Mark
10-23-2007, 12:32 AM
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
FOOTBALL Lobos Are Playing Together
By Greg Archuleta (http://www.abqjournal.com/cgi-bin/email_reporter.pl)
Journal Staff Writer
A bad offensive day for the University of New Mexico football team has a much different meaning than it did back in the early years of the 21st century when the Lobos were known only for their defense.
UNM struggled on offense Saturday in its 20-17 victory over San Diego State, getting only 377 yards and having to win the game with a last-minute touchdown drive to beat a team it was favored to beat.
The feats are bigger than they seem.
UNM media relations director Greg Remington said he thought the last time a UNM team drove for a game-winning touchdown as time was about to elapse was 1988 in a 24-23 win over Colorado State.
In 2000, the Lobo offense averaged 266.6 yards per game for the season. Four years later it averaged 298.0. Bad days back then consisted of games with total yardage in the 100s.
UNM (5-2, 2-1 Mountain West Conference) heads into Thursday's critical matchup against Air Force (6-2, 5-1) with a belief that has not been evident before in coach Rocky Long's 10-year tenure at the school.
"I think we just want it more this year," says junior running back Rodney Ferguson, who scored the game-winning TD on a 6-yard run with 15 seconds left against SDSU. "For some reason, there's something in our blood in our locker room that just doesn't want us to quit. We just keep fighting to the end."
In UNM's two losses this season, it had 383 yards against Texas-El Paso but could not produce in the red zone and had 347 yards and five turnovers in the loss to Brigham Young.
Against UTEP, the Lobos had the ball at their own 12 with 1:40 left on the clock, needing a touchdown because of a 10-6 deficit. UNM got only to the Miner 34 when time ran out.
Those lessons helped the offense keep its composure two weeks ago in a lightning delay against Wyoming and last week in San Diego when the Aztecs had all the momentum.
"We didn't play at our top," first-year Lobo offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin says. "Give San Diego State credit, but we killed ourselves with penalties and execution mistakes, especially on third down. If we'd have hit some of those third downs, then we're going to have more momentum. It comes back to us again."
The Aztecs had all the momentum until Lobo linebacker Herbert Felder forced a fumble from SDSU quarterback Kevin O'Connell that UNM's OJ Swift recovered at the 35.
The offense needed to drive 65 yards in 106 seconds to avoid a loss that all but would've knocked the Lobos out of the conference race.
"All I thought was we've got to march now," quarterback Donovan Porterie said. "We didn't have time for mistakes. In my head, I believed. The offensive line believed, the running backs believed and the wide receivers believed. Those guys made plays."
Wide receiver Travis Brown says he thinks the bond within the entire team has made a difference. When Swift recovered the football for the offense, he says, the offense had to score for the defense.
"Not to take anything away from any other team," Brown says, "but I think there's a camaraderie on this team that helps us get over the hump in tough games."
It's translated to the best start UNM has had in the last 10 years. The players hope their newfound belief takes them to new heights.
"After the game, coach Long told us that's a sign of a championship team to play through adversity and come out with a win," Porterie said. "We just believe."
INJURY UPDATE: Offensive guard Anthony Kilby sat out most of Monday's practice nursing a sprained ankle, but trainer David Binder said he didn't expect anyone to miss Thursday's game.
Up next
Thursday: Air Force at New Mexico, 7 p.m. TV: Versus Radio: KKOB-AM (770)
FOOTBALL Lobos Are Playing Together
By Greg Archuleta (http://www.abqjournal.com/cgi-bin/email_reporter.pl)
Journal Staff Writer
A bad offensive day for the University of New Mexico football team has a much different meaning than it did back in the early years of the 21st century when the Lobos were known only for their defense.
UNM struggled on offense Saturday in its 20-17 victory over San Diego State, getting only 377 yards and having to win the game with a last-minute touchdown drive to beat a team it was favored to beat.
The feats are bigger than they seem.
UNM media relations director Greg Remington said he thought the last time a UNM team drove for a game-winning touchdown as time was about to elapse was 1988 in a 24-23 win over Colorado State.
In 2000, the Lobo offense averaged 266.6 yards per game for the season. Four years later it averaged 298.0. Bad days back then consisted of games with total yardage in the 100s.
UNM (5-2, 2-1 Mountain West Conference) heads into Thursday's critical matchup against Air Force (6-2, 5-1) with a belief that has not been evident before in coach Rocky Long's 10-year tenure at the school.
"I think we just want it more this year," says junior running back Rodney Ferguson, who scored the game-winning TD on a 6-yard run with 15 seconds left against SDSU. "For some reason, there's something in our blood in our locker room that just doesn't want us to quit. We just keep fighting to the end."
In UNM's two losses this season, it had 383 yards against Texas-El Paso but could not produce in the red zone and had 347 yards and five turnovers in the loss to Brigham Young.
Against UTEP, the Lobos had the ball at their own 12 with 1:40 left on the clock, needing a touchdown because of a 10-6 deficit. UNM got only to the Miner 34 when time ran out.
Those lessons helped the offense keep its composure two weeks ago in a lightning delay against Wyoming and last week in San Diego when the Aztecs had all the momentum.
"We didn't play at our top," first-year Lobo offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin says. "Give San Diego State credit, but we killed ourselves with penalties and execution mistakes, especially on third down. If we'd have hit some of those third downs, then we're going to have more momentum. It comes back to us again."
The Aztecs had all the momentum until Lobo linebacker Herbert Felder forced a fumble from SDSU quarterback Kevin O'Connell that UNM's OJ Swift recovered at the 35.
The offense needed to drive 65 yards in 106 seconds to avoid a loss that all but would've knocked the Lobos out of the conference race.
"All I thought was we've got to march now," quarterback Donovan Porterie said. "We didn't have time for mistakes. In my head, I believed. The offensive line believed, the running backs believed and the wide receivers believed. Those guys made plays."
Wide receiver Travis Brown says he thinks the bond within the entire team has made a difference. When Swift recovered the football for the offense, he says, the offense had to score for the defense.
"Not to take anything away from any other team," Brown says, "but I think there's a camaraderie on this team that helps us get over the hump in tough games."
It's translated to the best start UNM has had in the last 10 years. The players hope their newfound belief takes them to new heights.
"After the game, coach Long told us that's a sign of a championship team to play through adversity and come out with a win," Porterie said. "We just believe."
INJURY UPDATE: Offensive guard Anthony Kilby sat out most of Monday's practice nursing a sprained ankle, but trainer David Binder said he didn't expect anyone to miss Thursday's game.
Up next
Thursday: Air Force at New Mexico, 7 p.m. TV: Versus Radio: KKOB-AM (770)