UNM has some time to kill before it can finally go bowling.
The Lobos accepted a bid to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco, extending the football season 40 days after their last regular-season game. The Lobos may perform well following a bye week, but head Coach Rocky Long said a bye month is a long time to keep the ball rolling.
Quarterback Kole McKamey said he is optimistic about the break. He said there is still room for improvements, and these improvements can be addressed throughout the month.
"The break can be good for us if the team takes advantage," McKamey said. "It gives the team time to work and time to heal."
The NCAA allows each football team 15 practices between the end of the regular season and the bowl game they attend. Long said the benefits of extra-preparation time do not outweigh the challenges brought forth by breaking the Lobos' rhythm.
"It is a challenge to stay sharp when the team is not practicing every day," Long said. "There is an opportunity for players to get rusty. We are coming off a five-game winning streak, and that is a routine we do not want to interrupt."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The Lobos will practice twice a week for the next two weeks. The following week, they will practice five days, simulating a regular-season practice week. They will then have five days off for the holidays and meet in San Francisco.
"We do not treat one game as more important than any other game," Long said. "We will try to treat our last practice week just like a regular-season week."
Long said he does not see motivation dwindling as the time passes. He said it is not a problem to keep this team motivated, because he can count on the players to motivate themselves.
"The team knows that the coaches would not be OK with players treating the break as a vacation," McKamey said. "I'm excited to prepare for this."
Center Ryan Cook said the bowl offers a new opportunity for the team, and an invite to any bowl game is rewarding after a winning season.
"We have never played in this bowl before, and any bowl game is a reward," Cook said. "Playing in a new place and a team that we have never played give us a new opportunity to define the UNM football program."
This is the first time the Lobos have played in a bowl game for three consecutive years. McKamey said the pressure only serves as motivation.
"Going to a bowl game for the third year, the expectations become higher," McKamey said. "We know the team and the fans are not satisfied just going to a bowl game. We will be satisfied with winning the Emerald Bowl."
The Lobos will deal with the extensive break, Long said, because there is no way to participate in post-season play without the time lapse. Long said this flaw in the system will not be corrected until the NCAA is pressured enough to switch from a Bowl Championship Series to a playoff system.
"I think a playoff system will be adopted in the future, maybe not in the near future, but the public outcry will make it happen," Long said.
