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On Tuesday, the New Mexico football team announced that sophomore defensive linemen Gerron Borne and Paytron Hightower have been suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team.
Head coach Bob Davie was noncommittal on the details of what Borne and Hightower did to warrant the suspension, but said that both players won’t be seeing the field for the rest of the season.
“It was the right decision for us, and hopefully as time goes on they’ll realize it was the right decision for them as well,” Davie said after practice on Tuesday. “I’m not even going to revisit their situation until the season is over. It was indefinite suspension, but the definite is that it won’t be over until the season is over.”
Davie found out what Borne and Hightower did himself, and said he had no choice but to suspend both of them.
“I have to identify it; I can’t just let things sit and fester,” Davie said. “Some guys can maybe look the other way and hope things disappear. I’ve never been able to do that.”
Davie said the suspensions of Borne and Hightower won’t affect the Lobos’ defensive line rotations. Senior nose tackle Jacori Greer might go to end and Nik D’Avanzo could become the starting nose tackle, Davie said.
The only other player who might be affected by the suspensions is sophomore defensive end Dominic Twitty, who the Lobos intended to redshirt this season, Davie said.
A week off
For the first time in the Davie era the Lobos will have a bye week. Last year, UNM played 13 consecutive games and finished 4-9.
“It’s important only if we use it to our advantage, though,” Davie said. “I think it can be a great thing because we’re a team that has played three different kinds of games.”
The Lobos (1-2) have one more week off beginning Oct. 23.
Stats
Senior running back Kasey Carrier entered Pittsburgh as the nation’s leading rusher, but he left as the 16th most productive rusher at 122 yards per game. Against the Panthers, Carrier had 22 yards on seven carries.
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After a stagnant first half UNM had just 5 net rushing yards, but Gautsche and junior running back Crusoe Gongbay ignited the Lobos’ running game in the second half, finishing with 208 yards. UNM now ranks 17th in rushing offense with an average of 267 yards per game.
Senior punter Ben Skaer ranks 16th in the nation with an average of 44.7 yards per game. As a team, UNM is seventh in net punting average (punt yardage minus return yardage) at 43 yards.
The Lobos are ninth in fewest penalties per game (2.67) and 10th in fewest penalty yardage per game.
PATs no problem
Senior kicker Justus Adams has been off on his field goal attempts, but not on PATs — points attempts after touchdowns. His three converted attempts at Pittsburgh gave him, and the entire field goal unit, a new school record of 50 consecutive PATs in a row.
Joe Hartshorne set the old record of 47 in 1970-71.
As for field goals, Adams has been shaky, missing his first three to start the season. Adams is 2 for 5 on field goal attempts with both of them coming in last week’s 49-27 loss at Pitt.
“It’s a concern right now,” Davie said. “It’s a legitimate concern.”
Talking about practice
The Lobos practiced in full pads on Tuesday. Davie said the intention was for the young players on the team to gain more experience.
“We’re smart about it (hitting),” Davie said. “We have to do things full speed because … we are so young that we have to see things that happen in a game over and over. The only way to duplicate that is to make it as game-like and specific as we can make it.”
