Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
After a scheduled off week, the University of New Mexico entertains Air Force Saturday for its 77th Homecoming game. Kickoff for the Mountain West Conference contest is 4:07 p.m. Mountain Time from University Stadium (37,370) in Albuquerque. The game will be televised by SportsWest, which airs locally on KRQE-TV Channel 13.
UNM is 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the MWC after a tough 24-20 setback to nationally-ranked BYU on Oct. 13. The Falcons are 4-2 in all games and 2-1 in the league. Air Force had its four-game win streak snapped last week in a 63-33 loss at BYU.
As was the case last year, the Lobos had the preceding week off before playing the Falcons. UNM lost at Colorado State 17-14, on Oct. 7, 2000, did not play on Oct. 14, then edged Air Force 29-23, at the Academy on Oct. 21, in a game that began at 10 in the morning.
The Lobos are seeking their third straight win over Air Force, a feat never accomplished since the series started in 1957. In fact, the last time UNM posted a three-game winning streak against a current conference member was Utah between 1992-94 when both schools were in the Western Athletic Conference.
New Mexico was picked to finish seventh in the eight-team Mountain West Conference by the league’s coaches. Air Force was predicted to place fifth.
With the postponement of games on Sept. 15, the Lobos played four straight road games between Sept. 8 and Oct. 6. The only other schools to play four in a row on the road in 2001 were San Jose State and Central Florida. The upside is that New Mexico closes the season with five of its final six games at University Stadium.
UNM is the only team in the MWC that had to open the conference season with consecutive road games, at Utah and at Wyoming. BYU had two straight league road games as well – at UNLV and at New Mexico – however, the Cougars had a non-conference home game against Utah State between trips. UNM 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. Air Force was 9-3 last year and 5-2 in the MWC to finish in second place. The Falcons defeatef Fresno State 37-34, in the Silicon Valley Bowl.
UNM was picked to finish last in the MWC a year ago, but finished in a tie for fifth place. It marked the second consecutive season UNM exceeded preseason predictions. New Mexico was also chosen to finish seventh in 1999, but tied for fifth.
STADIUM SECURITY
To ensure the safety of all fans attending Lobo football games, the following policies will be in effect at University Stadium for the remainder of the 2001 season:
Backpacks or large bags will not be allowed inside the stadium.
Diaper bags and purses will be allowed but are subject to search.
There will be an increased security presence both inside and outside of University Stadium.
Stadium gates will continue to open 90 minutes before kickoff, however, due to the implementation of these new policies, all fans are encouraged to enter the stadium at least 30 minutes before kickoff.
TICKETS/PROMOTIONS/SPECIAL EVENTS
Tickets are available at the UNM Athletics Ticket office at The Pit, online at tickets.com, at all Albuquerque-area Raley’s stores and at the ticket office at the UNM Bookstore. Fans can also call (800) 905-3315 or 851-5050 locally to purchase tickets through tickets.com. Prices range from $10-$19. Ticket office hours at The Pit are 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. On day of games, the box office opens at 11 a.m. for evening games and 8:30 a.m. for all games that start at 4 or earlier.
Isleta Casino is the corporate sponsor, while COMCAST and 92.3 KRST are the media sponsors.
LOBO HISTORY
The University of New Mexico has a 398-469-31 overall record through 102 seasons, meaning the Lobos are just two 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.
UNM-AIR FORCE SERIES
It’s the 19th meeting in a series that began in 1957 when Air Force won 31-0 at Colorado Springs. The Falcons lead the series 11-7, although UNM has won two straight for the third time: 1959 and ’61; 1981-82; and 1999-2000.
Air Force has a 6-4 lead in Albuquerque and a 5-2 advantage at the Academy. The Lobos won in Denver in 1959.
Despite a 10 a.m., kickoff last year in Colorado Springs, the Lobos jumped to a 29-7 lead then withstood a furious Falcon rally to escape with a 29-23 victory. UNM held Air Force’s option attack to just 145 yards rushing, outgained the Falcons 421-298 and had a 34:35-25:25 advantage in time of possession.
The Lobos finished the 1999 season with a 33-28 win over the Falcons in Albuquerque in a game televised by ESPN2. The Lobos rallied from a 21-7 first-half deficit, scoring 19 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 33-21 lead.
HOMECOMING RESULTS
The Lobos have a 36-37-3 record in Homecoming affairs since the first one was played in 1925. UNM has won four of the past five when the alums return to campus.
According to The Mirage, UNMs former yearbook, Homecoming games between 1925-41 were always played against either New Mexico State or Arizona. The exception was 1926 when a field conflict prevented UNM from playing either team. The Lobos played UTEP instead.
UNM is 0-2 against Air Force on Homecoming. The Falcons won here in 1963 (30-8) and 1995 (27-24).
BYU RECAP
Brandon Doman completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Ord with 3:33 left to hand the 17th-ranked Cougars a hard-fought 24-20 victory. The decisive score was set up when Doman converted a 4th-and-11 situation from the UNM 36. Doman ran for 14 yards on an option keeper. BYU played without standout running back Luke Staley, who was held out over concerns about his eligibility.
The Lobos had two chances to regain the lead in the final minutes. One drive ended in an interception. The last try resulted in a failed attempt on fourth-and-13.
BYU broke on top first with a 33-yard FG that was set up by a 40-yard pass on the Cougars’ first offensive play from scrimmage. UNM took a 7-3 lead midway through the second quarter on a textbook 14-play, 80-yard drive, capped by Jarrod Baxter’s 1-year TD plunge. The Lobos converted a 4th-and-2 along the way in a march that consumed 6:10.
Buoyed by a 44-yard kickoff return, BYU regained the lead at 10-7 on a 28-yard wide receiver screen. The Lobos answered with another long drive – 13 plays, 76 yards – to tie the score at 10-10 at halftime. UNM had to settle for a 20-yard Vladimir Borombozin FG despite having 2nd-and-goal at the BYU 2.
The Lobos had the wind at their backs in the third quarter but could only muster a 23-yard Borombozin FG to take a 13-10 lead heading into the final period.
The Cougars started the fourth quarter with their own long drive that ended in a 27-yard scoring pass and a 17-13 lead. Again, UNM countered in fine fashion. A 19-yard scoring toss from WR Derrick Shepherd to RB Javier Hanson on a double-reverse pass gave the Lobos a 20-17 edge with 6:09 left. The razzle-dazzle culminated an 11-play, 80-yard drive.
Despite the relative low score, the lead changed hands seven times.
The Lobos held the Cougars to 27 points and 201 yards below their offensive averages.
New Mexico has now lost five straight games against ranked opponents since a 23-21 victory over Utah on Nov. 5, 1994.
LOBO OFFENSE NOTES
Making his second collegiate start against BYU, sophomore QB Casey Kelly (Portland, Ore.) completed 17 of 33 passes for 161 yards, but he threw three interceptions. Kelly was also the Lobos leading rusher, gaining 51 yards on 13 carries. Kelly is the sixth quarterback – and the fifth starter – used by the Lobos since the 1999 season.
After four games, UNM ranked last nationally in pass completion percentage (33.6%) and pass efficiency (75.67). The past two games, Kelly is 37 of 63 (58.7%) for 372 yards, one TD and four interceptions. The team pass efficiency is now 86.68.
In his two starts, Kelly has led UNM on eight scoring drives (3 TDs, 5 FGs) that have averaged 11 plays, 62 yards and 4:21 off the clock. Six of the marches have been nine plays or longer. Four have covered 76 yards or more.
New Mexico has scored in 101 consecutive games, currently the 15th-longest active streak in the nation. The last team to blank the Lobos was BYU (35-0) on Nov. 7, 1992.
Sophomore WR Dwight Counter (Lancaster, Calif.) caught a career-high 7 balls for 60 yards against BYU, and has led UNM in receiving in every game this season. The past four games, Counter has 21 receptions for 385 yards, a robust average of 18.3 yards a reception. For the season, Counter leads UNM with 27 grabs for 425 yards, 15.7 yards per catch. Last years receiving leader was RB Ted Iacenda, who caught 28 passes for 257 yards.
Senior RB Jarrod Baxter (Albuquerque) gained a rugged 49 yards on 15 carries against BYU, including a 1-yard TD. The 250-pound workhorse moved into 13th place all-time at UNM with 1,708 career rushing yards. He moved into the 13th spot ahead of Michael Johnson (1,663) and David Osborn (1,667). Baxter has gained 525 yards, an average of 87.5 yards a game.
Senior RB Holmon Wiggins (Los Angeles) ran for 48 yards against BYU to move into 16th place all-time with 1,584 yards.
New Mexico had its greatest edge of the season against BYU in terms of time of possession, holding the ball for 33:40 to the Cougars’ 26:20.
Coming into the Wyoming game, UNM had converted just 22.4% (15-67) of its 3rd-down tries in 2001. The past two games, the Lobos have made 40% (14 of 35), including a season-best 7 of 17 (41%) against BYU. The season rate is now 29 of 102 (28%). The Lobos were 31% on third downs last year.
New Mexico had three turnovers (3 interceptions) against BYU and has lost the ball 12 times in the past four games (7 interceptions and 5 fumbles). For the season, UNM has turned it over 15 times (9 interceptions and 6 fumbles). The Lobos coughed it up just 19 times (10 interceptions and 9 fumbles) in 12 games last year.
The Lobos entered the Baylor game having scored all nine times (6 TDs and 3 FGs) they entered the red zone in 2001. New Mexico has struggled somewhat the past four games, though, getting just 46 points (4 TDs, 6 FGs) in 13 penetrations. UNM got one field goal in three tries at Baylor and a 1-yard TD at Utah out of two attempts. UNM has now converted 19 times in 22 penetrations. The three denials, however, were fumbles and loss of possession.
RED ZONE GAME-BY-GAMENew Mexico:
UTEP4-4FG, FG, TD, TDat Texas Tech5-5TD, TD, FG, TD, TDat Baylor1-3fumble, FG, fumbleat Utah1-2fumble, TDat Wyoming4-4FG, TD, FG, FGBYU4-4TD, FG, FG, TDTotals19-2210 TDs, 9 FGs, 3 fumbles
Opponents:
UTEP0-0at Texas Tech3-4FG, FG, TD, missed FGat Baylor2-3Interception, TD, FG at Utah4-5TD, missed FG, FG, TD, TD at Wyoming4-4FG, FG, TD, FGBYU2-2FG, TDTotals15-187 TDs, 8 FGs, 2 missed FG, 1 interception
LOBO DEFENSE NOTES
For the first time in 17 games, New Mexico did not cause a turnover in the BYU loss. The last error-free game by an opponent was by Boise State in the second game of the 2000 season. The Lobos forced 15 miscues the first five games of 2001.
Senior LB Gary Davis (Greenwood, Miss.) became the second Lobo to garner MWC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance at Wyoming. Davis logged a career-high 13 tackles, his third straight game with double-digit stops. He had 4 tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks. Davis leads the league in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (6). He is fourth in the loop with 47 tackles.
New Mexico picked off three passes at Wyoming – two returned for TDs – and has 10 on the season, 2nd-best in the MWC. The Lobos actually intercepted the first two pass attempts of the game by Wyoming QB Casey Bramlet.
Senior CB Stephen Persley (Fort Worth, Texas) and senior lobo Scott Gerhardt (Oklahoma City, Okla.) are tied for 1st in the MWC with 3 interceptions and are tied for third with 7 passes defensed. They each have 6 career interceptions.
Persley has scored 3 TDs in his Lobo career on a pair of blocked punts and an interception.
For the second straight season, UNM is leading the MWC in rushing defense and sacks. The Lobos had one sack against BYU, pushing their total to 19. New Mexico ranks 11th nationaly in rushing defense, allowing just 72.8 yards a game. Foes are averaging 2.1 yards a carry.
LOBO SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
Dating to last year, senior K Vladimir Borombozin (Hollywood, Fla.) has converted 11 straight field goals to tie Bob Berg’s school record set during the 1974-75 seasons. Borombozin kicked two FGs against BYU (20 and 28) to remain perfect on the season at 9-of-9. His last miss was from 54 yards against San Diego State on Nov. 4, 2000. Borombozin has also kicked 12-of-12 PATs, and leads UNM with 39 points scored.
Borombozin rates as the most accurate kicker in school history, connecting on 19-of-24 FG tries, or 79.2%. He has made 14 of his last 15 attempts.
Lobo kickers are now 11-of-12 on FGs for the season. True freshman walk-on Wes Zunker (New Braunfels, Texas), who also kicks off, is the designated foot for tries from beyond 42 yards. Zunker booted a 51-yarder against UTEP on the first attempt of his career and was true from 43 yards at Baylor. His only miss was from 46 yards at Utah.
Senior Holmon Wiggins (Los Angeles) returned one punt for 4 yards against BYU, increasing his career numbers to 60 returns and 505 yards. The school records are held by Chad Smith: 82 returns and 666 yards.
GAME-DAY COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
Head coach Rocky Long is joined on the sidelines by assistants Blake Anderson (receivers), Bob Bostad (offensive line), Jeff Conway (special teams/running backs) and Lenny Rodriguez (linebackers). Upstairs in the press box are offensive coordinator Dan Dodd, defensive coordinator Bronco Mendenhall, tight ends coach Gerald Bradley and defensive line coach Grady Stretz.
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
Five of the Lobos’ last eight losses have been by four points or less. UNM lost conference games last year to Colorado State (17-14), San Diego State (17-16) and UNLV (18-14). New Mexico lost a 16-13 overtime game to Baylor earlier this season and to BYU (24-20).
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 on Sept. 1, crushing the previous mark of 37,156 for Rice in 1997. The Lobos are averaging 35,403 fans after two games.
While the expanded stadium has just 37,370 fixed seats, UNM was able to shoehorn nearly 4,000 more fans into last Saturday’s 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.
2001 GAME-BY-GAME RECAPS
UTEP (W, 26-6)
FB Jarrod Baxter rushed for a career-high 184 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and the Lobos tied a school record with nine sacks in the 26-6 victory over UTEP. Trailing 6-5, UNM grabbed momentum right before halftime as true freshman Wes Zunker connected on his first collegiate field-goal attempt, a 51-yard boot, to give New Mexico an 8-6 lead. The UNM defense held UTEP scoreless the rest of the game, limiting the Miners to a minus-53 yards rushing, the fourth-stingiest effort in school history. UNM gained 271 yards on the ground, 214 of those coming in the second half.
at Texas Tech (L, 42-30)
Texas Tech used a 100-yard kickoff return in the third quarter to regain momentum and pull away for a 42-30 victory. Following a Lobo field goal that trimmed Tech’s lead to 21-17, Ivory McCann fielded the ensuing kickoff eight yards deep in his own end zone. Going against all conventional wisdom, he raced virtu ally untouched into the end zone. Texas Tech added two more scores to grab an insurmountable 42-17 lead five minutes into the fourth quarter. The Lobos fin ished with two nice scoring drives. Jarrod Baxter had his second straight 100-yard rushing game, carrying 23 times for 106 yards. The last time UNM scored as many as 30 points and lost was in a 52-31 setback to SMU in 1996.
at Baylor (L, 16-13, OT)
Unable to capitalize on several scoring chances, the Lobos fell to Baylor 16-13, in overtime when the Bears booted a 29-yard field goal on their first possession of the extra period. New Mexico scored only three points despite having the ball inside the Baylor 5-yard line on three occasions. UNM fumbled twice, the first error coming at the end of the first half with the Lobos leading 10-3 as QB Rudy Caamano mishandled the snap at the Bears’ 4 on a first-and-goal. The final miscue came in overtime. UNM had a 4th-and-2 at the BU 3, but RB Jarrod Baxter was stripped of the ball as he was heading into what appeared to be a wide open endzone. New Mexico had yet another drive stall in the first half when two penalties pushed it out of field-goal range. UNM had a first down at the Baylor 20 before the infractions. The Lobos tied the game at 13 with 1:40 left in regulation on Vladimir Borombozins 21-yard field goal. New Mexico had a 2nd-and-goal at the BU 5, but had to settle for the three points. Caamano passed for a career-high 258 yards.
at Utah (L, 37-16)
For the second straight week, the Lobos were unable to capitalize on scoring opportunities, then couldnt stop the Utah offense in the second as they fell, 37-16. New Mexico trailed 14-7 at halftime, but lost fumbles twice inside the Utah 20. It also was whistled for a dead-ball personal foul after a 27-yard pass play took UNM to the 10-yard line. The drive stalled and the Lobos missed a 46-yard field goal. Momentum switched in UNM’s favor during the first part of the third period. After a Utah punt, the Lobos’ first play of the second half was a 47-yard strike from Kelly to WR Dwight Counter to tie the game at 14. Later, Lobo LB Gary Davis sacked Rice in the end zone for a safety to hand UNM its first lead at 16-14. However, it was all Utah after that. The Utes took the lead on a 33-yard field goal late in the third quarter. After three straight incomplete passes by the Lobos, Adam Tate scored on a 46-yard run to give the Utes a 23-16 lead. Utah added two more scores in the final quarter against a tired Lobo defense that was on the field for more than 11 minutes in the third period.
at Wyoming (W, 30-29)
The Lobos held on to beat the Cowboys 30-29, when Jarvis Wallum missed an extra point with 21 seconds remaining. UNM halted a five-game skid in road games and snapped seven-game losing streak to the Pokes in Laramie, winning there for the first time since 1992. UNM led 30-16 with 4:15 left in the game after CB David Crockett intercepted a Casey Bramlet pass and returned it 17 yards for a score. It was the second interception for a TD by UNM on the day. CB Stephen Persley snagged a deflected pass and returned it six yards in the first quarter. The Cowboys staged a dramatic comeback in the final minutes. Bramlet connected with Brock Ralph on a 66-yard strike to trim the Lobos lead to 30-23 with 3:20 left. After UNM failed to pick up a first down, Wyoming took over at its own 27 with no timeouts and 1:29 left. Seven plays and 73 yards later, Malcolm Floyd caught a deflected pass in the end zone to bring UW within a point. Wallums PAT attempt hit the right upright. The Lobos covered the onside kick and ran out the clock. Lobo QB Casey Kelly engineered a nice drive right before halftime. Making his first collegiate start, Kelly marched UNM 80 yards in seven plays, culminating in a 5-yard TD toss to TE Joe Fiola. Kelly was 4-of-4 passing for 71 yards on the drive that gave UNM a 17-6 lead at intermission.
INJURY UPDATE
WR Terrence Thomas suffered a broken lower right leg in practice Oct. 17, and is out for the season. He is scheduled to have surgery Oct. 22.
LOBOS IN OVERTIME
The Lobos are 1-2 all-time in overtime games, including a 16-13 setback Sept. 22 at Baylor. UNM played two in 1998, winning a 39-36 triple-OT thriller against Utah State and losing to San Diego State 36-33 in a single overtime.
BLOCK PARTY
With two blocks this season (Stephen Persley against Texas Tech; Derrick Shepherd vs. Baylor), the Lobos have rejected seven since the start of the 2000 season.
After having gone 21 straight games during most of 1998 and all of ’99 without blocking a punt, the Lobos established a school 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 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.
CAPTAINS
New Mexico’s 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 by their teammates.
SEASON TICKET UPDATE
Lobo fans purchased 13,204 season tickets, the second-highest total in school history. UNM sold 12,223 last year. It’s the eighth straight year UNM fans have purchased at least 10,000 season tickets. The single-season record is 14,254 in 1998.
GREAT JOB IN SCHOOL
The UNM football team combined to post a 2.59 grade-point-average during the 2001 spring semester. That’s 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 1997 fall semester under former head coach Dennis Franchione. He was placed on scholarship in January 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. 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 UNM home schedule could be the most attractive in school history. The six visitors to Albuquerque compiled a 44-28 record last year, including 3-1 in bowl games.
UNM’s two oldest rivals – UTEP and New Mexico State – highlight the non-conference docket. The top-four teams in the 2000 MWC 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 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 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 Women’s 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.
AIR FORCE NOTES
Head coach Fisher DeBerry (Wofford ’60) has a 139-74-1 record in his 18th year as a collegiate head coach. He is 7-3 against New Mexico, 4-2 in Albuquerque.
The 63 points scored by BYU last week are the most Air Force has ever allowed. The previous high was in a 57-27 loss at Notre Dame in 1990.
Senior QB Keith Boyea was named MWC Offensive Player of the Week after the Falcons’ 24-13 win over Wyoming on Oct. 13. Boyea recorded career highs in rushing (196) and passing (168) while throwing for one touchdown. He amassed 364 yards of total offense, the most by a Falcon since 1988. He also caught a pass for 24 yards.
Air Force is 4th in the nation in rushing offense at 269.2 yards a game, although it only has one player (Boyea at 102.7 yards a game) ranked in the top-10 in the league.
Senior WR Ryan Fleming set season highs with 6 catches and 98 yards against BYU. Fleming’s career bests were established last year against the Lobos: 10 receptions for 104 yards and 1 TD. Surprisingly, Fleming led the MWC last year with four 100-yard receiving games.
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. UNM’s 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.
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 school’s 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…that’s 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 ’99 total of 23…the sack total came from 15 different players.
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.
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.
New Mexico had a 5-2 record when it committed fewer turnovers than its opponent.
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 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…UNLV’s Jeremi Rudolph carried 19 times for 106 yards while Oregon State’s Ken Simonton had 184 yards.
The Lobos were 3-10 on 4th-down plays in 2000, and failed in their last 5 attempts…three of those tries were less than a yard.
ROCKY LONG SAYS
(on BYU) — “We controlled the football, and had long drives with scoring opportunities. The offensive staff did a good job of designing the gameplan. It was very well developed. But, it still was not good enough because we didn’t win.”
(on the off week) — “I guess it’s 50-50 about whether we wanted to play or not. We had a few guys banged up that needed the rest. We havent had the luxury of rotating as many guys on defense as we did last year because were not as deep in some positions. On the other hand, we have showed some improvement the past few weeks, so you hate to lose what you’ve gained.”
(on Air Force) — “Air Force always presents a unique challenge for a defense because of its efficiency in running the option. We’ve handled it pretty well the past few years, but it takes a lot of concentration and preparation in practice to defend it with any success. Hopefully, we will continue to show progress that we have made the past few weeks. I expect the rest of our games to be very similar: all down to the wire. ”