July 26, 2003
DEFENSE
Despite an uncharacteristically slow start, New Mexico regained its defensive swagger in the second half of the season and capped the year by putting on a defensive clinic versus UCLA in the 2002 Las Vegas Bowl. In front of an exclusive national television audience on Christmas Day, the Lobos held the powerful Bruins to just 167 yards of total offense, 206 below their season average, and just one offensive touchdown. The defensive effort in the season finale pushed UNM up to No. 30 in the nation in total defense at 332.8 yards per game. New Mexico moved from 79th to 30th in total defense in its last five games to become one of just eight teams that has finished among the nation’s top-30 in total defense each of the past three seasons.
Like the offense, the Lobo defense returns virtually intact in 2003 with seven starters, including five all-conference honorees, and 24 lettermen back this season. However, several new defensive faces will be featured both on the field and on the sideline this season. Former Illinois assistant Osia Lewis came aboard to replace Bronco Mendenhall as defensive coordinator. Under Lewis, a colleague of Rocky Long’s for five seasons (1991-95) at Oregon State, the Lobo defense will be as aggressive and chaotic as ever.
“Our philosophy is going to stay the same,” said Long. “The basics of how we line up is going to stay the same and who we blitz, and what coverages we play will also stay the same as they were last year.”
Once again, New Mexico’s defensive success will likely depend on the performance of a new crop of young, inexperienced corners. The cornerback position is easily the most pressure-packed area of Long’s defensive scheme where jail-break blitzes frequently leave the corners locked in man-to-man coverage without safety help.
“We have more experience up front, we’ve got more experience at linebacker and our safeties are back, but we’re going to be very inexperienced at corner,” said Long. “Whether we play better early in the season will be totally dependent on how well the corners play.”
Defensive Backs
With the loss of Desmar Black, Brandon Gregory and David Crockett, senior Corey Brown is the lone returnee with game experience at the cornerback position. Brown started four games early in the season, but played sparingly down the stretch. No clear winners were determined in the spring battle for the two starting positions. Junior Curtis Flakes and sophomore Jerrell Malone will enter the preseason practice atop the depth chart, but the position is still very much up for grabs.
Though a bit undersized at 5-10, 165, Flakes brings solid coverage skills and real tenacity to the position. At 6-1, 186, Malone is more of a prototype corner. A special teams performer, like Flakes, last season, Malone showed real promise during the spring with his combination of size, athleticism and speed. Sophomore Aaron Brack (5-11, 207), who moved over from running back last spring, is perhaps the best raw physical talent at corner. His playing time this fall will be determined by how quickly he learns the defensive scheme. Junior college transfer Brandon Payne also brings good size to the group at 6-0, 188 pounds. Payne impressed the coaches with his toughness as he fought through a hamstring injury to turn in a solid spring campaign. Meanwhile, Brown possesses the best schematic understanding and fundamentals of the group, but needs to improve his strength and aggressiveness on the field.
“Corner is one of the most interesting position battles on our football team,” said Long. “We’re giving a lot of guys a lot of chances to prove that they’re the best at that position. I don’t think anybody proved they were head-and-shoulders above the rest during spring practice, so fall camp will be very important for those guys to see who comes up on top.”Fortunately for Long, the safety positions are solidified with a large group of talented and experienced players. Standout seniors Terrell Golden and Sidney Wiley lead the way from the wolf (strong) and lobo (free) safety positions, respectively.
Entering his third year as a full-time starter, Golden anchors the defensive backfield with his physical play and assignment understanding. Last year, he notched 61 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks and a pair of interceptions, including one for a touchdown. Wiley stepped into the starting lineup at the famed lobo position four games into the season and quickly established his prowess in both pass and run defense. With a greater handle on the defensive schemes, the coaching staff expects Wiley to make a name for himself this fall.
Junior Josh Bazinet will enter the fall atop the depth chart at wolf safety opposite Golden. Bazinet was perhaps the most improved player this spring, bringing solid assignment comprehension, play-making ability and a burst of energy to the defense. Reshirt junior Joel Paoli also showed a knack for making big plays and should be a key member of the wolf safety rotation. Sophomore Gabriel Fullbright is another high-energy player who will vie for time at the wolf slot. Junior Kevin Walton is the heir apparent to Wiley at the Lobo position and should be in the mix as well.
The wildcard in the defensive backfield is senior Brandon Ratcliff. A first team all-MWC selection last season, Ratcliff led the members of the secondary with 73 tackles from his wolf safety position, including 13 for loss and 3 1/2 sacks. He also snagged a career-high three interceptions. The coaching staff would like to see Ratcliff committ himself to a higher level of effort and discipline. If successful, however, they believe he can once again be one of the top defensive players in the MWC.
Linebackers
What was one of the most balanced and talented units in 2002, should be so once again this season. Departed all-league middle linebacker Charles Moss leaves a significant void, but New Mexico returns both of its stellar starting outside linebackers in senior Billy Strother and junior Nick Speegle, who each recorded 89 tackles and five sacks last fall. The top defensive reserve in senior outside linebacker Fola Fashola also returns and will enter fall camp battling Strother for a starting spot.
Strother probably had more big plays than any other Lobo defender last season and was recognized by the Las Vegas Review Journal as the MWC Defensive Newcomer of the Year. A two-time conference player of the week, he enters the fall stronger, more experienced and healthy after playing though nagging injuries early last season. Meanwhile, Speegle quietly turned in a fine campaign and was a reliable defensive force in each game. A key member of the linebacking corp since his freshman year, Speegle should be a stalwart force again in 2003. Energetic and fundamentally sound, Fashola gives UNM a third starting option on the outside. He displayed a clear play-making ability off the bench last year, recording 50 tackles (seventh on the team), despite never starting a game.
Senior Daniel Gawronski came into his own at middle linebacker this spring after serving as Moss’ understudy last season. Already one of the strongest players on the team, Gawronski displayed a much better grasp of the defensive system during spring practice. A powerful physical force at 6-0, 252 pounds, he also brings an Butkus-like level of intensity and aggression to the middle of the field.
Fellow senior Shannon Kincaid finished the spring healthy and ready to contribute. Kincaid will enter the fall behind Speegle, but has the physical tools to be an impact player. Promising junior Crishone Harris had a solid spring and will back up Gawronski at middle linebacker. Meanwhile, sophomore Mike Mohoric continued his steady development and could work his way into the linebacker rotation behind Strother and Fashola.
Defensive Line
The Lobos lost a valuable player and tremendous leader in nose tackle Hebrews Josue, but otherwise return the entire defensive line rotation. Seniors Daniel Kegler and D.J. Renteria were both second team all-MWC picks in 2002 and enter the spring as the leaders of the unit.
Kegler enjoyed a breakthrough season at defensive end last fall, leading the team with seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss, while posting 53 tackles. At 6-3, 260 pounds, Kegler is a natural talent at the end position, but needs to improve his consistency in practice and on gameday. Renteria also enjoyed his finest collegiate season last year, recording 37 tackles, including 13 for loss, and recovering a team-best four fumbles opposite Kegler at defensive end. An imposing physical presence at 6-3, 282 pounds, Renteria was moved to nose tackle during the spring to allow the Lobos to play with their most athletic front line. While shedding blockers will be more of a challenge, the coaches believe Renteria’s deceptive speed gives him a unique advantage in the interior.
Renteria’s shift to the middle allows senior Zach Rupp to move into the starting defensive end position. A quick and strong pass rusher, Rupp came on as the 2002 season progressed to provide a strong presence at end, where he started three games and notched 14 tackles. Though he needs to improve his run defense, Rupp’s addition gives the UNM defensive line a tremendous athletic boost.
Senior Guillermo Morrison quietly enjoyed a fine season backing up Josue at the punishing nose tackle position and will rotate with Renteria this fall. A good athlete and physical force, the 6-3, 284-pound Morrison notched a career-best 17 tackles in 2002 and should continue to provide UNM with a powerful interior presence.
Junior Kyle Coulter and sophomore Marcus Parker will also be featured in the defensive lineman rotation once again this season. Coulter, who started three games at end and finished the season with 21 tackles (three sacks) last year, brings a blue collar work ethic and good experience to the mix. Meanwhile, the promising Parker made seven of his 13 total tackles in the backfield, including a pair of sacks, last year and continues to improve. Sophomore Evroy Thompson, who took a two-year leave of absence for his Mormon mission, could also see time as he rounds into game shape.
“D.J. and Daniel both had solid seasons for us, but their postseason honors were more a reflection of how well the entire unit performed during the conference schedule,” said Long. “By the end of the year, I thought Zach Rupp, Kyle Coulter, Guillermo Morrison and Marcus Parker were all playing at high levels.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
Easily the Lobos’ most high-profile unit by season’s end, UNM’s neophyte kickers and punters were thrown into the fire last fall, but performed surprisingly well as a whole. Sophomore Tyler Gaus returns to handle the punting duties after a solid debut season and spring campaign. Gaus, a walk-on in 2002, earned third team freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News, averaging 40.5 yards per kick. He also nailed 24 punts inside the 20-yard line, was blocked just once and helped the Lobo punt coverage team limit opponents to just 8.5 yards per return. Meanwhile, junior Wes Zunker appears to have put a series of nagging injuries behind him and reclaimed his starting place kicking job during the spring. Sophomore walk-on Kenny Byrd, who completed his first season of organized football at any level last year, will also be in the mix. Byrd made his midseason debut at UNLV and went on to hit 27-28 extra points and 1-2 field goals.
“Tyler Gaus is our punter right now unless somebody comes out of nowhere that we don’t know about,” said Long. “We have some kickers in Kenny Byrd and Wes Zunker that will have big time competition this season.”
Long also said that senior letterwinner Katie Hnida, who became the first woman ever to compete in an NCAA Division I football game with her extra point attempt in the Las Vegas Bowl, is confident that she will be in the mix for the starting kicking job in 2003. Hnida nailed both her extra point attempts facing a live rush in UNM’s Cherry-Silver spring game.
Senior Martin Lovato is back for his third season in the underrated deep snapper position, while fellow senior Dwight Counter is back to handle the punt return duties. Counter performed surprisingly well in his first season on the job, averaging 11.4 yards on his 31 returns, including one for a touchdown and a long gain of 74 yards to earn second team all-conference honors in 2002. A host of players could see time back on kick returns, including running back D.D. Cox, wide receiver Adrian Boyd and safety Brandon Ratcliff. The explosive Boyd could also spell Counter as the Lobos’ punt returner.