Signal-callers Cole Gautsche and Lamar Jordan have split most of the playing time the past three games and that trend will likely continue. Gautsche has started all three contests but has been pulled for Jordan at some point during each game.
This past Saturday at Air Force, Gautsche played for the majority of the game and led UNM on five scoring drives, four of which were touchdowns. On UNM’s second possession of the fourth quarter head coach Bob Davie decided to insert Jordan into the lineup. The results were less than stellar as the last three drives resulted in just 26 yards on 11 plays.
“I think both quarterbacks deserve to continue to play,” Davie said. “You look at our operation at times against Air Force, it’s what we’ve come to know the way we ran the ball.”
Jordan has shown flashes of his playmaking ability the past three weeks. Against San Diego State, he threw for a 45-yard touchdown and led an impressive 75-yard drive for a score. The freshman also led UNM to a 21-9 comeback victory over UTSA three weeks ago.
Even though Jordan has the potential to make a huge play, Gautsche still has a better feel for the Lobos’ triple option offense. UNM reestablished its running game against AFA, gaining 367 rushing yards thanks to Gautsche at quarterback.
Gautsche said there is no rift between the quarterbacks, and that the chemistry has been good all season.
“I’ve always been a real positive person. I just try to go in there and do the best I can,” he said. “Whoever’s in there it doesn’t matter. I just try to do the best I can for the team, whatever my role is.”
Davie did mention that UNM (2-5, 0-3 Mountain West) will devote some more time to the passing game during the bye week. Offensive coordinator Bob DeBesse made a video package containing every pass that the Lobos have thrown this season and showed it to the offense Monday.
Nationally, the Lobos rank second to last in passing offense (124th), averaging just 84 yards per game.
“It’s a great week for us to kind of self-scout and try to see where we are. But I think nothing will drastically change with the quarterbacks,” Davie said. “We’re doing some things, and we’re putting some pressure on the guys. If you ask me I doubt much will change.”
Players dismissed
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Davie announced Tuesday that defensive end Paytron Hightower and linebacker Tre’Von Roy were both dismissed from the team.
Hightower and Roy were not let go because of academic or criminal reasons, Davie said, but he did not give any additional information.
“What it is an accumulation and pattern of attitude that keeps us from winning, to be quite honest,” Davie said. “I will not compromise. So those players have been dismissed.”
Hightower had six tackles, while Roy earned his first sack of his career in UNM’s loss to the Falcons.
Several games added to future schedules
On Monday, UNM announced an addition of several games to its upcoming schedules, including contests at Rutgers in 2016 and at Wisconsin in 2018.
UNM will receive a combined $2.15 million for playing at Rutgers and at Wisconsin. New Mexico has already received $100,000 for this fiscal year. USC was supposed to host UNM in 2016 but that contest has been moved to the 2020 season.
The Lobos also added a home-and-home series with Louisiana-Monroe that will start in 2016 when UNM hosts to ULM. The series will finish in 2019 when the Warhawks host the Lobos.
A home-and-home series against Tulsa had been announced earlier, beginning in New Mexico in 2015 and will finish at Tulsa in 2017.
Home games against Mississippi Valley State (2015), Abilene Christian (2017) and Incarnate Word (2018) were also announced.
“I think our schedule is great. I think it’s taken a bit of time for us to all really be consistent with what the philosophy should be,” Davie said.
Injury report
Linebacker Dakota Cox suffered a fractured right thumb against AFA, but will be fitted for a cast and shouldn’t miss any playing time, Davie said.
Defensive lineman Cole Juarez (ankle) and linebacker Kimmie Carson (knee) will be out for an extended period of time. Tight end Nick Lehman might miss UNM’s next game at UNLV with a high ankle sprain.
Cornerbacks Isaiah Brown (hamstring), SaQwan Edwards (possible concussion) and Jadon Boatwright (groin) may miss the game as well.
Thomas Romero-Salas is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
