Despite last season, MWC expectations for UNM low
Lobos had 7-6 record, played in bowl game, but poll puts team fifth out of six teams
While expectations for Lobo football are on the rise around these parts, the same isn’t necessarily the case around the Mountain West Conference.
In a preseason poll of the league’s media released Tuesday at the MWC meetings in Las Vegas, Nev., The University of New Mexico was picked to finish fifth in the six-team Mountain Division. It might be considered a slight to Lobo fans when held against the team’s breakout run to 7-6 overall record and second-place tie in the Mountain Division. It ended with a bowl berth for the first time in nearly a decade.
Boise State and San Diego State were picked as division favorites. SDSU is the reigning MWC champion and garnered all three player of the year awards. Running back Donnel Pumphrey was picked as offensive player of the year while defensive back Damontae Kazee was chosen for defense and return man Rashaad Penny was named for special teams.
Boise State got 27 of the 29 first-place votes from the media. Air Force got the remaining two and was picked second, followed by Utah State, Colorado State, UNM and Wyoming.
San Diego State was a unanimous pick to win the West, followed by Nevada, San Jose State, Fresno State, UNLV and Hawaii.
The Lobos were picked last a year ago in the preseason poll but return 10 starters on defense and five on an offensive unit that averaged 252 yards rushing. On paper, this is head coach Bob Davie’s best team since coming to New Mexico — and it’s something the players understand.
“Just keep your nose down to the grindstone, that’s what he [Davie] wants,” said UNM tight end Cole Gautche. “It’s just hard times sometimes and we’ve just kept on battling through. It wasn’t going to be the easiest at first and he understood that.”
Gautche was in Las Vegas as part of Tuesdsay’s Mountain Division media day. A former starting quarterback, he redshirted last season and will come back for his senior year as a tight end.
The Lobos did have two players named preseason all-MWC in the
media poll, both on the defensive side. Seniors Dakota Cox and Nik D’Avanzo were selected; Cox was one of three linebackers named while D’Avanzo was one of four down linemen.
Cox has led UNM in tackles each of his three previous seasons and is seeking to become the first four-time leader in school history.
LOBO NOTES
Davie announced the hiring of Saga Tuitele to his coaching staff Monday. A former defensive lineman at Portland State, Tuitele was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.
He replaces Jason Lenzmeier on Davie’s staff. Tuitele will serve as UNM’s run game coordinator and offensive line coach.
Cal Poly ran a similar option offense when Tuitele was there and the Mustangs led the FCS in rushing each of the last three seasons.