Oct. 23, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of New Mexico quarterback Donovan Porterie was named Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced this morning. Porterie, a redshirt freshman, completed 19-33 passes for a career-high 350 yards and three touchdowns in his second career start as New Mexico ralliled from 21 points down to defeat Utah 34-31 on Thursday night in Albuquerque. He is the first UNM freshman to win the weekly award since running back DonTrell Moore (vs. Wyoming) in 2002.
Making just his second career start, Porterie rallied the Lobos from a 24-3 deficit to capture the win. Trailing 31-27 with 6:18 remaining in the game, Porterie led the Lobos on a game-winning drive capped by running back Martelius Epps’ one-yard scoring run. The drive covered 10 plays and 78 yards and took 3:58. Porterie kept the drive alive with a 16-yard scramble on third-and-nine from the Utah 43.
He started the game 3-of-11 passing for only 47 yards, but then completed 16 of his final 22 attempts for 303 yards and three touchdowns. The Lobos scored on five of their last seven possessions in their largest comeback in University Stadium history.
Porterie is the first New Mexico quarterback to pass for over 300 yards since Casey Kelly threw for 429 against UNLV on Nov. 1, 2003. It’s the most passing yards by a Lobo freshman since Stoney Case passed for 393 yards against Air Force in 1991.
The Port Arthur, Texas product is the fourth Lobo to earn the league’s weekly award this fall. Wide receiver Marcus Smith and defensive end Michael Tuohy earned Offensive and Defensive honors, respectively, for their performance at New Mexico State (Sept. 9), while Kenny Byrd was named Special Teams Player of the Week following the UNLV game (Oct. 14). UNM had four players (three offense, one defense), earn Player of the Week awards last year.
Joe Martin (San Diego State) was named Defensive Player of the Week and Garrett Palmer (San Diego State) received Special Teams recognition.