackals of the desert (are you listening Wyoming and UNLV?)

NMSU 31  Univ. of Idaho  24

Are you ready for this Albuquerque? Following rare consecutive wins, NMSU stands a chance at becoming bowl eligible. Could the Duke City be awash in shitkickers & tractors come December's New Mexico Bowl? Don't pack your burlap bags just yet Aggies...it won't happen. But, it's been a while since we've even entertained that thought. The Aggies have seven games left (they play 13 because of the "Hawaii Rule"*) They must  win four to finish at 7-6.

The second half of the Aggie's schedule resembles a death march. They travel to Hawaii this week, followed by games against Nevada, Georgia, Fresno St., BYU, Louisiana Tech & Utah St. By the time they get to the Fresno St. game, the Aggie's thin defense should be busted up beyond repair. La.Tech & Utah St. are the only games where they have a realistic shot at winning. Finishing up at 4-9 would be a stretch, and it wouldn't surprise me if the Aggies lost all seven games.

Let's put the bowl talk on the back burner. The NMSU defensive unit minus three starting linemen and a starting linebacker, forced four turnovers and then sacked Idaho Qb. Brian Reader, to cap off a last minute goal line stand and preserve the victory.  To quote AC-DC "They have big balls"... Buzzkiller Teddy Feinberg of The Las Cruces Sun-News, who is ever so quick to gloat & taunt opponents on those rare occasions when The Aggies  win, just had to kill the joy "It does come against Idaho... a team that, at this point, looks to be the conference's weakest - a slow defensive unit with a below-average quarterback."

After a short stay in the upper echelon of The WAC, The Vandals have rotated back to their accustomed spot at the bottom. When Teddy & the NMSU Aggies dog your ass, you know you're at rock bottom. Aggie Qb. Matt Christian combined with third string Qb. Travaughn Colwell for 202 yds. passing and 2 passing tds. Matt Christian was 8-14, 102 yds. before leaving the game. Coming off the bench, Travaughn Colwell was 7-9 for 100 yds. including a td. strike to Kemonte Bateman. 

Kenny Turner continues to gobble up yardage for The Aggies finishing with 171 yds. rushing on 29 carries and 1 td. Since his move to running back, Turner has turned out three consecutive games of 100 yds. rushing or more. Taveon Rogers, finding his old form after an injury, took a kickoff return 100 yds. for a td. that put the Aggies up 21-7. The Vandal however, didn't roll over, Justin Veltung ran a punt back 64 yds. for a td. and Princeton McCarty hit paydirt with a 95 yd. kickoff return for another Idaho td.

Colwell was called into action after Christian left the game right before halftime, with an injured left shoulder. Colwell, a true freshman stepped in and made some big completions and avoided making any crucial mistakes. No word yet on whether, Matt Christian will return for next week's game with Hawaii or not. The Aggies had already lost original starter Andrew Manley for the season following the UTEP game. The Aggie coaching staff will have little time to shore up the special teams. That beleaguered unit suffered a blocked punt, which led to an easy Idaho td., a punt returned for a td. and a kickoff returned for a td.

*By NCAA mandate,  teams that travel to Hawaii for a regular season game, are allowed to add an extra game to their schedule.