Lobos set to face Aztecs
New Mexico hoping dreary week has an upbeat conclusion tonight
Perception is not reality. New Mexico football coach Bob Davie said that statement can benefit a team, though he did not want to elaborate on its meaning.
“I’ll just leave it at that,” Davie said after Thursday’s practice.
The reality is the Lobos (3-5, 1-3 Mountain West Conference) are amid a three-game losing skid and took on added adversity this week with the loss of senior linebacker Evahelotu Tohi, UNM’s leading tackler. He was suspended on Tuesday after it was learned he was involved in an altercation with teammate David Brown, who was hospitalized from injuries suffered in the fight.
If that weren’t enough, UNM has a late start to a nationally televised home game against San Diego State that, if form holds, won’t encourage a large turnout. Two weeks ago, the Lobos drew an announced 16,708 for a ESPNU-televised (like tonight) home game vs. Fresno State. Wide camera angles depicted a largely empty stadium.
Davie remained confident despite the tumult surrounding his team.
“I don’t think (the adversity is) one bit of a factor in this at all,” Davie said. “That’s my job to narrow the focus with these players.”
Davie has also said he has narrowed the focus for himself, as he took accountability for a 61-19 loss at Utah State last week. The Aggies moved into the Associated Press Top 25 at No. 18 after their win.
Davie wants the Lobos to bounce back, but that will be a tall order considering the opponent tonight at Dream-style Stadium. The
10-point favorite Aztecs (6-2, 3-1) could be bolstered by the return of two of their top players in running back Juwan Washington and quarterback Christian Chapman.
Chapman, SDSU’s all-time winningest quarterback, has missed the past six games with a sprained left knee. He is set to play during a designated time in the first half, as Ryan Agnew will make his seventh straight start at quarterback, SDSU coach Rocky Long, the former UNM coach, told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Washington could also return against the Lobos, the paper reported.
Meanwhile, in addition to the Lobos being without Tohi, they will also be missing another playmaker on defense in safety Marcus Hayes, who is also the team’s punt returner.
The Lobos will also be making a change at quarterback. Senior Coltin Gerhart, who is still not 100 percent from a sprained foot suffered in the season opener, will take over as the starter for junior Sheriron Jones, who started the past six games.
Earlier this week, Davie reminded Gerhart of the task at hand. The UNM coach told the quarterback that he had been through a lot, including the injury and missing on winning the starting job before the season opener.
“Put all that behind you,” Davie said he told Gerhart. “Here we are in the ninth week of the season. You have a chance to start against San Diego State, on national television (ESPNU). Pretty good deal. If someone were to tell you in the summer: ‘I’m the starting quarterback against San Diego State, on national television,’ you would say, ‘Pretty good deal.’ That’s how he is attacking this thing.
“I don’t think he is 100 percent, but he is an unbelievable kid.”