by Kristie Boudwin
Daily Lobo
UNM football head coach Rocky Long said it was not the fourth-quarter fumble or a lack of execution that derailed the team Saturday in its 27-24 loss to Brigham Young University.
It was poor coaching.
"We got a bunch of great guys on our football team and they come to practice every day and they work hard," Long said. "When they disintegrate at the end of the game, it's not their fault. It's the coaches' fault."
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This disintegration has been a problem in each of the Lobos' Mountain West Conference games this season, beginning with the opener against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The Lobos jumped ahead early with a big lead, but allowed a UNLV rally in the fourth quarter. The Lobos came out on top, but only with a narrow 24-22 victory.
UNM was not so lucky against new MWC member Texas Christian University. The Lobos made a tremendous comeback to tie the game in the second half at 28-28, but could not maintain enough momentum to overcome their seven turnovers.
On Saturday, the Lobos subtracted six from that turnover total, committing only one fumble early in the fourth quarter. According to quarterback Kole McKamey, UNM lost possession of the ball and control of the game with his mistake.
"I see it as, if I didn't fumble, we would have won this game," McKamey said. "It's as simple as that. That conference title, it's out of reach."
McKamey said the team isn't losing games because of its lack of heart - he sees it as a lack of mental focus. He said in another situation where the team is behind, he will do his best to maintain his teammates' composure as well as his own.
"We still have a lot of football to play and we still have a lot to prove," McKamey said. "Being a leader, if something happens, you just have to stay positive."
Team captain and wide receiver Hank Baskett said the same team has defeated UNM for weeks.
"It's not them beating us," Baskett said. "We beat ourselves."
Baskett said he and other team leaders will tell players that winning comes down to each player executing.
"Coach Long is just taking blame right now," Baskett said. "They can take only so much of the credit. We are the ones not executing."
Long said he feels the team has not played well for the past three weeks, and when the same mistakes carry over from game to game, the blame should fall on his shoulders.
"Obviously we are asking people to do things that they cannot do, and that is a bad mistake of judgment," he said.
Long said he does not intend to make any changes to the lineup as a result of the three consecutive losses.
"We don't have anybody else," Long said. "We are playing the best players."
