Oct. 8, 2008
Lobo Football
What: Lobos at Brigham Young
When: 4:06 p.m., Saturday
Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Television: The Mtn. (Comcast ch. 276, DirecTV ch. 616)
Radio: 770 KKOB-AM
Quick fact: BYU has won 15 straight MWC home games
By Richard Stevens
Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
The Rocky Long plan for bringing down the mighty Brigham Young Cougars in Provo, Utah is based on the principles of an old adage: “Dance with who brung `ya.”
Long isn’t going to Provo with any secrets or any new offensive theories. It will be smash-mouth against high-tech.
The heart of what brought the 3-3 University of New Mexico Lobos to their three wins this season is a two-part formula: Run tough, tackle tough.
Sure, there are other keys to pulling a huge upset at BYU. The Lobos could use a few sacks, a few interceptions, some big plays, a solid kicking game and probably a passing game that will throw for more than the 88 total yards it kicked out in wins against New Mexico State and Wyoming.
But Long also knows the heart of his team is blue-collar, smash-mouth football and any visions of the high-tech Cougars’ offense crumbling in Provo hinge around these Lobo principles being effective at a high level of intensity.
“The only chance we got is to get after their (rears),” said Long.
Sounds good. Sounds possible. But Long also realizes there is an experience factor and a talent factor that will kick in and favor BYU.
“I don’t see a weakness,” said Long of Saturday’s 4:06 p.m. kickoff with BYU which is ranked No. 8 in the coaches’ poll and No. 9 by The Associated Press.
The problem with the Cougars is they are tough on both sides of the ball. They have outscored their opponents 144-17 in LaVell Edwards Stadium. Their last two home wins were 59-0 against UCLA and 44-0 against Wyoming.
It’s quite possible the Cougars are looking at UNM as another ho-hum win. That also could play to UNM’s favor. The Lobos are good at out-toughing, out-lasting the other guy.
Still, Long’s plan for productivity in Provo needs to be, well, productive. The Lobos need to establish a running game that will get UNM into scoring positions, win the field position battle and won’t turn over the football. The Lobos also need to keep BYU quarterback Max Hall and his offense off the field.
“It’s very frustrating for them if they are standing on the sidelines,” said Long. “If they are frustrated, that will help us on defense. Three-and-outs won’t get it done.”
Long said a mistake other teams have made against BYU is changing what they do best in an attempt to hang with BYU on the scoreboard.
“They are trying a whole bunch of different things to score a whole bunch of points because they think that’s the only chance they have to win,” said Long, obviously hoping for a low-scoring affair.
That’s why Long will hang his hat, and his offense, on the old adage. What “brung” the Lobos to this point of their season is handing the ball off to Rodney Ferguson, Paul Baker and, lately, freshman James Wright. UNM has run for 614 yards in its past two games.
Of course, there are a few worries that come with that offensive intent.
“If they don’t let us run, we have to be able to throw the ball a whole lot better than we’ve been throwing it,” said Long.
If it comes down to a battle of the arms, the Cougars have a huge advantage. Hall has thrown for 1,587 yards and 17 TDs. He has completed 130-of-184 passes. He leads the league in passing efficiency and total offense at 418.6 yards per game.
“(Hall) is probably one of the top ten quarterbacks in the country,” said Long. “He’s the best quarterback in our league by far.”
The UNM QB spot has been inconsistent all season, especially in finding yards and TDs through the air. UNM`s Brad Gruner, a redshirt freshman, has tossed for 279 yards and two TDs. He has thrown five interceptions.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to go up there and play a ranked team in that type of environment,” said Gruner. “I just have to come in focused and not be distracted by all the things around me.”
One thing around Gruner might be difficult not to be distracted by: the BYU defense.
The Cougars’ offense was supposed to be the strength of this 2008 BYU team and that might be true. But the BYU defense, returning only three starters, has been surprisingly strong behind an impressive 3-4 front.
Long says that front is as good as any team in the nation. The BYU defense has taken a bite out of UNM the past two years as the Lobos have turned the ball over eight times, which BYU has converted into 31 points.
“We want to go out there, show them our game,” said Long. “We’re physical. We can make plays and we’ll see what happens after that.”
Said lobo safety Ian Clark: “I think, in a way, this is going to be are real test right here to see if we have really stepped it up a notch or not and whether or not we can to step it up even more in order to win this game.”
Editor’s note: Richard Stevens is a former Associate Sports Editor and sports columnist for The Albuquerque Tribune. You can reach him at rstevens50@comcast.net. Previous articles are available at The Richard Stevens Corner