Lobos Look to Get Back to Winning Ways, host SDSU
New Mexico Game Notes | San Diego State Game Notes | Mountain West Notes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — There’s a myriad of story lines for this weekend’s matchup with San Diego State. There’s the always present Rocky Long returning to UNM and Dreamstyle Stadium angle, and there’s the national television audience on ESPNU angle, but the most important angle is this: New Mexico needs a win. That’s exactly with the Lobos will be going for on Saturday night against the San Diego State Aztecs at 8:15 p.m. on ESPNU.
The game will also be available on the Lobo Sports Radio Network with Robert Portnoy and DonTrell Moore on the call, flagshipped at KKOB 770 AM and 95.9 FM.
The Lobos are currently in a three-game losing streak, the last two to Fresno State and Utah State. Those two teams, just like San Diego State, were receiving votes in both national polls. Now, Utah State is ranked 20th and Fresno State is ranked 23rd. The task for UNM is a strong one … defeat a 6-2 San Diego State team to keep bowl hopes alive and well.
For UNM to do that, they will have to do it with a new quarterback, and minus two big pieces on defense, and maybe a third. Leading tackler Evahelotu Tohi will miss the game on suspension, and fifth-leading tackler Marcus Hayes is out for the game with an injury. Stanley Barnwell, Jr., UNM’s second leading tackler, missed the Utah State game with an injury as well. Offensively, UNM gets a couple of pieces back, including quarterback Coltin Gerhart. Gerhart played one series in the season opener, hurting his foot just prior to scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run. He had been out ever since, missing eight weeks and seven games.
Gerhart has started one other game in his career, winning at Tulsa last year 16-13 on a Jason Sanders walk-off field goal from 53 yards out. He takes over for Sheriron Jones, who tossed 13 touchdowns with both Gerhart and Tevaka Tuioti on the sidelines injured. UNM will also get back the services of Anselem Umeh, who made national headlines last week when he was allowed to attend his sister’s wedding in California, missing the game with Utah State. UNM is in need of a spark on offense according to head coach Bob Davie, who noted that the offense over the last three games has only scored one touchdown as two TDs were either on defense or set up on a short field by special teams.
The Lobos, despite the loss to Utah State, had plenty of good things happen in the game. Punter Tyson Dyer had two 60-yard punts and averaged 46.6 yards per game and placekicker Andrew Shelley kicked a 53-yard field goal, tying for the second-longest field goal in school history. Defensive tackle Jermane Conyers recorded UNM’s first safety in three years and running back Tyrone Owens moved into ninth place on the school’s all-time rushing list.