Conference reputation on the line

by Phil Parker

Daily Lobo

UNM welcomes BYU to Albuquerque this weekend for the first conference game of the season. The Lobos are looking to bounce back from a tough loss to Texas Tech a week ago.

Senior linebacker Billy Strother said the early season match-up is important for both teams.

"We are going for a championship," he said Tuesday at the team's media luncheon. "If we lose this first game it puts us in a bind. We have to win if we want a championship."

Head coach Rocky Long also notes the importance of a victory Saturday as it could create a more intimidating reputation for the Lobos.

"There's a lot of positives if you win an early conference game because you can sit atop the standing for a month before anybody else can pick up a victory," he said. "Last year we played Air Force early and we were at the bottom of the conference standings for a month."

Junior linebacker Nick Speegle doesn't want to get conference play started on the wrong foot either.

"We have to take our loss last year to Air Force and remember this is a conference game," Speegle said. "This is the big time and at home - we have the advantage."

The Lobos are expecting a challenge this weekend after watching BYU nearly overcome a 21-point deficit against fourth-ranked USC last weekend. In that game, the Cougar defense held the Trojans to just 71 yards rushing, intercepted three passes and had four sacks.

Long said the BYU defense is essentially a replica of the Lobo defensive scheme.

"It's exactly the same," he said. "They're performing a little bit better than we are right now, but we've played two different kinds of teams too. They've played two primarily running teams and we've played two primarily passing teams. They're really picking up things well right now. They have excellent players who are executing."

All 11 Cougar starters are returning on defense.

Despite the loss to the Red Raiders last weekend, the Lobos showed some positive effort.

After tailback DonTrell Moore went down with an ankle sprain, junior transfer D. D. Cox filled in and put up superstar-type numbers: 195 yards rushing, 69 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

"I think D.D. performed better last week than we all anticipated," Long said. "We were worried about having a legitimate backup for DonTrell. If they were both perfectly healthy right now they would be splitting playing time."

Moore is expected to play against BYU, but Cox likely will see plenty of action.

Another significant development for the Lobos is the loss of linebacker Fola Fashola. Fashola hurt his knee late in Saturday's game and is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Fashola leads the Lobos in sacks (three,) tackles for loss (four) and solo tackles (nine.)

Strother said losing Fashola will significantly affect the team.

"Fola was a playmaker," he said. "He was really the life of the linebacker group. Now that he is gone, we need to step up and take this game to another level."

Senior Shannon Kincaid and sophomore Mike Mohoric will fill in for Fashola.

The Cougars and the Lobos are both 1-1 this season. Kick off is set for 6 p.m. tomorrow at University Stadium. Admission is free for students who present a valid Lobo I.D.