by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
There is a lot UNM head football coach Rocky Long will learn about his team in Saturday's season opener at UTEP.
Perhaps toughness is what he would like to see the Lobos display most against the Miners.
"You would be really disappointed if your team isn't physical and doesn't play hard," Long said. "If you make mental errors and make assignment errors and turn the ball over too much, and they play hard, you still have confidence that they can improve on that and still be a decent football team. If they don't play hard and they're not physical, you start wondering what you're going to do the rest of the year."
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Long scheduled 6 a.m. practices this summer to boost the team's mental and physical toughness.
UNM wide receiver Marcus Smith said the early practices made the team more disciplined.
"When you go home, you don't stay up as late. You don't stay up watching your favorite TV show because you know you have to get your rest because you know you have to get up in the morning," he said. "If you come out flat, you know that coach is going to yell at you."
Whether the early practices will translate to on-field success remains to be seen.
But the Lobos will certainly get to test their talent against a familiar foe. Saturday will mark the 75th meeting between UNM and UTEP, the Lobos' second longest running rivalry to the one with New Mexico State.
Last season, UNM handed the Miners a 26-13 loss behind a strong running game and defense that provided five sacks.
And even though the Lobos are returning 18 starters - the most under Long's tenure - the coach said the teams are too different from last season to use that game as a measuring stick.
"Right now, I don't know if we're any good at all," Long said. "I'll promise you no matter what (the Miners) say, they don't know if they're any good at all either."
But that doesn't mean the Miners forgot about the game, either.
UTEP beat the Lobos 21-13 two years ago, and Smith said he expects UNM to have its hands full on the road.
"Going down there, you know it's going to be a little hostile, a little bit edgy," he said. "We're going to have to take the crowd out of the game and just execute our game plan."
Junior safety Blake Ligon will be one of the Lobos counted on to disrupt the UTEP offense.
UNM held the Miners to 30 rushing yards in last season's win, but UTEP's offense has a new look this season.
The Miners will rotate Trevor Vittatoe and Sam Lorn at quarterback and are expected to keep both players in the backfield at times.
Ligon said that is something the Lobo defense will have to be prepared for.
"My biggest concern is the fact that they run with two quarterbacks and the backup quarterback is a receiver," he said. "It opens up opportunities for fakes and trick plays all over the place."
Long said the Miners have talent at all the skill positions on offense, but he's confident in his offensive unit, as well.
He said the game might come down to which team makes the fewest mistakes, and the Lobos will have a better idea of the kind of season they are facing once the game is over.
"The two teams are very well matched," he said. "The athletic ability's almost equal. I think both teams take pride in how hard they play. They'll be ready to play, and I think that we'll be ready to play."
Football at UTEP
Saturday, 8 p.m.
El Paso, Texas
