Offense shows little in ‘Showcase’
Lobos’ new scheme moves the ball, but doesn’t score in 80-play scrimmage
No touchdowns, no problem — not, at least, on the third day of March.
The New Mexico Lobos scrimmaged with full contact for some 80 plays during their annual Spring Showcase Saturday at University Stadium in front of several hundred sun-dappled fans.
The game flow clearly favored the defense, which never allowed the offense to cross the goal line.
Yet, throughout, the offense
moved the ball well in first-year offensive coordinator Calvin Magee’s spread scheme.
Though there were no official statistics, three UNM quarterbacks completed approximately two-thirds of their throws. There was only one clear-cut drop by a receiver, and there were no fumbles.
In fairness, as well, the practice plan did not allow the offense to go for it on fourth down.
The defense, though, made the plays it needed to make.
Acting head coach Kevin Cosgrove, who also is the defensive coordinator, liked most of what he saw on each side of the line of scrimmage.
“I thought the offense moved the ball well but just couldn’t keep a drive going, so that’s a credit to the defense,” he said. “... As you can see, when our offense puts it full throttle, it creates problems.
“So it was a good day. We got a lot of things done.”
What the offense didn’t get done, scoring a touchdown, wasn’t for lack of opportunities.
On the first series of the scrimmage, sophomore quarterback Tevaka Tuioti guided the offense from its 35-yard line to the defense’s 12. But after an incompletion and a 2-yard loss on a running play, senior linebacker Sitiveni Tamaivena made a leaping interception of a Tuioti pass inside the 5.
“The defense did a great job of holding them,” Tamaivena said. “But then again, it’s a new offense coming in, and I love the offense.
“It’s still a work in progress. Everybody’s trying to get stuff down. But I feel like once they get everything down it’s gonna be deadly.”
Later in the scrimmage — tightly controlled to simulate game situations — productive runs from senior Zahneer Shuler and Clovis redshirt freshman Micah Gray helped the offense move the ball from the defense’s 45-yard line to the 4. But after Shuler was dropped for a yard loss on second down, a Tuioti pass into the end zone was well-defended and incomplete.
Gray was one of several in-state players who made positive contributions.
Former Cibola quarterback Derek Martinez, taking extended snaps because senior QB Coltin Gerhart sat out with an ankle injury, had completions of 21 and 24 yards to former Valley wide receiver Aaron Molina. Tight end and former Cleveland Storm Marcus Williams had catches of 16 yards from Tuioti and 13 from sophomore QB Bryson Carroll.
Former La Cueva wide receiver Thomas Vieira had a 14-yard reception from Tuioti. On defense, former Las Cruces Bulldawg Kameron Miller, a safety, had a touch sack (quarterbacks weren’t allowed to be tackled) on Tuioti.
Gray, like Martinez and Vieira, is a walk-on. After a Clovis career that produced almost 4,000 yards rushing and 60 touchdowns, he could have chosen to play Division II football as did his Wildcats predecessor, Kamal Cass.
That certainly worked out for Cass, a two-time Division II All-American and the all-time leading rusher at Eastern New Mexico. But Gray opted to walk on at UNM.
He said he’s confident that, scholarship or no scholarship, he’ll get an opportunity to play in cherry and silver if he performs well enough.
“As of right now, I don’t feel like (scholarship status) matters at all,” he said. “Whoever coach puts on the field can make plays.”
The offense missed another scoring opportunity when, after sophomore running back Kentrail Moran was thrown for a 1-yard loss on second down from the 1-yard line, Martinez’s third-down throw was well-defended and incomplete.
Perhaps the best chance of all came on the final series of the day, when Tuioti threw for a wide-open Shuler on a wheel route from the defense’s 22-yard line. But the throw was slightly off-target and the catch was not made.
The Lobos have three more spring-practice sessions. Under head coach Bob Davie, who is serving a 30-day UNM administration-mandated suspension, UNM previously had begun spring drills in mid- to late March.
Tamaivena said he likes the early start and is looking forward to the early finish.
“We’ll get it done with, and then we can just focus on school the whole time, and lifting (weights),” he said.