assistantsports@dailylobo.com
@JROppenheim
New Mexico relied on its feet once again in Saturday night’s home finale against Colorado State, rushing for 278 yards on 46 carries in Saturday night’s 66-42 home loss to the Rams.
But a handful of pass plays from both quarterbacks Cole Gautsche and Clayton Mitchem kept the Lobos around for most of the game. The two combined for 249 passing yards after completing 11 passes on 18 attempts.
It’s the most passing yards the Lobos have reached since Bob Davie became head coach. A year ago, also against Colorado State, UNM threw for 205 yards.
Week in and week out, Davie has utilized the run game while the quarterbacking unit develops enough to make a more balanced attack. But considering UNM was up against a Rams defense that’s much stronger against the run than the pass, Davie’s squad had to give it a shot through the air.
Heading into Saturday’s game, the Rams ranked third in the Mountain West Conference for rush defense but had the worst defense among the 12 conference squads. They had given up 25 passing touchdowns and 303 yards, 30 yards worse than 11th-ranked Hawaii.
“I look at some of the throws that were made, some of the catches that were made, some of the individual efforts,” Davie said.
“Offensively, there were a lot of positives things in that game.”
After UNM carried the ball on nine straight plays in its first drive, Gautsche opened the second drive connecting with Tyler Duncan for a 12-yard completion. Four plays later, Gautsche found tight end Reece White open over the middle for a 50-yard touchdown strike.
The Lobo signal-caller had his longest passing play of the season, and White scored his first career touchdown. It also cut the deficit to 14-7 after two quick Colorado State scores.
Gautsche completed four of his five first pass completions, and his second TD to Duncan — a 26-yard strike — kept the Lobos within three points.
While he seemed to find his rhythm in the first half, Gautsche finished the half by throwing two interceptions. Colorado State did not convert either pick into points, though the second interception came with 20 seconds left in the half and the Rams kneeled down to end the opening half.
“Cole made some great throws. He felt he was in control,” Davie said. “I think everyone’s seen his development. … Cole played really well in the first half, except for the two interceptions that he just threw up there.”
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Gautsche felt some illness at halftime, Davie said, and did not return for the second half. For his part, Gautsche completed six of his nine passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
That placed Mitchem into the game for the latter 30 minutes. His contributions to the passing game came early, finding Duncan for a 52-yard hookup that resulted in a Jhruell Pressley TD.
With the score 45-35, Mitchem threw to a wide-open Wiggins, much the same way Gautsche found White, but Wiggins dropped the ball.
Mitchem came back with a 36-yard pass that set up another short touchdown run.
“It says a lot about Clayton Mitchem to come in and play the way he did,” senior offensive linemen Dillon Farrell said. “That’s tough. It’s tough for someone to step in when someone goes down.”
Mitchem’s stat line featured five completions on eight attempts for 116 yards, a career high. CSU sacked him one time.
