sports@dailylobo.com
True-freshman quarterback Cole Gautsche wouldn’t have scored in Saturday’s football game if not for Bob Davie’s appointment last year as Lobo football head coach.
The 2011 New Mexico Prep Player of the Year originally planned to take his talents to in-state rival NMSU, but once Davie became UNM’s head coach, Gautsche changed his mind about joining the Aggies.
Gautsche said one of the main reasons for his change of heart was Davie’s decision to hire offensive coordinator Bob DeBesse, whose option attack suits Gautsche’s talents. DeBesse’s run-oriented attack accumulated 347 yards rushing against Southern University in a 66-21 Lobo victory Saturday.
“It’s just so complex and hard to stop. I feel that anybody can run it,” Gautsche said after Saturday’s victory. “I think anybody can really form into it.”
Gautsche fit right into the scheme of things with 88 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He said it wasn’t a bad way to start off his collegiate career.
“It was a great experience, especially to go out there and get the W,” he said.
Davie said Gautsche showed off some of his running skills in Saturday’s game.
“(Gautsche) is very smart; he’s a great leader; he’s strong. He’s really a good option quarterback,” Davie said. “He’s a weapon. You talk about a true-freshman quarterback walking out there with the composure he had; he made a lot of checks. I thought he played really well.”
Gautsche scored his first touchdown after senior linebacker Joe Stoner intercepted a Southern pass and returned it 17 yards to the Jaguars’ 28-yard line. On the fourth play of the series, Gautsche rumbled into the end zone for a 7-yard score.
For Gautsche’s second mark of the game, he unintentionally faked a pitch, broke some tackles and outran everyone for a 47-yard touchdown.
Gautsche said the scamper wasn’t planned exactly like that.
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“I ran out there, and the backer ended up flying outside, so I had to cut it up, and there was some great downfield blocking,” he said.
However, the Lobos have no quarterback controversy, and Davie said senior starting quarterback B.R. Holbrook, who had two rushes for 5 yards and went 6-8 throwing with 57 yards and one score, will be the starter for every game, if available.
“B.R. is our starting quarterback, and both of them are going to play,” Davie said.
Holbrook said he doesn’t mind Gautsche playing at all.
“Anything to help us win, so a little change-up here and there won’t hurt,” Holbrook said after practice on Wednesday.
Davie said Gautsche needs to improve as a passer, and if it wasn’t for a one-handed snag by freshman tight end Chris Edling, Gautsche wouldn’t have completed a pass against the Jaguars.
“It’s pretty clear that he runs it better than he throws it,” Davie said. “He’s a work in progress in the passing game, but we have him for four more years; he’s going to be fun to watch.”
