Aug 17, 2013
If the University of New Mexico football team thought Saturday’s practice was going be another perfect-temperature day in the mountains in Ruidoso, they got a rude awakening when they jogged out onto Branch Field at University Stadium.
Temperatures were in the 90s as the Lobos participated in a two-hour practice in front of 300-400 spectators for Fan Photo Day to culminate the end of UNM’s training-camp session. The team is off Sunday before starting school for the 2013-14 year on Monday.
Players were seen spraying water on their cleats Saturday as the heat off the sun bouncing off the artificial turf inside the stadium made the day even hotter.
“I just told our team that those people who watched us for two hours in 95-degree weather are what’s important,” second year coach Bob Davie said. “We were a 4-9 football team last year; we appreciate all those fans coming out to watch us. Those types of fans are the people that we’re out here practicing hard to get better for.”
Davie said this season is his 37th in watching a team finish a camp, and he’s been proud of the approach his team has had throughout fall camp.
“From a focus and execution standpoint, this is one of the better (camps) I’ve seen, Davie said. “The process of how we go about doing things is a lot farther ahead than it was at this time last year. We’re practicing like a football team should.”
The team participated focused on game-like situations with the younger players getting a lot of repetitions during the practice. Sophomore quarterback Cole Gautsche, however, had a couple of highlight throws deep balls to sophomore wide receiver Marcus Bundy.
“This practice was just like the practices we held in Ruidoso,” Davie said. “The offense did some good things, making some big plays, and the defense also had some good moments. The pace of the game was a little better.
“We’re making progress, but now we have to see it on game day. I’m anxious to see how we look in two weeks.”
The team, which bussed back from Ruidoso on Friday night and went straight to a team hotel Saturday before traveling together to the stadium Saturday, finally got some time to themselves after practice. But they all stayed on the field until the fans who wanted autographs and photos got their wishes.
Davie said he is hoping that he hopes Lobo fans can continue to show increased support for his budding program.
“I hope more people come watch us play because we’re going to be a fun team,” the second-year coach said. “We’re going to have some real highs this season and some lows because we’re a young team. But we’re going to be exciting to watch.”