New Mexico (1-1) suffered a heartbreaking loss to New Mexico State on Saturday, but it also lost some key players due to injury that could make things even tougher as the season continues.
Head coach Bob Davie said arguably the team’s best defensive and offensive players will not be making the trip to New Jersey to do battle with Rutgers (1-1) on Saturday.
Senior linebacker Dakota Cox had 14 tackles in the season opener, but his goal to lead the team in tackles for four straight years might be in jeopardy.
He logged six tackles before taking a hit to the head in the Rio Grande Rivalry matchup, and won’t have the opportunity to add to his total this weekend.
Running back Teriyon Gipson also suffered a blow to the head, and will be held out of action as well. Even though the Lobos have plenty of playmakers in the backfield, Gipson has been the most explosive player in the run game and on special teams so far in the young season.
Davie said Jadon Boatright, a cornerback who has been dealing with turf toe, will also be unable to compete.
The Lobos (1-1) have plenty of depth at running back and some at corner as well, but filling the void at linebacker will be challenging. Alex Hart is expected to get the start in place of Cox.
Safety Lee Crosby said the losses on both sides of the ball are big. He said it is going to be tough to adjust, but it provides an opportunity for some of the younger players to step up, and Crosby said he thinks they are up for the challenge.
Part of that challenge will be defending Janarion Grant, who is perhaps the biggest threat for the Scarlet Knights.
The senior wide receiver is great in open space, and has speed and agility that makes him equally dangerous in the return game.
The Lobos have been susceptible to big plays so far this season, and Crosby said it is important to learn from those plays and improve.
“We’re trying to clean up every mistake we’ve made so far,” Crosby said. “It’s just all about getting better each week.”
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The Lobos controlled the action for most of Saturday’s game against the Aggies (1-1), but a crucial error at the end of the half and a late turnover helped derail the team’s bid to go 2-0.
Davie said New Mexico’s margin for error is very small. The Lobos will likely need to win the turnover battle and stay disciplined in all facets of the game to give themselves a shot at winning.
Though UNM lost, Lobo Garrett Hughes played a solid game Saturday against the Aggies, registering 2.5 sacks and applying consistent pressure on the quarterback.
He said he just listened to his coaches throughout the week and put in the preparation to get off the ball and work on pass rush moves.
“I was even walking around school, doing hand work and stuff like that,” Hughes said said. “And it showed up on Saturday.”
The junior defensive lineman said he thinks the defense can come off the ball on Rutgers, and expects the Lobo offense to put up points. He said he’s told some of the other players that they’ve put in the work, and it’s their time to show it.
New Mexico has an open date after Saturday’s game, which could help by giving players the extra time they need to get healthy.
The Lobos enter as the underdog, but a win going into the bye week could go a long way toward erasing the memory of the Aggie loss and providing momentum heading into conference play.
The game will be broadcasted on ESPN and is set to kick off at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time.
Robert Maler is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers cross country, football, tennis and track and field. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @robert_maler.
