UNM’s defense makes the difference in the victory in Hawaii
UNM limits Hawaii’s big-play offense in its 28-21 victory
In football, if not in life in general, taking is so much better than giving.
In football, as well as in life, a pound of prevention is a far better cure than an ounce.
The New Mexico Lobos’ defense, overly generous throughout the first half of the 2016 season, was downright stingy Saturday night in a 28-21 victory over Hawaii in Honolulu.
The Lobos had given up 13 plays from scrimmage of 40 yards or more entering Saturday’s game. Against a Rainbow Warriors offense that had lived off big plays during a six-game stretch that produced four victories, UNM gave up a 31-yard pass play and a 23-yard run — neither for a touchdown. No other
Hawaii play went for more than 19.
The Lobos made the Rainbow Warriors work for everything they got.
“No home runs, and they tried,” Lobos coach Bob Davie said in a phone interview. “They launched the ball down there several times, and we had pretty good pressure on the quarterback, too.”
When the defense wasn’t getting stops, it was getting one big, game-changing turnover. After safety Daniel Henry blitzed off the edge and dislodged the ball from the grasp of Hawaii running back Diocemy Saint Juste, nickel safety Lee Crosby scooped it up and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown — giving UNM a 28-21 lead that the Lobos defense would protect the rest of the way.
“I honestly feel like that was the best defensive game we’ve played so far,” said defensive end Nik D’Avanzo, who made a crucial fourth-down stop to thwart Hawaii’s final drive. “... (Hawaii’s) a good team, but we were a little better.”
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN: The Lobos’ win at Hawaii, coupled with Wyoming’s upset of Boise State, had D’Avanzo and running back Tyrone Owens talking about a possible MWC Mountain Division title and a spot in the league championship game.
To even have a chance at the title game, UNM (5-3, 3-1) would have to win all of its four remaining games — most important a win over current division leader Wyoming (4-0) in the Nov. 26 season finale. It would help greatly if the Cowboys and/ or Boise State (3-1), which beat the Lobos 49-21 on Oct. 8, were to lose a league game in the interim.
Regardless, Owens — whose 72-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was UNM’s key offensive play against Hawaii — said that’s the goal beyond a bowl bid. For bowl eligibility, the Lobos need just one more win.
“(Hawaii) was a big win for us,” Owens said. “Three (wins) in a row for us and one more for a bowl game, that was big.
“We just need to carry that momentum and try to get to a bowl game, try to win a conference championship.”
New Mexico has not won a conference title in football since 1964. THORN IN THE SIDE: For Crosby, who returned the Hawaii fumble for the game-winning touchdown, this isn’t the first time he has broken Rainbow Warrior hearts.
Last season, during the Lobos’ 28-27 victory over UH in Albuquerque, Crosby intercepted two passes — the second of which thwarted Hawaii’s ebbing comeback hopes after UNM had taken the lead with 55 seconds left.
As he reached the end zone Saturday night, Crosby drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty (and Davie’s ire) by doing a front flip.
“I give myself, maybe, a seven,” he said in an interview with the Honolulu Star Advertiser. “I didn’t stick the landing.”
Had the Rainbow Warriors scored a game-tying touchdown as a result of the excellent field position his penalty gave them, as they almost did, this would have been no laughing matter.
After that second interception last fall, instead of immediately going to the ground, the irrepressible Crosby continued to run with the ball dangerously exposed before being tackled. Then as well, Davie — as happy as he was with the interception — gave Crosby an earful.
Davie was also unhappy that D’Avanzo took off his helmet in celebration after his stop of UH running back Steven Lakalaka on a crucial fourth-and-1 one play on Hawaii’s final possession. That prompted another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, forcing the Lobos to start their final drive on their 3-yard line.