Nov. 10, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
New Mexico looks to finish its 110th season on a winning note Saturday at Colorado State. Kickoff is 12:06 p.m. Mountain Time from Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins. The game will be televised by The mtn., Channel 276 on Comcast Cable in Albuquerque and Channel 616 on DirecTV. Both UNM and CSU have lost four of their last five games.
For the first time since 2000, the Lobos (4-7, 2-5 MWC) will not be bowl eligible after losing a 27-20 decision at UNLV. UNM was the only MWC member to be bowl eligible every season from 2001-07. New Mexico will also have only its second losing season in the past eight years.
The five conference losses are the most for a Lobo team since the Mountain West Conference formed in 1999. UNM was 1-7 in 1998, the final year the Lobos were members of the Western Athletic Conference. That was head coach Rocky Long’s first season at New Mexico, when the Lobos finished 3-9 overall.
New Mexico has lost three straight for the first time since 2005, and it has dropped three consecutive league contests for the first time since 1999. UNM’s last four-game losing streak in all games was 1998 when it lost the last four. The last time the Lobos suffered a four-game skid in conference games was also 1998 to San Jose State, Air Force, UTEP and San Diego State.
UNM is 1-4 on the road this season, 0-3 in the MWC games. The Lobos look to end a five-game losing streak in conference road games, the longest drought in 12 years, since losing five consecutive Western Athletic Conference contests in 1995-96.
Colorado State (4-6, 2-4 MWC) lost at Air Force 38-17. Freshman Asher Clark raced for touchdowns of 41 and 45 yards and Tim Jefferson hit Kyle Halderman with a 74-yard touchdown strike as the Falcons broke open a close game with two touchdowns in a span of 2:08 in the third quarter. Clark had 136 yards on 16 carries. Rams receiver Rashaun Greer caught seven passes for 145 yards.
A VERY EARLY END TO A SEASON THAT HAD NO OFF WEEK
New Mexico will be the first FBS school to complete its 2008 season when it plays at Colorado State on Saturday. Every other team finishes Nov. 22 or later. Nov. 15 is UNM’s earliest date to end a regular season since Nov. 13, 1943.
The Lobos are also one of only two FBS schools that do not have an open week in 2008. Purdue also plays 12 straight weeks from Sept. 6 to Nov. 22.
SERIES HISTORY
New Mexico and Colorado State meet for the 56th time since the first game in 1935. CSU has a 31-24 overall lead, 16-13 in Albuquerque, 13-11 in Fort Collins and 5-4 in Mountain West games. However, UNM has won 2 straight overall and 4 of the past 5.
Rocky Long is 4-5 in his coaching career against Colorado State, 2-2 in Albuquerque and 2-3 in Fort Collins.
MORE ON THE RAMS
CSU was 3-9 last year, 2-6 in the MWC. The Rams returned 34 lettermen, including 14 starters.
LAST YEAR IN ALBUQUERQUE
OJ Swift handled the setup, then John Sullivan was true on the game-winner. Sullivan kicked four field goals, including a 43-yarder as time expired to lift New Mexico to a thrilling 26-23 victory over Colorado State. The kick came after Swift returned a punt 18 yards to the Rams’ 26, lunging for the final distance and leaving three seconds on the clock.
It was the second straight year New Mexico beat Colorado State on the final play. Last year in Fort Collins, Colo., Kenny Byrd’s 33-yard field goal was the margin in a 20-19 win.
Sullivan also made a career-long 46-yard field goal to put the Lobos up 23-17 midway through the third. Sullivan’s second field goal, a 39-yarder, put New Mexico up 20-3 at halftime. He also made a 34-yard try on the opening possession.
Gartrell Johnson rushed for career highs with 172 yards on 31 attempts. His previous rushing best was 162 yards in a 48-23 win at UNLV on Oct. 20, which snapped Colorado State’s 13-game losing streak.
Johnny Walker also had a big day, logging a career-high 177 yards receiving and two scores. He hauled in a perfectly thrown pass from Caleb Hanie for a 64-yard TD play and later had a 31-yard TD reception.
The Rams trailed by 10 points in the first half but pulled within 23-20 on Jason Smith’s 23-yard field goal with 12:05 remaining, then tied it when Smith connected on a 32-yarder with 8:24 to go.
The tying score was set up when New Mexico’s Rodney Ferguson fumbled and Blake Smith recovered for the Rams at the Lobos’ 25-yard line. It was the only turnover by either team. Ferguson had 110 yards rushing on 20 carries while Donovan Porterie was 21-of-29 for 211 yards passing with two TDs.
Porterie threw for two TDs, including a 28-yard scoring play to Marcus Smith for a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and a 6-yard TD pass to tight end Chris Mark for a 17-7 lead late in the opening period.
TWO YEARS AGO AT FORT COLLINS
Kenny Byrd kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired and Donovan Porterie directed New Mexico to its third straight comeback victory, beating Colorado State 20-19.
Porterie, who had led second half wins over UNLV and Utah, completed 15-of-25 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. Rodney Ferguson ran for 80 yards and a touchdown. Byrd also kicked a 39-yard field goal. It was his third career game-winning field goal.
Caleb Hanie was 25-for-40 passing for two touchdowns and an interception. Damon Morton caught seven passes for 94 yards and two TDs for Colorado State.
New Mexico trailed 19-10 after three quarters but on the first play of the fourth quarter Hanie was intercepted by Quincy Black, giving the Lobos the ball at the Colorado State 35. New Mexico cashed in when Porterie found Travis Brown on a perfect strike for a 35-yard score nine seconds into the final quarter.
Colorado State drove to the New Mexico 17, but after Hanie was sacked, Jason Smith missed a 42-yard field goal with 9:02 left in the game. Its defense forced a punt with 5:15 remaining.
New Mexico got the ball back with 3:16 left. Ferguson ran for 15 yards to begin a 10-play, 63-yard drive that reached the Colorado State 16. Following a timeout, Byrd split the uprights.
New Mexico scored the first two times it had the ball to take a 10-0 lead after one quarter. Porterie and the Lobos capitalized on a short field and a pass interference penalty to drive 55 yards.
Facing a third-and-5 at the Colorado State 25, Marcus Smith drew a pass interference call at the Rams 10 and two plays later, Ferguson ran untouched into the end zone from the 5.
Colorado State made it as far as midfield and after a punt, the Lobos marched 58 yards to set up a 39-yard field goal by Byrd as the first quarter expired to make it 10-0. Ferguson contributed a 26-yard run.
The Rams put together a 57-yard drive. Hanie completed 4-of-5 passes for 35 yards, the last 35 yards a 4-yard TD toss to Morton. Smith connected on a career-long 49-yard field goal with 1:36 remaining in the first half to make it 10-10 at the break.
New Mexico outgained Colorado State 103 to 28 in the first 15 minutes. CSU turned the tables, 123 to 22 yards in the second quarter to send the game into intermission tied at 10.
Smith’s second field goal of the game, a 38-yarder with 5:52 left in the third quarter, put Colorado State ahead 13-10. It came a play after Morton dropped a pass in the end zone.
The Rams scored again after linebacker Jeff Horinek recovered Porterie’s fumbled snap exchange at the New Mexico 42. Three plays later Morton made a one-handed grab of a 30-yard pass from Hanie with 2:05 left in the third quarter. Holder Jammie Kaylor dropped the snap on the PAT and the lead was 19-10.
NOTES TO KNOW BEFORE THE GAME
New Mexico looks to win its third straight game against Colorado State, a feat that last happened during a 5-game run between 1960-64
UNM will also try and do something its never in the series with the Rams, and that’s beat CSU three straight times in Fort Collins…the Lobos won 20-19 in 2006 and 26-17 in 2004
Expect a Close Game: UNM has won the last two games against Colorado State with a field goal as time expired, 26-23 last year in Albuquerque and 20-19 two seasons ago in Fort Collins…since 1992, the last 14 regular-season games between UNM and CSU have been decided by 10 points or less with the average winning margin being 5.3 points
First-year Colorado State head coach Steve Fairchild was New Mexico’s offensive coordinator under Mike Sheppard from 1987-89
New Mexico is averaging 213.1 rushing yards a game – 3rd in the MWC and 15th nationally…the Lobos have averaged 246.4 yards the past 7 games
Senior TB Rodney Ferguson is 2nd in the MWC and tied for 23rd nationally in rushing at 102.0 yards a game…after a 123-yard performance at UNLV, Ferguson has 1,020 yards and is the 3rd Lobo to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons…DonTrell Moore had 4 in a row from 2002-05 while Mike Williams did it 3 straight from 1976-78
Senior CB Glover Quin continues to lead the MWC passes defended with 14, and he is 2nd in the loop in interceptions with 4…Quin, who has played just three seasons at UNM, broke the school record at UNLV with his 30th career pass breakup…the old mark of 29 was held by Stephen Persley established during a four-year period from 1998-2001
The UNM defense has allowed only 2 TDs in the 1st half of the past 6 games, by BYU and UNLV
New Mexico is averaging 41.3 points in its 4 wins, but just 11.7 points in its 7 losses
Junior lobo Ian Clark leads the MWC and is 2nd in the nation in punt return average at 19.7 yards…the single-season school record is 19.4 yards by Bobby Lee in 1953…UNM’s punt return average is 15.4 yards…the team record for punt return average in a season is 14.8 in 1953
New Mexico is 11th in the nation in punt return average (15.4) and 16th in kickoff return average (25.0)
Senior LB Zach Arnett is tied for 1st in the MWC and tied for 5th in the nation in fumbles caused with 5…that’s the most by a Lobo since former All-American Brian Urlacher had 5 in 1999, and is tied for third on the UNM single season list
New Mexico has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 15 games, since Colorado State’s Gartrell Johnson gained 172 last year
In UNM head coach Rocky Long’s tenure at New Mexico, the Lobos have a 47-12 record when they have fewer turnovers than their opponent, 9-48 when they have more, including 0-6 in 2008
UNM junior QB Donovan Porterie was lost for the season late in the 2nd quarter at Tulsa on Sept. 20…he suffered a torn right ACL and MCL on a pass play…Porterie, who had surgery Oct. 22, does not have a redshirt year
LOBOS STILL HAVE TOUGHEST SCHEDULE AMONG MWC TEAMS
According to this week’s NCAA stats, New Mexico continues to have the toughest schedule among the nine MWC schools. Based on past and future opposition, the Lobos’ schedule has a winning percentage of .561, which is the 26th hardest in the nation and the most difficult of all non-BCS teams. Colorado State is right behind at No. 27.
UNM’s non-conference opponents – Texas A&M (4-6), Arizona (6-3), Tulsa (8-1) and New Mexico State (3-6) have a combined record of 21-16. Four of the Lobos’ 2008 opponents are currently ranked in the top-25 of both major polls: Utah, TCU, BYU and Tulsa, while Air Force and Arizona are receiving votes.
The combined record of the seven teams UNM has lost to is 52-18: TCU (9-2), Texas A&M (4-6), Tulsa (8-1), BYU (9-1), Air Force (8-2), Utah (10-0) and UNLV (4-6).
GROUND GAME PROVES STRONG
The Lobos enter the Colorado State game 3rd in the MWC and 15th in the nation in rushing offense at 213.1 yards a game, but they have averaged 246.4 yards over the past 7 games. The current average of 213.1 would be UNM’s highest in a season since 244.7 in 1996. The best rushing average for a season under Rocky Long is 210.0 yards in 2003.
New Mexico had 419 yards rushing against San Diego State, the highest total for a Rocky Long-coached Lobo team and the most since 434 yards against New Mexico State in 1997.
YOUNGSTERS MAKING PRESENCE FELT
A number of true and redshirt freshmen are really making a positive impact on the 2008 season:
K James Aho: 16-21 FGs and 24-24 PATs…UNM freshman record for FGs made and he tied a school record with 5 FGs in Arizona win, 4 from 40 yards or more
QB Brad Gruner: 3-4 as a starter…averaging 4.7 yards per carry, including team-long 52-yard rush against Wyoming
OT Byron Bell: started every game at RT…1st freshman to start at OT since 1994
S Bubba Forrest: played in every game on special teams…has 4 tackles
CB Anthony Hooks: true freshman walk-on who started at UNLV…5 tackles and 2 PBUs in 4 games after being pulled off his redshirt year.
NT Brett Kennedy: 1 interception for a TD and 1 caused fumble that resulted in a TD for Jaymar Latchison against San Diego State
DE Jaymar Latchison: 17 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks and leads UNM with 2 fumble recoveries, one returned 28 yards for a TD
LB Carmen Messina: played in every game…29 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries
DE Johnathan Rainey: 14 tackles, 1.5 TFL and a caused fumble in 10 games as a reserve end
WR Michael Scarlett: started 5 games…8 catches for 89 yards..also 2-3 passing for 60 yards
S Mica Williams: 14 tackles and a fumble recovery, primarily on special teams
TB James Wright: 348 rushing yards in 7 games…6.4 yards per carry and a pair of 100-yard games on the ground
K Drew Zamora: Primary kickoff man
UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS UNDER Rocky Long
Five bowl games in six years from 2002-07 after six postseason appearances between 1938-2001
UNM was the only school in the Mountain West Conference to be bowl eligible and produce at least six wins in seven straight seasons from 2001-07….that’s also a first in Lobo history
49 wins from 2001-07 – an average of 7 a season – the most by UNM in a 7-year span
UNM has a 30-22 conference record since 2002, the third-most wins in the league over that span
UNM football’s top-15 semester grade-point-averages have been attained under Long, all in the past 17 terms since the 2000 spring semester, including a program-best 2.79 in the spring of 2008, and an impressive 2.98 in the summer of 2008
UNLV RECAP
Backup redshirt freshman quarterback Mike Clausen threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns to lead UNLV over New Mexico 27-20.
Also for UNLV, Rodelin Anthony (55 yards receiving) scored two touchdowns. His first was a 10-yard jump-ball from Clausen in the left corner of the end zone with three seconds left in the half, cutting New Mexico’s lead to 14-13. Anthony also picked up and ran in from 11 yards a blocked punt by teammate Deante Purvis, giving the Rebels a 27-17 lead with 13:32 left in the game.
Frank Summers caught the go-ahead touchdown pass from Clausen from 4 yards around the right side on a 4th-and-2 with 5:52 left in the third quarter, 20-17.
Clausen, a lefty, was 17-of-34 with no interceptions. He replaced Omar Clayton, who sat out to a torn MCL in his right leg during a loss to No. 11 TCU.
New Mexico, led by Rodney Ferguson with 123 yards rushing and a touchdown on 25 carries, had two offensive possessions down 27-20 in the final 4:22.
Lobos quarterback Brad Gruner was 11-of-25 for 128 yards and one interception, which came on the final drive with 4 seconds left in the game at the UNLV 36-yard line by Ryan Tillman.
The Lobos went up 14-3 on a Bryant Williams’ 40-yard touchdown run down the right side and later Ferguson’s 5-yard touchdown run through the left side with 11:47 until halftime.
UNLV’s other first-half points came on field goals, a Ben Jaekle 52-yarder in the first quarter, and Kyle Watson from 29 yards.
Watson’s field goal was set up by a Quinton Pointer 77-yard interception. Pointer, who grabbed the pass of wide receiver Michael Scarlett (51 yards receiving) on a reverse, had an open field for a touchdown but stumbled to the ground 16 yards short.
UNLV POSTGAME NOTES
The Lobos had a 4-game winning streak against UNLV snapped…UNM had also won 3 in a row over the Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium
The Lobos rushed for 222 yards, increasing their season average to 213.1 a game…UNM has averaged 246.4 yards over the past 7 games
Senior CB Glover Quin
had 2 pass breakups, giving him a school-record 30 for his 3-year career, and 10 in 2008…the previous record of 29 was held by Stephen Persley, who needed four seasons (1998-2001) to reach his total
faced 6 passes in man coverage and allowed just 1 completion for 7 yards
returned 2 kickoffs for 77 yards, increasing his season average to 33.2
Senior RB Rodney Ferguson
25 carries for 123 yards and 1 TD
has 1,020 yards in 2008, becoming the 3rd Lobo and 2nd MWC player with 3 straight 1,000-yard seasons
16 career 100-yard rushing games and 6 in 2008, the most in the MWC
13 rushing TDs in 2008 ranks tied for 4th on the UNM single-season list and equals his total from last year
has 3,479 career rushing yards, No. 2 at UNM and in the MWC behind former teammate DonTrell Moore
surpassed 4,000 scrimmage yards in his career; he has 4,133 (5th all-time at UNM)
3rd place in MWC history with 37 career TDs overall
3rd place in MWC history with 222 career points for a non-kicker
4th place in MWC history with 34 career rushing TDs
Redshirt freshman QB Brad Gruner
attempted 112 passes without being intercepted until his last throw at UNLV was picked off…his previous interception was in the 2nd quarter at New Mexico State on Sept. 27
Senior LB Hebert Felder III
had a career-high 11 tackles, including a career-high-tying 2.5 tackles for loss, and a 10-yard sack
has recorded a TFL in 4 straight games and has 8.0 TFLs and 5.5 sacks in his last 6 games
season-totals are now 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks…9.5 TFL and 6.0 sacks have come in 7 MWC games
Senior LB Zach Arnett
had 9 stops, including 2.0 tackles for loss
has notched a TFL in 8 of 11 games this season, racking up 5.5 the last three weeks.
Freshman K James Aho
2-2 on FGs, connecting from 30 and 32 yards
16 of 21 FGs in his debut season, which is the most ever by a Lobo freshman…the previous record was 15 by David Margolis in 1989
3 multiple FG games this season…10-11 in the second half and 4-4 in the 4th quarter
Sophomore WR Bryant Williams
scored his 2nd TD of the year on a 40-yard reverse in the 1st quarter
Redshirt freshman WR Michael Scarlett
tied a season-high with 3 catches for a career-high 51 yards and officially credited with 3 rushing attempts for 14 yards
also completed a 20-yard pass to Rodney Ferguson
Senior safety Blake Ligon
had a season-high 8 tackles
Senior OT Sylvester Hatten
established a career-high with a 93% effort grade and an 83% total evaluation, along with 16 knockdown blocks
Redshirt freshman OT Byron Bell
set career-highs for technique grade (72%) and overall grade (85%)
Senior RB Paul Baker
26 yards rushing, pushing his career total to 980…needs 20 yards to reach 1,000