by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
The UNM football team was supposed to use its bye week to rest, heal and prepare for the remainder of the season.
Backup quarterback Chris Nelson used the time to prepare himself for his first Division I college football start Saturday against the University of Utah.
When starter Kole McKamey went down with an injury in the win against the Wyoming Cowboys this season, Nelson took over for him in the second half.
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Little did anyone on the team know, the injury was more serious than previously thought, and Nelson will be the starter for Saturday's game.
McKamey aggravated a back injury that has been bothering him since high school. The injury has gotten worse since the Wyoming game, forcing McKamey to sit out at least one week.
With Nelson being thrown in the lineup for his first start as a Lobo, head coach Rocky Long said the backup quarterback can handle the pressure.
"I think Chris will give us a great chance to win the game," Long said. "He's going to get all the reps in practice this week, so he'll be well prepared, and he'll do a good job."
UNM center Ryan Cook said Nelson can present a boost to the team coming into his first start.
"He definitely can provide a spark, which would be a big factor for us," he said. "He's not as dinged up as Kole, which is good. We're looking forward to it."
Long said the experience Nelson got in the Wyoming game gave both the team and Nelson the assurance that he can be a starter at this level.
"With his performance in the second half of the Wyoming game, I think our team is very confident with him at the helm," he said.
As for Nelson, he said this is the moment he has been waiting for his whole life.
He also said the Wyoming game helped him believe in himself and gain trust in his teammates.
"It helped me, and it helped the guys around me," he said. "The guys up front were dominating the line of scrimmage, and I knew I could count on them. Once I had confidence in them, I started getting my own confidence."
In that game, Nelson was efficient as a passer, going 9-of-14 for 91 yards and zero touchdowns. He also added 10 rushing yards.
Long said Nelson's similarities with McKamey will help him ease into the role. They both throw and run the option well, therefore there is no need to change the offensive approach, Long said.
"We're going to run the exact same game plan that we would've run if Kole was going to be the starter," he said.
Long also said from what he has seen in practice, Nelson has got a grasp of the system. After all, the junior college transfer was the starting quarterback at Garden City Community College for two years.
"I feel that now he's got a real good feel for our offense," he said.
