“Now we have more players, but we don’t have enough dudes that can go out there right now for 95 plays like we got in Las Cruces, and execute down after down after down,” Davie said. “So we’ve got to maybe thin it out a little bit to find out which ones there are, but at least we’ve got options. That’s what building a program is.”
He’s not wrong. The Lobos have talent on both sides of the ball, but the execution lacks from time to time — particularly on defense — and more players must kick their game to another level as Davie’s crew looks to bring UNM out of the college football cellar.
As much as last Saturday’s rivalry win over New Mexico State boosts team and fan morale, the Lobos simply can’t rest on those laurels.
The team certainly has plenty to feel good about with the rivalry win. UNM needed to prevent a devastating 0-3 start, and fans never want to lose to the perennially woeful Aggies.
Beating New Mexico State is good for UNM, but the Aggies are still one of the lower-tier football programs in the nation. The Lobos must look ahead to what’s to come in the Mountain West slate.
For all the issues it faces, UNM does have examples of these “real dudes” already on its roster.
Tight end Reece White found himself in just the right position in the end zone to haul in the pass from freshman quarterback Lamar Jordan, showing his mettle in the game’s closing moments. The tight end competes at full speed on every down, and Davie said White is about as good a tight end as he’s been around. He’s a dude.
Speaking of Jordan, the youngster is quickly proving himself as the quarterback of the future and a solid go-to option whenever starter Cole Gautsche sits out with an injury.
Then there’s Dakota Cox, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week. The linebacker who played 90 snaps tallied a career-high 18 tackles — twice as many as any other Lobo — against the Aggies. Taking that many snaps alone makes Cox a “real dude.”
Cox also intercepted a pass in the red zone on New Mexico State’s opening drive, and he broke up a last-ditch NMSU pass in the final 13 seconds. Talk about clutch from start to finish.
Davie also discussed Crusoe Gongbay and his resurgence after off-the-field issues last spring. The running back is making the most of his opportunity following his reinstatement, and he ran for 139 yards against the Aggies. A reporter asked Monday if Gongbay is a “real dude.” Davie said he is.
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Guys like this — who swarm after every ball, run hard on every carry, fight on every possession — need to be the norm on a football roster. Talent alone can only take you so far; work ethic is key.
Yet more guys must emerge and become these “real dudes,” especially on defense. The tempo of the game has increased, which favors offenses and means defenders need to step up their game to keep pace. It isn’t easy, but proper execution is important. That’s what UNM needs on defense.
There should be no need to search for motivation before Friday’s Mountain West opener against Fresno State. Last year the Bulldogs cruised to a 69-28 drubbing of the Lobos, and a game like that leaves a bad taste. UNM should, and in all likelihood will, look for redemption.
If there is that need to look for fire in this one, then Davie has more problems on his plate than finding players to step up to the plate. “Real dudes” know what to do for a game like this.
J.R. Oppenheim is the managing editor and a sports columnist for the Daily Lobo. Contact him at managingeditor@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @JROppenheim.
