New Mexico Lobos Football
Up Next: Lobos at New Mexico State — 6 p.m., Saturday (Sept. 20), Las Cruces
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
There is a chance that giving the weekend off to the New Mexico Lobos will end up putting a few dents in a few couches.
This wasn’t exactly a scientific study, but being a couch potato was on the list for most of the Lobos asked what they were going to do with the three-day weekend handed out by Coach Bob Davie. The Lobos return to the practice fields on Monday and play at New Mexico State this coming Saturday.
“I’m probably going to be bum on a couch,” said junior linebacker Richard Winston. “I just want my body to be all the way back. That means getting your feet off the ground, just relaxing and staying out of trouble.
“It (the break) is definitely needed to get your body back, to get your mind right from the grind that has been going on since camp. It’s been non-stop, plus we have the start of school. It’s not just football anymore. To be able to rest for this three-day weekend, it’s really needed.”
Junior running back David Anaya has similar plans. “Find a couch and be a bum,” was part of Anaya’s plans for the weekend, but he also was going to take time to watch his brother’s football game on Friday.
Brother’s team, Roswell Goddard, won 55-0, so it was a good start for Anaya’s weekend.
If there is a couch in Reno Henderson’s living quarters, there might be a big dent on the way. Henderson is a 260-pound offensive lineman, who definitely is planning to park it this weekend.
“I’m not going to try and do too much,” he said. “I’ll be hanging around the house and watching a lot of football. I’m a little worn out right now. I’m looking forward to this little break.”
Teriyon Gipson almost had a lot trip ahead of him this weekend. “I was supposed to go to Cleveland this week, but I chose not to,” said Gipson.
The destination in Cleveland was a Browns’ NFL game. Gipson’s brother, Tashaun Gipson, is a safety for the Browns. He played four years at Wyoming. Teriyon is hanging around Albuquerque to be better prepared for the NMSU Aggie game.
“I’m pretty much going to get in here (football offices) and watch a little bit of film and get ready for the next game,” said Gipson. “It’s rivalry week and that’s always a big game.”
Gipson said he also plans to “chill and relax, find a couch and sit back and watch some college football and get ready for the NFL game on Sunday.”
Lobo tight end Reece White, a product of Cleveland High (Rio Rancho) has a trip planned for his weekend, but it’s a car ride and not a plane ride.
“My family has a house down at Elephant Butte,” said White. “I’m planning on going down there and spend some time with the family, go out on the boat, just relax.
“It’s nice to have the time off because you go through a grind in fall camp and even though it’s early in the season, I think the break comes at a good time.”
The Lobos are two games into the 2014 season and will take an 0-2 mark down to Las Cruces. Because of the break, they will get a full practice on Monday to help them prepare for the Aggies.
“We went out with a purpose, not practicing just to practice,” said Henderson of this past week’s sessions. “We focused a lot on improving what we need to improve.”
Bob DeBesse, UNM’s offensive coordinator, said that sometimes a team won’t hit the practice fields with the intensity they should, if they know there is no game on that weekend’s schedule. He said the Lobos did not do that this past week.
“I feel good about the guys taking three days (off) because they have come out her during the open date and haven’t treated it as an off-week,” said DeBesse. “They have really worked hard. I think we have made some steps moving forward.”
Said Winston: “We gave up 800 yards in two games (on defense) and there are things that need to be corrected. We went out and attacked this week as if we were going into a game versus New Mexico State. It was something that was absolutely needed.”
Editor’s Note: Richard Stevens is a former national award-winning Sports Columnist and Associate Sports Editor at The Albuquerque Tribune. You can reach him at rstevens50@comcast.net.