Lobos favored to beat longtime rival NMSU

sports@dailylobo.com
@ThomasRomeroS

At Tuesday’s weekly media luncheon, Bob Davie was quick to squelch any expectations for his recuperating New Mexico football team.
When a reporter asked whether his team should be expected to beat New Mexico State on Saturday, Davie appeared completely shocked by the question.

Davie responded by saying that before he took over as head coach, the Lobos had lost three straight games to the Aggies.

“I look at New Mexico State just like us. I look at it as a huge rival game. Two programs that I think have bright futures that are rebuilding and I think it’s a huge win,” said Davie, whose team defeated the Aggies 27-14 in Las Cruces last year. “I don’t see it as one you’re expected to win. We’re scratching for everything we can get and that’s how it’s going to be.”

Under first-year head coach Doug Martin, the Aggies head into the 105th reincarnation of the Rio Grande Rivalry as a rebuilding and struggling team that sits at 0-5 and has been outscored 227-78 this season. NMSU is coming off a 26-16 loss to San Diego State, a game where the Aggies led 10-0 at one point.

“It’s very similar teams. It’s pretty similar,” Davie said of both UNM and NMSU. “Offensively they’ve changed their schemes.

Schematically they’re good and they do a lot of different things. They’re kind of like us.”

The teams are most similar in the fact that neither team has been able to stop opposing offenses this season. NMSU ranks last in the nation in total defense (123rd), allowing 572.6 yards per game, and are second to last in scoring defense (122nd) permitting 45.4 points per game. UNM doesn’t rank much better in either category, coming in at 110th in total defense, giving up 472 yards per game, and also having the 116th ranked scoring defense letting teams score 45.4 points per game.

The reasons for the defensive breakdowns for the Lobos (1-3, 0-1 MWC) have been because of fundamental breakdowns, Davie said. In the Lobos’ 56-42 loss to UNLV on Saturday, the Lobos defense couldn’t get off the field for most of the game, allowing 568 total yards of offense.

“It’s always easier in these rebuilding situations to offensively to be able to do things before you’re able to do things defensively,” he said. “It’s going to take longer on defense. I do think we’ve taken some strides schematically. I feel pretty good about what we’re doing (on defense).”

NMSU’s offense hasn’t been much better, averaging 15.6 points per game for the 116th worst scoring offense in the nation. The Aggies offense is propelled by senior quarterback Andrew McDonald, who has completed 68.4 percent of his passes and thrown for 910 yards. McDonald’s favorite target this season has been wide receiver Joshua Bowen, leading the Aggies in receptions with 24 for 243 yards and two scores.

Davie said the team expects NMSU to try several different formations and plays.

“They have always been a little outside the box and I mean that in a positive way,” he said. “They give you a lot of different things. Schematically, they present a problem for us, but schematically on offense they do a lot of good things.”

UNM sophomore quarterback Cole Gautsche and junior signal-caller Clayton Mitchem will both see playing time, but Gautsche will see a majority of the snaps, Davie said. Gautsche had one of his better passing games against the Rebels, completing 4 of 9 attempts for 74 yards with one touchdown.

“I thought Cole threw the ball more like we thought he would throw it the first game,” Davie said. “It’s going to be Cole’s deal. I think Clayton is too talented so we need to get him in there.”

NMSU’s Franklin returns

Davie said he didn’t realize that wide receiver Austin Franklin, who sat out the first four games due to academic issues, had come back to play for the Aggies against SDSU.

Against the Lobos last season, Franklin caught six passes for 107 yards and one touchdown.

“He is a great player,” Davie said. “He’s one of the most explosive players that we played last year.”