Mark
09-16-2007, 01:29 AM
Sunday, September 16, 2007
http://www.abqjournal.com/sports/595070sports09-16-07.htm
FOOTBALL Jekyll 'N Hyde Lobos Sport Fangs in Third Quarter
By Ken Sickenger (http://www.abqjournal.com/cgi-bin/email_reporter.pl)
Of the Journal
T UCSON— A 20-minute desert downpour drenched Arizona Stadium just prior to Saturday night's UNM-Arizona football border war.
The rain was not the toughest thing to figure.
That honor went to the visiting team, which seems to have as many personalities as Emelda Marcos has shoes. You never know which face the Lobos will try on next.
New Mexico's players ultimately trotted off the field wearing wide smiles and breathing sighs of relief after an entertaining-if-nerve-wracking 29-27 victory late Saturday night. The Lobos rolled up 423 total yards, snagged three turnovers, scored a safety— and needed absolutely all of it to improve to 2-1 on the season.
Virtually anyone who's watched coach Rocky Long's squad this season has to be left scratching his head. At times this chameleon group has looked outstanding enough that it would be easy to say UNM should be 3-0. On the other hand, if a few plays had gone another way, UNM could as easily be 0-3.
Such was the case again Saturday. For much of the second quarter, the Lobos were sporting deer-in-the-headlights faces. Arizona had a 10-7 lead and seemed primed to score an early knockout.
But three Wildcats drives deep into UNM territory produced just three Arizona points. For the next 17 minutes, the Lobos put on predator faces and took control of the game.
New Mexico rolled up 19 consecutive points in slightly more than a quarter to take a 26-13 lead into the final quarter. Mighty wolves, to be sure.
To be fair, however, the Wildcats helped UNM along by putting on dunce caps. A questionable decision by head coach Mike Stoops followed by several bonehead mistakes by his players did more to quiet the 'Cats fans than the rainstorm had.
It started with UNM holding the ball on its 27, third-and-3, with 32 seconds left in the first half. The Lobos seemed content to run out the clock trailing 13-7, but Stoops called timeout.
Lobo quarterback Donovan Porterie then completed passes of 18, 13 and 38 yards before halftime— the latter for a touchdown to Travis Brown. UNM led 14-13 at intermission.
"I made a bad decision there to try to get the ball back," Stoops told a sideline TV reporter on his way off the field.
Arizona continued to get in its own way with foolish encroachment and roughing-the-passer penalties. The 'Cats were flagged nine times for 96 yards overall, and the Lobos made them pay dearly.
When Porterie hit Marcus Smith with a 23-yard TD strike with 13 seconds left in the third quarter, UNM appeared to have things well in hand.
Not so fast, Lobo fans. There were still several transformations to come.
First, New Mexico allowed the Arizona faithful to regain hope. Suddenly unable to pressure Wildcats quarterback Willie Tuitama, the Lobos watched him drive his team in for a quick touchdown strike, cutting the lead to 26-20.
When he wasn't pressured, Tuitama blistered the Lobo defense throughout the game, to the tune of 446 passing yards and three touchdown tosses.
But to their credit, the Lobos attacked and found ways to convert big plays when they needed them. OJ Swift's 30-yard return of a fumble recovery ended a potential go-ahead drive for the Wildcats and set up a 44-yard field goal by John Sullivan.
After Tuitama pulled the 'Cats to within 29-27 and Arizona got the ball back, Frankie Solomon pulled in a clutch interception that allowed UNM to seal the victory.
In the end, it may not have been the most overwhelming victory UNM's ever scored. The Lobos may even have sported a few sheepish grins after narrowly protecting a 13-point, fourth-quarter lead.
Still, compared to the agonized frowns Lobos fans had to wear after their team's 10-6, season-opening loss to UTEP, sheepish grins are as welcome as a desert rainstorm.
http://www.abqjournal.com/sports/595070sports09-16-07.htm
FOOTBALL Jekyll 'N Hyde Lobos Sport Fangs in Third Quarter
By Ken Sickenger (http://www.abqjournal.com/cgi-bin/email_reporter.pl)
Of the Journal
T UCSON— A 20-minute desert downpour drenched Arizona Stadium just prior to Saturday night's UNM-Arizona football border war.
The rain was not the toughest thing to figure.
That honor went to the visiting team, which seems to have as many personalities as Emelda Marcos has shoes. You never know which face the Lobos will try on next.
New Mexico's players ultimately trotted off the field wearing wide smiles and breathing sighs of relief after an entertaining-if-nerve-wracking 29-27 victory late Saturday night. The Lobos rolled up 423 total yards, snagged three turnovers, scored a safety— and needed absolutely all of it to improve to 2-1 on the season.
Virtually anyone who's watched coach Rocky Long's squad this season has to be left scratching his head. At times this chameleon group has looked outstanding enough that it would be easy to say UNM should be 3-0. On the other hand, if a few plays had gone another way, UNM could as easily be 0-3.
Such was the case again Saturday. For much of the second quarter, the Lobos were sporting deer-in-the-headlights faces. Arizona had a 10-7 lead and seemed primed to score an early knockout.
But three Wildcats drives deep into UNM territory produced just three Arizona points. For the next 17 minutes, the Lobos put on predator faces and took control of the game.
New Mexico rolled up 19 consecutive points in slightly more than a quarter to take a 26-13 lead into the final quarter. Mighty wolves, to be sure.
To be fair, however, the Wildcats helped UNM along by putting on dunce caps. A questionable decision by head coach Mike Stoops followed by several bonehead mistakes by his players did more to quiet the 'Cats fans than the rainstorm had.
It started with UNM holding the ball on its 27, third-and-3, with 32 seconds left in the first half. The Lobos seemed content to run out the clock trailing 13-7, but Stoops called timeout.
Lobo quarterback Donovan Porterie then completed passes of 18, 13 and 38 yards before halftime— the latter for a touchdown to Travis Brown. UNM led 14-13 at intermission.
"I made a bad decision there to try to get the ball back," Stoops told a sideline TV reporter on his way off the field.
Arizona continued to get in its own way with foolish encroachment and roughing-the-passer penalties. The 'Cats were flagged nine times for 96 yards overall, and the Lobos made them pay dearly.
When Porterie hit Marcus Smith with a 23-yard TD strike with 13 seconds left in the third quarter, UNM appeared to have things well in hand.
Not so fast, Lobo fans. There were still several transformations to come.
First, New Mexico allowed the Arizona faithful to regain hope. Suddenly unable to pressure Wildcats quarterback Willie Tuitama, the Lobos watched him drive his team in for a quick touchdown strike, cutting the lead to 26-20.
When he wasn't pressured, Tuitama blistered the Lobo defense throughout the game, to the tune of 446 passing yards and three touchdown tosses.
But to their credit, the Lobos attacked and found ways to convert big plays when they needed them. OJ Swift's 30-yard return of a fumble recovery ended a potential go-ahead drive for the Wildcats and set up a 44-yard field goal by John Sullivan.
After Tuitama pulled the 'Cats to within 29-27 and Arizona got the ball back, Frankie Solomon pulled in a clutch interception that allowed UNM to seal the victory.
In the end, it may not have been the most overwhelming victory UNM's ever scored. The Lobos may even have sported a few sheepish grins after narrowly protecting a 13-point, fourth-quarter lead.
Still, compared to the agonized frowns Lobos fans had to wear after their team's 10-6, season-opening loss to UTEP, sheepish grins are as welcome as a desert rainstorm.