Aggies on pace for bowl game
New Mexico State starting QB Tyler Rogers questionable for Idaho
It’s fair to hype Saturday’s New Mexico State-Idaho matchup as the most significant college football game at Aggie Memorial Stadium in years.
It might also be a battle of backup quarterbacks.
NMSU certainly has more to play for in the Sun Belt Conference matchup. The Aggies (4-6, 2-4) have two home games remaining and could achieve bowl eligibility if they win them both. South Alabama (4-7,3-4) visits Las Cruces for next week’s season finale.
But first New Mexico State must avoid the fate that befell Idaho (3-7, 2-4) last week. Starting quarterback Matt Linehan sat out with a thumb injury and
the Vandals saw their bowl hopes dashed with a 13-7 home loss to lowly Coastal Carolina.
Linehan remains questionable for this week’s game — as does NMSU starting quarterback Tyler Rogers. The Aggie senior suffered a right (throwing) shoulder injury in the third quarter of last week’s 47-34 loss at UL Lafayette and did not return.
New Mexico State coach Doug Martin said Tuesday that Rogers’ prognosis is not as dire as originally feared.
“Tyler has actually recovered quite a bit pretty quickly,” Martin said. “We’re going to let him throw at practice and see how he looks. We’ll see how he does as the week goes on.”
Rogers has been a key cog for an NMSU passing offense that ranks fourth nationally at 354.9 yards per game. The senior is 279-for-451 passing this season for 3,374 yards and 24 touchdowns with 15 interceptions.
If Rogers cannot go Saturday, junior Nick Jeanty will get the start with senior Connor Cramer as his backup. Jeanty took over after Rogers’ injury at UL Lafayette and led one scoring drive but also threw two fourth-quarter interceptions.
Jeanty has filled in capably for Rogers in the past, however, and Martin remains confident he can do it again.
“I think Nick felt our defense was struggling (at UL Lafayette) — which was a little bit true — and that we needed to score every time,” Martin said. “He forced some balls into coverage, which he normally doesn’t do. He just has to stay within the offense, be smart, throw completions and he’ll be fine.”
Linehan’s status for Saturday’s game also was uncertain Tuesday, but the Aggies are preparing as if the senior will play. Linehan has passed for 2,056 yards and 16 touchdowns with just four interceptions this season. Sophomore Mason Petrino, the son of Idaho coach Paul Petrino, will start if Linehan is not available.