Advil claims to be the every pain reliever.
Extra-strength, Mike Locksley?
Nothing can help Locksley’s head pounding anguish, especially considering the UNM football team’s upcoming schedule, let alone the pending litigation which he will surely be served with in the near future for his involvement in a physical altercation with former wide receivers coach J.B. Gerald.
Yep, woe is Locksley.
And, ahh, just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse — what? — a visit from No. 17 Utah. Thus the Lobos embark on the four-game stretch which is more obstinate than obsidian. And it’s not just Utah: the Lobos will face two other ranked teams — BYU and TCU — in the next four weeks.
But hold on just a minute.
It might be hard to imagine, but Utah, when ranked, has had a particularly tough time putting UNM away. Enter last year’s narrow 13-10 Utah escape at University Stadium as evidence. The four times the Utes faced the Lobos while ranked, they’ve split the series, 2-2.
“Any Saturday,” said quarterback Donovan Porterie, “anything can happen.”
True, but don’t be fooled into getting comfortable. The Utes, despite what history tells us, are not welcomed respite in the Lobos’ schedule.
So then what’s the formula to upset, Locksley?
“You have to be very opportunistic,” he said. “Get in the red zone — you have to score touchdowns instead of field goals. You got to come up with some big stops and some turnovers. You may have to have a return in the kicking game.”
Wait, that sounds like all the things the Lobos have yet to do right — or, at least, have yet to do well enough.
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In UNM’s most complete effort — according to Locksley — last week against San Diego State, the Lobos came out three points short, despite UNM unleashing a few surprise wrinkles, including an onside kick early in the game.
The Aztecs were saved, in part, by a controversial call, when Lobo wide receiver Bryant Williams was ruled to have caught the ball inbounds on 4th-and-20, but upon review, the call was overturned.
Building blocks, baby steps — call it what you will, Locksley said it was measurable progress.
“It was by far our best day of converting third downs, which allowed us to sustain drives,” he said. “And Donovan Porterie is probably playing his best football now. We’ve seen small steps. Not necessarily with the wins and losses.”
But will the Lobos’ most excellent be enough to outdo the Utes, who play at home and are on a five-game winning streak entering Saturday’s contest?
As if the Lobos didn’t have enough problems, they won’t even know for sure who’ll start as quarterback for Utah — Terrance Cain or Jordan Wynn?
Kyle Whittingham, the Utes’ head coach, refuses to tip his hand. Come on, coach, it’s the Lobos.
“Kyle’s being very coy,” Locksley said.
Cain, who is 7-1 as a starter this year, was replaced in the third quarter by Wynn, who guided the Utes to 19 unanswered points and a win over Wyoming.
Either way, Locksley said, the Lobos are in an inauspicious situation.
“We’ve got a tough challenge ahead of us with a team that’s ranked — a team that perennially is one of the top teams, not just in our conference, but in the country,” Locksley said. “With that being said, I’ve been very proud of how our team’s responded to these types of challenges.”
Perhaps this is so. But Locksley, take the Advil to Salt Lake City just in case.
