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College football defenses around the country are struggling to contain offenses and the Mountain West Conference is not immune.
Eleven of 12 MWC teams are ranked 76th or lower in total defense with Utah State being the only one ranked higher, having the top defense in the MWC and the No. 19 defense in the country. The Aggies allow just 345.1 yards per game.
The team slotted 57 places below USU is San Diego State, who hosts New Mexico this Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium. SDSU gives up 62 more yards than the Aggies do on defense. UNM has the 114th ranked defense in the land, allowing 480.7 yards per game.
Head coach Bob Davie said the reason defenses in the MWC are struggling — and defenses in general — is because of the spread/zone read offense that has become the norm in college football.
“I think it is the scheme. There are so many different schemes and the quarterback play,” Davie said. “With the zone read the quarterback runs just schematically it’s just really good Xs and Os. Certainly to a degree in college football, you take advantage of the rules a little bit.”
Not to mention that three-fourths of the MWC is giving up at least 30 points per game. USU allows only 20 points per game, while Air Force lets up a league-high 38.5 points per game. SDSU is 100th in the nation in scoring defense with an average of 33, and UNM is 13 spots lower permitting 37.3 points per contest.
“Any time the talent level is even the offense schematically is going to have an advantage, because they know the snap count and they know what play they’re going to run,” Davie said. “If it’s dead even the offense is going to have an advantage.”
UNM (2-5, 0-3 MWC) will play SDSU (3-4, 2-1 MWC) fresh off a bye week, while the Aztecs are coming off a 35-28 overtime loss to No. 16 Fresno State, a game where SDSU’s game-winning field goal attempt was blocked at the end of regulation.
The Lobos will see a familiar face in SDSU head coach Rocky Long, who coached at UNM for 11 years. UNM will also witness an offense that used to be the standard nationwide: the pro-style offense.
The pro-style offense is a general term that refers to any offensive scheme that resembles an offense used in the NFL.
SDSU has had a solid offense for most of the season that averages 428.1 yards per game and 26.9 points per game.
“In some ways when you’re first at it, it’s easier to prepare your defenses for you schematically,” Davie said. “So, schematically you’re going to look at their offense and think it’s going to be easier for you.”
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Davie said the Aztecs offense has plenty of skilled players, but that wide receiver Ezell Ruffin stands out among them. On the year, Ruffin has 40 catches for 658 yards and one touchdown.
“He’s a great player,” Davie said. “He just breaks down players because he’s so strong and he can run by guys. Those receivers are big-time guys.”
Typically, SDSU’s defense lines up in a 3-3-5 defense – three linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs – but Davie said he expects the Aztecs to change their defense to a 4-3 against UNM to counter the Lobos’ triple option offense. The Lobos have the third best rushing offense in the nation, gaining 322.2 yards per game.
“They’re trying not to give us the big play where schematically where we out number you and there’s a big play,” Davie said. “They going to lineup and trying to make us execute and earn everything we gain.”
Football at SDSU
6 p.m. MT
Saturday
Comcast 261, DirecTV 683, Dish 414
