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TEXAS ROAD CHALLENGE
The University of New Mexico looks to start 2-0 for the first time since 1998 when it meets the Texas Tech Red Raiders Saturday in Lubbock. Kickoff from Jones SBC Stadium is 7 p.m. Central Time (6 p.m. in Albuquerque). Its the season opener for Texas Tech.
Albuquerques KRQE News 13 will show the game on a delayed basis at 10:35 p.m., Saturday night. UNM and KRQE requested to show the game live, however, Fox Sports – the network that owns the rights to Big 12 Conference games – would not permit the live telecast back to Albuquerque.
The Lobos are 1-0 after steamrolling UTEP 26-6 last Saturday. The victory was played in front of a school-record crowd of 41,771 fans at expanded University Stadium. It was UNMs first season-opening win since a 38-9 decision over Idaho State in 1998. New Mexico lost last years opener at Texas Tech, 24-3.
UNM has dropped three straight road openers and 10 of its last 12. The last win came in 1997 at UTEP, 38-20.
New Mexico was picked to finish seventh in the eight-team Mountain West Conference by the leagues coaches. The Big 12 media predicted a fourth-place finish for Texas Tech in the Big 12 South behind Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M.
The Lobos finished 5-7 last year in all games and 3-4 in conference play. The five wins are the most in three seasons under head coach Rocky Long and UNMs best record since going 9-4 in 1997.
UNM was picked to finish last out of eight teams in the Mountain West Conference a year ago, but finished in a tie for fifth place with San Diego State and Utah. It marked the second consecutive season UNM exceeded preseason predictions in the conference standings. New Mexico was also picked to finish seventh or eighth in 1999, but tied for fifth.
The Red Raiders were 7-6 a year ago and lost to East Carolina (40-27) in the galleryfurniture.com bowl. TTU was 3-5 overall in the Big 12, 2-3 in the South Division.
UNM and Texas Tech will meet each year through 2004, including Sept. 7, 2002, at University Stadium.
SEASON TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE
Lobo fans can purchase a five-game season ticket starting on Tuesday, Sept. 4, at the UNM athletics ticket office at The Pit. UNM will also be selling a four-game Mountain West Conference package following the New Mexico State game on Sept. 15. Call the ticket office at (505) 925-5626 for more information.
EXPANDED STADIUM A BIG HIT
The 41-year old home of New Mexico football – University Stadium – received its most significant renovation since it was erected in 1960, and it proved to be a smashing success. A record crowd of 41,771 witnessed the Lobos 26-6 victory over UTEP last Saturday, crushing the previous mark of 37,156 for Rice in 1997.
While the expanded stadium has just 37,370 fixed seats, UNM was able to shoehorn nearly 4,000 more fans into last Saturdays game by selling 1,000 bleacher tickets in the south end and standing-room-only spots.
A pavilion now connects the east and west stands for the first time. Renovation on the northwest corner of the stadium was completed last October and includes new concession stands, restrooms, novelty stands and landscaping. The next phase is to renovate the remaining three corners with new facilities.
The highlight of the renovation is a $1.8 million state-of-the-art video scoreboard at the north end of the stadium. Appropriately named LoboVision, the system has instant replay and live-action capabilities. It was financed through corporate sponsorships from PNM, Bank of the West, Isleta Casino & Resort, Albuquerque Publishing, Comcast, Creamland Dairies and AT&T Wireless.
Manufactured by Daktronics, Inc., the entire board measures 60 feet high and 61 feet wide while the videoboard is 21 feet high and 28 feet wide. A staff of 10, including three cameras, is needed to operate the system during a game. Personnel from UNM Media Technology Services will handle all game-day production.
UNM-TEXAS TECH SERIES
This is the 38th meeting in a series that started in 1931 when both schools were members of the Border Conference. Tech has a resounding 30-5-2 lead, including a 19-2 bulge in Lubbock. The Lobos only wins there came in 1971 (when current head coach Rocky Long was a senior QB) and 1983.
Texas Tech has won seven straight overall, including 24-3 last year in the inaugural Hispanic College Fund Classic in Lubbock. New Mexicos last win was 29-24 in Albuquerque in 1984.
In last years game, K Vladimir Borombozins 49-yard field goal cut the Tech lead to 7-3 at halftime. The Red Raiders took the second half kickoff and marched 72 yards to increase its lead to 14-3. UNM would get to the Red Raider 17-yard line later, but QB Jeremy Denson fumbled the exchange on 4th down, costing the Lobos a scoring opportunity. UNM turned the ball over twice more in Tech territory – including a Holmon Wiggins fumble inside the 5. The Red Raiders put it away late in the fourth quarter when Denson fumbled at the Tech 37 and Aaron Hunt ran it back 63 yards to provide the final margin of victory. UNM had just 167 yards of offense and three costly turnovers. The Lobos held Tech to 255 yards, its second-lowest total of the season.
Texas Tech is one of five UNM opponents that participated in a bowl game last year.
LONE STAR LOBOS
New Mexico has 28 scholarship players on its roster that hail from the state of Texas. Approximately 20 players – including walk-on kicker Wes Zunker from New Braunfels, Texas – are expected to be on the travel roster to Lubbock. Backup center Stephen Fahnert is a 2000 graduate of Caprock HS in Amarillo.
UNM HISTORY
The University of New Mexico has a 397-465-31 overall record through 102 seasons, meaning the Lobos are just three victories shy of 400 wins all-time.
UNM was founded in 1889. Three years later, the first football game was played on Oct. 7, 1892, when a team representing UNM played a squad from Albuquerque High School in a vacant lot north of the town’s ice factory. The preps prevailed 5-0.
UTEP RECAP
Riding a dominating rushing attack and a tenacious defense, New Mexico earned its first season-opening victory in three years with a 26-6 triumph over UTEP.
Holding a slim 11-6 lead with 2:31 remaining in the third quarter, senior running backs Jarrod Baxter and Holmon Wiggins led New Mexico on a 13-play, 81-yard touchdown drive and a 19-6 lead. Baxter carried the ball six times for 43 yards on the march, capped by his 1-yard touchdown plunge. Meanwhile, Wiggins rushed five times for 33 yards, including a 19-yard option run on third-and-18 from the UNM 25. Grinding down the weary UTEP defense, Baxter later scored on a 4-yard burst with three minutes remaining in the game to secure the Lobo victory.
Baxter, a former walk-on from Albuquerque, rushed for a career-high 184 yards on 25 carries with a pair of touchdowns, eclipsing his previous career-high of 135 yards set last year against Utah. Wiggins added 69 yards on 12 carries as UNM amassed 271 yards on the ground.
New Mexico took an early 5-0 lead with 4:19 remaining in the first quarter on senior Vladimir Borombozin’s 37-yard field goal and a safety after sophomore safety Terrell Golden sacked UTEP QB Wesley Phillips in the end zone. The Miners answered quickly as Phillips found running back Sherman Austin behind the Lobo secondary for a 56-yard touchdown pass. UTEP failed on its two-point conversion attempt and led 6-5 with 4:45 left in the first half. UNM regained momentum right before halftime as true freshman Wes Zunker connected on his first collegiate field-goal attempt, a 51-yard kick, to give New Mexico an 8-6 lead heading into the lockerroom.
The UNM defense kept UTEP scoreless the rest of the game, holding the Miners to a minus-53 yards rushing thanks to a school-record-tying nine sacks. The Lobos held Doak Walker Award candidate Chris Porter to a career-low 15 yards rushing.
UTEP NOTES
RB Jarrod Baxter (Albuquerque) had his fourth career 100-yard rushing effort and the most yards by a Lobo at University Stadium in 24 years, since Mike Williams ran for a school-record 236 yards – also against UTEP – in 1977. Baxter, who ripped off a career-best 58-yard gallop to set up a 37-yard field goal by Vladimir Bormobozin in the third quarter, rushed 14 times for 139 yards in the second half. The 250-pound battering ram vaulted from 27th to 20th place all-time at UNM with 1,367 career rushing yards.
UNM tied a school record with nine sacks. It also had nine against BYUs Jim McMahon in 1980. As was the case last year, it was a team effort in the sack department as eight Lobos had a hand in dumping UTEP senior Wesley Phillips, who was making his first career start.
Because of the sacks, the Lobos’ held UTEP to a minus-53 yards rushing, the fourth-stingiest effort in school history. It was the best showing since UNM held New Mexico State to a minus-64 yards in 1990. The school record for rushing defense is minus-96 yards against BYU in 1970.
The Lobos defense forced five turnovers, two interceptions by senior lobo Scott Gerhardt (Oklahoma City), and three fumbles. The last Lobo to snare two errant passes in the same game was CB Ramos McDonald, who had a pair against Colorado State in the 1997 WAC Championship game.
Senior LB Gary Davis (Greenwood, Miss.) registered a team-high nine tackles, including 2.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries. One of Davis tackles came on kickoff cover. Senior LB Mohammed Konte (Albuquerque) totaled seven tackles, including two sacks and a caused fumble. Junior college transfer NT Hebrews Josue (Fort Pierce, Fla.) had a 13-yard sack and a caused fumble in his Lobo debut. Despite being bothered by a slight groin pull and abdominal strain, senior TB Holmon Wiggins (Los Angeles) gained 69 yards on just 12 totes. Wiggins remains in 19th place at UNM with 1,427 yards. He needs 105 yards to move into the No. 15 spot. Wiggins also returned two punts for 28 yards.
The 271 yards rushing – 214 of those coming in the second half – are the most by UNM against an NCAA Div. I opponent since it gained 360 yards against UTEP in 1997. The Lobos had 323 yards against NCAA Div. I-AA member Northern Arizona in 1999 and 308 against the Lumberjacks last year.
UTEP’s six points are the fewest scored by a Lobo foe in a season-opener since UNM blanked Louisiana Tech 34-0 in 1979.
The Lobos tied a school record with 17 penalties, totaling 122 yards, matching the 1982 mark against Hawaii.
Senior K Vladimir Borombozin (Hollywood, Fla.) connected on both of his field goals (27 and 37 yards) and did a solid job in his debut as the Lobos punter. He kicked seven times for a 37.4-yard average, however, the Miners had just two returns for seven yards. Two of his punts were downed inside the 20, including one at the UTEP 2.
True freshman walk-on K Wes Zunker (New Braunfels, Texas) booted a 51-yard field goal – the first attempt of his career – to end the first half and give New Mexico an 8-6 lead. Its the 14th field goal in school history from 50 yards or longer, and it ties for the sixth-longest boot in school annals. Its the longest UNM field goal since 1998, when Jason Bloom booted a 52-yarder against Hawaii. Zunker, who survived tryouts with a dozen other kicking hopefuls during early-August two-a-days, was also efficient in his kickoff duties. He kicked off five times and none were returned past the 20. UTEP returned four kicks for a 16.5-yard average.
QB Rudy Caamano (Whittier, Calif.) tied his career-high for pass attempts with 30. Caamano was just 6-of-30, however, for 52 yards.
S Terrell Golden’s (Los Angeles) sack of Wesley Phillips for a safety in the first quarter was UNM’s first two-pointer since 1999.
The UNM offensive line probably gets mixed reviews. While the Lobos had a tremendous night running the football and QB Rudy Caamano was not sacked in 30 pass attempts, the men up front were whistled for eight penalties, six illegal procedure calls and two holding infractions. C Rashad McClure (San Antonio, Texas) and TE Joe Fiola (Clovis, N.M.) set career-highs with 14 knockdown blocks. Senior QB Jeremy Sorenson (Herriman, Utah) added 13 KOs. Redshirt freshman SG Claude Terrell (Texas City, Texas) had nine KOs and a team-best 1.81 combined grade in his first Lobo game.
Despite the five turnovers caused, UNM was able to get just one field goal after a Miner miscue.
CAPTAINS
New Mexicos captains for the 2001 season are FB Jarrod Baxter, QB Rudy Caamano, DE Brian Johnson, LB Mohammed Konte and OG Jeremy Sorenson. Baxter was also a captain in 2000. Captains are selected each year by their teammates.
SEASON TICKET UPDATE
Through Friday, Aug. 31, Lobo fans had purchased more 13,000 season tickets, easily eclipsing last years total of 12,223. Its the eighth straight year UNM fans have purchased at least 10,000 season tickets. The single-season record is 14,254 in 1998.
INJURY UPDATE
Senior reserve LB Amos Wilson (right knee) had arthroscopic surgery on Aug. 24 and is expected to miss the first two games of the season. CB Brandon Gregory (hyperextended knee), TB Javier Hanson (ankle) and TB Dontrell Moore (ankle) are questionable.
2001 PREVIEW
The Lobos return a solid nucleus of players for the 2001 season as only 11 senior position players earned letters in 2000. A total of 40 lettermen are back. Below is a breakdown:
Offense – The strength should be at running back as three of the top rushers are in the fold, and on the offensive line where four starters are back. Seven starters return in all.
Running Back – The Lobos two battering rams – seniors Holmon Wiggins and Jarrod Baxter – return to the backfield. The duo combined for 1,286 yards and 9 TDs in 2000, and have accummulated more than 2,500 yards in their careers at New Mexico. Swift-footed Javier Hanson – also a senior – showed breakaway speed the Lobos covet and should receive more reps with the departure of the versatile Ted Iacenda. Iacenda was the Lobos top receiver (28-257) and finished third on the team in rushing with 201 yards and a pair of scores. Untested newcomers will have to step up to become quality reserves such as true freshman Dontrell Moore and junior Quincy Wright at tailback and redshirt freshman Landrick Brody at fullback.
Offensive Line – Only OT Jon Samuelson, a three-year starter, is gone from the offensive line. Seniors include QG Jeremy Sorenson and QT B.J. Long. Center Rashad McClure is a two-year starter while ST Jason Lenzmeier started the last seven games of 2000 at guard as a redshirt freshman. Redshirt freshman Claude Terrell has earned the nod at strong guard.Receiver – The Lobos lost their top two receivers in Iacenda and Rob Caston (22-301), and four of their top six when you toss in Larry Davis (10-150) and TE Jonathan Burrough (10-88). The leading returning receivers are senior Kirk Robbins (16-224) and sophomore Dwight Counter (13-147). Only two other returning wideouts – sophomore Terrence Thomas (3-36) and junior Jake Farrel (2-30) – caught passes in 2000. Counter, Thomas and sophomore Rashaun Sanders are expected to start when the Lobos go to a three-wideout set. Also seeing playing time will be juniors Jake Farrel, Joe Manning, Michael Brunker and Derrick Shepherd.
Quarterback – Junior Rudy Caamano, a starter in UNMs last 10 games, will be under center. Sophomore Casey Kelly and redshirt freshman Jeff Grady are the backups.
Tight End – The Lobos have a hole to fill as Burrough was a three-year starter. Junior Joe Fiola was used primarily as a blocker last year. Sophomore Bryan Penley and redshirt freshman Michael Augustyniak will see playing time, too.
Defense – The strength of the 2000 team only returns five starters, but 15 additional lettermen who saw significant playing time in Rocky Longs unique defense are back in uniform as well. The top three tacklers – Mike Barnett, Dave Mauer, Rantie Harper – have moved on, but eight other Lobos garnered 40 or more tackles last fall.
Defensive Line – The interior line will be led by senior DE Brian Johnson, the Lobos lone first team all-conference pick in 2000. Johnson led the league with 9.5 sacks. NT Henry Stephens and DE Jeff Macrea have departed, although Tony Mazotti, Antonio Manning, Adrian Terry, D.J. Renteria and Guillermo Morrrison got reps in 2000. Junior college transfers Hebrews Josue and Daniel Kegler, and redshirt freshman Kyle Coulter fill out the nine-man rotation in the trenches.
Linebacker – Arguably the most talented position for the Lobos. Barnett (83 tackles) and Mauer (82 tackles) were the teams top tacklers and completed their eligibility, but theres plenty of firepower left in Mohammed Konte, Gary Davis, Charles Moss, Shannon Kincaid and Amos Wilson, a redshirt in 2000. Redshirt freshmen who could play include Chrishone Harris, Frank Rodgers, Nick Speegle and Domingo Villarruel.
Safeties – The wolf, or strong, safety spot has been depleted somewhat with the loss of Brandon Ratcliff, last years MWC Co-Freshman of the Year. Ratcliff was declared academically ineligible prior to the fall semester. The ubiquitous Ratcliff was the Lobos leading returning tackler with 71 stops, including eight tackles for losses, plus five pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Filling the holes now are sophomore Terrell Golden, junior David Hall, senior Edwin Garrett and redshirt freshman Joe Henderson. The lobo, or free safety, is manned by senior Scott Gerhardt and redshirt freshman Kevin Walton.
Cornerbacks – Senior Stephen Persely, a special-teams phenom who blocked two punts and returned a pair for scores, is an all-conference candidate. On the other side, transfer David Crockett and senior Dante Childress will both see action.
Special Teams – Last years kicker – Vladimir Borombozin – will now handle both punting and placements. Kickoff duties have been awarded to true freshman Wes Zunker, a walk-on who came to UNM in August. Wiggins could threaten career punt return records after setting UNM season standards in 2000. Larry Davis will be missed for his participation on several special teams. He led the Mountain West in kickoff returns (25.8 yards), posted 18 tackles on kick coverage and blocked a punt.
2000 RECAP
After an 0-3 start, the Lobos won five of their last nine games. UNM went 5-1 during one point in the season before dropping its last three games to finish 5-7. UNM was the best team in the Mountain West Conference in 2000 in rushing defense (115.3 yards), pass efficiency defense (105.7 rating), sacks (50), time of possession (32:33 average) and turnover margin (+0.67/game).
The Lobos had nearly identical records in 1999 (4-7, 3-4 MWC) and 2000, but the comparison really ended there. UNMs average margin of defeat in seven losses in 2000 was 11.1 points compared to 16.9 points in 1999. The difference was even more dramatic in conference games: just 8 points in four setbacks in 2000 versus 24.3 points in 1999.
According to NCAA figures, New Mexico tied Arizona State by playing the 46th-toughest schedule in the nation during the 2000 season. The Lobos 11 Div. I-A opponents combined for a 60-53 record, a figure that excluded the outcomes against UNM. Among MWC schools, only BYU at No. 41 played a more difficult slate than UNM. The Lobos played six bowl teams in 2000, three from the Mountain West Conference, plus non-league tilts against Texas Tech, Boise State and nationally-ranked Oregon State. Those last three schools combined for a 26-8 regular-season ledger. OSU went 10-1 and pounded Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, part of the Bowl Championship Series.
Three of the Lobos four losses in Mountain West Conference play were by 3, 1 and 4 points, respectively, and were decided in the fourth quarter.UNM fell at Colorado State 17-14, when the Rams went 84 yards in 13 plays and scored on a 3-yard run with 6:23 left.
New Mexico led San Diego State 16-0 at halftime only to have the Aztecs rally for a 17-16 win. The difference was a Nate Tandberg field goal with 5:27 to go, culminating a 12-play, 64-yard drive.
UNLV scored with 18 seconds remaining for an 18-14 victory in Las Vegas. The Lobos had taken a 14-11 lead with 3:01 left. The Rebels went 69 yards in 10 plays.
TEAM DEFENSE
Allowing just 20.8 points and 309.4 yards a game, the 2000 Lobos defense was the best, statistically speaking, in 17 years…the 1983 Lobos – when current Mississippi State defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn was the head coach – yielded 19.4 points and 298.1 yards a game…last year, UNM allowed 27.1 points and 371.4 yards a game.
New Mexico finished 17th in the nation in total defense, the schools best ranking in 38 years…the 1962 WAC champion Lobos also finished 17th, allowing 207.3 yards.
The Lobos allowed less than 21 points a game for only the sixth time in the past 35 years.
New Mexico allowed 6.3 fewer points in 2000 than it did in 1999…thats the biggest one-season drop in eight years since a 13.3 differential from 1991 (39.4 ppg) to 1992 (26.1 ppg).
New Mexico led the MWC and finished second nationally with 50 sacks for 341 yards in losses, averages of 4.5 a game and 6.9 yards a sack…thats more than twice as many as the 1999 total of 23…amazingly, the sack total came from 15 different players.
New Mexico finished 1st in the MWC in rush defense, allowing 115.3 yards a game…the Lobos were even better in conference games, yielding only 93.7 yards a game.
The Lobos allowed 20.8 points a game, however, 5 TDs were scored directly after a UNM offensive turnover or special-teams return…UNM defenders actually allowed just 17.8 ppg.
Fifteen players had UNMs 50 sacks…nine Lobos picked off the teams 15 interceptions…19 different Lobos posted tackles for losses…16 players deflected passes…the 11 fumbles were recovered by 9 different Lobos.
Senior LB Mike Barnett led UNM with 83 tackles, the lowest total to lead the team since the school began charting official defensive stats in 1970. With the defensive emphasis in 1999 placed on the shoulders of Brian Urlacher and his 154 tackles, New Mexico only had seven players garner 40 or more stops over the 11-game season…12 reached that plateau in 2000.
After forcing just two turnovers the first three games, the Lobos created 25 the last nine games to increase their turnover margin to +8 for the season, a figure that ranked first in the MWC and tied for 20th nationally…the Lobos were opportunistic after opponents miscues the past nine games as well, scoring 63 points on eight TDs and three field goals.
Nothing was more key to the Lobos success than holding onto the football on offense and forcing turnovers on the defensive side…in the last nine games, New Mexico, 5-4 during that stretch, was an impressive +14 in takeaways..UNM forced 25 turnovers (14 interceptions, 11 fumbles) during that time, while coughing it up just 11 times.
New Mexico had a 5-2 record when it committed fewer turnovers than its opponent.
BLOCK PARTY
After having gone 21 straight games during most of 1998 and all of 99 without blocking a punt, the Lobos established a school season record with five blocks in 2000, including one in three of the last five games. UNM rejected three in 1940, 48 and 79. The Lobos scored twice on the blocks – both by CB Stephen Persley – against Oregon State and Air Force. Persley (Oregon State/Utah) blocked two while Dave Mauer (Texas Tech), Terrell Golden (Air Force) and Larry Davis (UNLV) had one apiece.
2000 RECORD BOOK
Holmon Wiggins set school records with 46 punt returns and 392 yards on punt returns…the old marks were 42 returns by Chad Smith in 1997 and 324 yards by Randy Rich in 1975…Wiggins averaged 8.5 yards a return.
Because of Wiggins and the blocks, UNM broke a 54-year-old team record for punt return yardage in a season…the Lobos amassed 481 return yards in 2000, eclipsing the 448 yards set by the 1946 Lobos…the Lobos also set a standard with 51 punt returns…the previous record was 48 returns in 1980.
THIS AND THAT FROM 2000
For the first time since 1964, UNM held five straight opponents – Wyoming, Colorado State, Air Force, Utah, San Diego State – to less than 300 yards of total offense…the 1964 team kept foes under 300 yards in 10 consecutive games and led the WAC in total defense, allowing just 210.5 yards during a 9-2 season.
The Lobos defeated Wyoming, Air Force and Utah in the same season for the first time since 1982 and only the second time in 14 opportunities.
Only two backs rushed for more than 100 yards against the Lobo defense…UNLVs Jeremi Rudolph carried 19 times for 106 yards while Oregon States Ken Simonton had 184 yards on 30 totes.
The Lobos were 3 of 10 on 4th-down plays in 2000, and failed in their last five attempts…three of those tries were less than a yard.
In the Lobos five wins, they had the edge in time of possession in every game..UNM led the MWC, averaging 32:33 a game…in its five wins, New Mexico averaged 36:11 time of possession.
GREAT JOB IN SCHOOL
The University of New Mexico football team combined to post a 2.59 grade-point-average during the 2001 spring semester. Thats the highest semester GPA by the Lobo gridders since the school began charting grades in 1988. Two of the top-three semester GPAs have occurred under current head coach Rocky Long. The Lobos had a 2.52 GPA in the spring of 2000.
SUCCESSFUL WALK-ONS
Some of the better-known Lobos began their careers as walk-ons, including three of the Lobos five captains. Jarrod Baxter, Brian Johnson and Mohammed Konte all started at UNM without athletics scholarships.
Baxter was a walk-on during the fall semester of 1997 under former head coach Dennis Franchione. He was placed on scholarship in the spring of 1998. Johnson was a 195-pound walk-on running back when he came to Albuquerque in the fall of 97. He impressed Rocky Long and his staff so much during 98 spring drills that he received a scholarship that fall. Konte, also a redshirt in 97, paid his own way for three years before being placed on aid in the fall of 2000.
Newcomers to the walk-on-to-scholarship saga include senior WR Joel Baker, sophomore S Terrell Golden, sophomore QB Casey Kelly, senior FB Sulayaman Konte, sophomore S Justin Millea, junior NT Adrian Terry and sophomore WR Terrence Thomas.
STRONGER EVERYDAY
UNM director of strength and conditioning Mark Paulsen reported in May that 34 players lifted 300 pounds or more in the power clean during spring testing. The total in 1998 was just 13. Such is the trend for New Mexico football in the weight room.
There were six players with a squat of 500 pounds or more in 1998, a figure that increased more than five-fold to 33 in the spring of 2001. Only four Lobos squatted 550 pounds in 2000 compared to 16 this year.
ATTRACTIVE, DEMANDING SCHEDULE
The 2001 Lobo home schedule could arguably be the most attractive in school history. The six visitors to Albuquerque compiled a 44-28 record last year, including a 3-1 ledger in bowl games.
UNMs two oldest rivals – UTEP and New Mexico State – highlight the non-conference docket in expanded University Stadium. The top-four teams in the 2000 Mountain West Conference standings – Colorado State, Air Force, UNLV and BYU – all travel to Albuquerque in 2001. CSU finished the year 10-2 and No. 14 in the final AP poll. The Rams edged Louisville in the AXA Liberty Bowl. Air Force was 9-3 and beat Fresno State in the Silicon Valley Classic. UNLV was 8-5 and bounced Arkansas in the EASports Las Vegas Bowl.
On the flip-side is that New Mexico is the only team in the Mountain West Conference that opens league play with consecutive road games (Utah and Wyoming). BYU plays its first two MWC contests on the road as well (at UNLV, at UNM), but the Cougars are home against Utah State between road trips.
CLINIC HELPS UNDERPRIVILEDGED KIDS
The eighth annual UNM Womens Football Clinic was held on August 2, with nearly 150 football-hungry females attending. Consequently, over 500 Albuquerque area children will be able to see a Lobo football game this year as part of the UNM Send-A-Kid Program, which provides tickets for underpriviledged and disadvantaged youth. Since the program was founded in 1994, over 7,000 children have been able to see a Lobo game in person.
TEXAS TECH NOTES
Head coach Mike Leach begins his second season at Texas Tech. The 1983 BYU graduate and former offensive coordinator at Kentucky and Oklahoma has installed a passing offense – dubbed Air Raid – that generated 23 school records in 2000.
Junior QB Kliff Kingsbury set 13 passing records last year while leading the nation in pass completions (362) and pass attempts (584). He finished 10th nationally in total offense, averaging 286.4 yards a game. Kingsburys best passing effort was 456 yards against Utah State. The New Braunfels, Texas, native was 21-of-47 for 186 yards against the Lobos last year. Only against Nebraska did he have fewer completions (20) and yards (165) in a game.
Senior TB Ricky Williams, who gained 2,476 rushing yards his first two years (1998-99) at Texas Tech, is the Red Raiders leading returning receiver with 52 catches.Senior SS Kevin Curtis (6-3, 223) is a two-time all-conference performer who logged 15 tackles for loss last year from his safety position.
Texas Tech has a pair of New Mexico natives