The Arizona Wildcats know exactly what will be coming at them defensively during the 10th annual Gildan New Mexico Bowl Saturday afternoon. However, New Mexico’s triple option has proven to be difficult to contain for an entire 60-minute ballgame.
It takes just one mistake, one missed tackle, one missed assignment, and a Lobo may be prancing downfield toward the pylons.
“We didn’t really play anybody that does what they do offensively,” Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez said at Friday’s kickoff luncheon. “So that’s what makes it a unique challenge offensively.”
After watching game film, Rodriguez said, he has observed the most contained and well-disciplined teams succumb to a simple mistake which has been exploited by one of UNM’s speedy rushers.
The Lobos don’t have a single rusher who eclipsed 1,000 yards on the season, but they do have three individuals who average over 60 yards per game. Unconventional perhaps, but New Mexico has relied on the "home run play" to average nearly 250 yards on the ground per contest.
Redshirt senior defensive lineman Reggie Gilbert said the Wildcats (6-6) will be looking to limit mistakes in order to contain UNM’s big-play capability.
“You definitely have to slow your approach. You can’t be as aggressive because this offense, they definitely make you play technique sound,” Gilbert said. “That’s what a lot of big plays come out of; when guys get out of their gaps and miss tackles.”
Gilbert, along with the rest of the front rushers, will have their work cut out at the line in trying to recognize the different looks UNM brings while carrying the triple-option.
If Lobo quarterback Lamar Jordan, with his other two big runners Jhurell Pressley and Teriyon Gipson, get past the first wave of Arizona defensive players, it will be up to safety Will Parks and the rest of his secondary to prevent the big run.
“Just being (technically) sound, and eyes being in the right place,” Parks said at the luncheon. “There are a lot of things that they can do as far as misdirection and faking the ball out going one way or another and the next thing you know, the ball is 70 yards down field.”
Parks said on Friday that the eyes will begin at the quarterback position. He said the defense must be disciplined when watching what Jordan does with the ball because it starts with him.
“Everybody has to do their jobs as far as accounting for the quarterback," Parks said. "They follow him; if he goes to the mall, they go with him to the mall. So as long as everybody does their job we should be fine.”
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UNM senior running back David Anaya knows Arizona has a lot to prepare for, with the various ways the Lobos can come at their opponents. Even though teams can guess when the Lobos are going to run it, they do so nearly 48 times a game. Anaya said the variation is what makes the scheme so successful.
The senior back said the different looks UNM will bring at Arizona is something that could prove to be very difficult to replicate as the Lobos have been working on utilizing the triple-option since head coach Bob Davie took over.
“There’s a lot of moving parts and there’s a lot of different presentations that you have to deal with,” Anaya said. “And there’s a lot of cats, a lot of fast kids on our team. Trying to keep up with the speed of the game and trying to just get the idea of what the scheme is would be really tough.”
Senior corner back Cranston Jones said the triple option came to him as a shocker when he first entered his career in a Lobo jersey, and said the speed at which it is run baffled him the most.
Rodriguez said the squad is going to see it early and often; the key will be to maintain focus and keep composed.
“Early (on), our guys are going to see it at game speed,” the head coach said. “We’re going to have to adjust to it and we can’t panic.”
Rodriguez and his defense will get their first taste of the Lobo offense as the FBS bowl season kicks off at noon Saturday at Branch Field.
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
