Lobo receiver Umeh gets go-ahead to miss game for sister’s wedding
Twice last week New Mexico wide receiver Anselem Umeh came oh so close to converting big plays, potential deep touchdown receptions, but he was overthrown on both.
This week, he’ll be too far away to be part of any type of correction.
The redshirt sophomore, regarded as the team’s best route runner, will miss the Lobos’ game at Utah State because he is attending his older sister’s wedding in Los Angeles on Saturday, UNM coach Bob Davie said.
“It’s the first time in coaching that I’ve been in this situation,” said Davie, who decided Monday to have Umeh be with his family. “He can’t be in two
places at one time. There will be other games. There won’t be another older sister’s wedding.”
For the past two weeks, Umeh has been the team’s leader in receiving yards. He has 12 catches for 227 yards and one touchdown. He has emerged as a threat on offense and said last week he enjoys going unnoticed while leading receivers Delane Hart-Johnson and Elijah Lilly gain all the attention.
The Lobos (3-4, 1-2 in the Mountain West Conference) will need other receivers to step up in Umeh’s absence against Utah State (6-1, 3-0), which is on a six-game winning streak and is a 21-point favorite.
Aaron Molina, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior, will see some action against the Aggies. The Lobos are hoping to redshirt Molina, a Valley High alumnus and junior college transfer who has already played in two games, Davie said. Under the new NCAA redshirt rule, Molina has two games remaining to meet the requirement to use a redshirt season.
Cedric Patterson, a speedy 5-11, 170-pound true freshman from Frisco, Texas, could also play. He saw time in the starting rotation at
receiver during practices this week, while Umeh took Patterson’s spot with the scout team.
TAKEAWAYS: For the past two weeks, UNM’s defense has not caused a turnover. The Lobos gave up a lot of yards and lost both games.
Gaining turnovers has always been stressed by Davie, but the need for takeaways intensifies this week.
Davie, who is in his seventh season with the Lobos, said in August his defense had the potential to be the best he has had in his time at UNM.
Losing linebacker Alex Hart, a two-time team captain, and highly regarded defensive lineman Trent Sellers to knee injuries has made an impact, but Davie said he hoped the Lobos would be better on defense at this point.
UNM allowed 433 total yards of offense in a 38-7 loss to Fresno State last week.
Against Colorado State, the Lobos gave up 423 yards. UNM couldn’t get a get a stop late in the fourth quarter when the Rams drove 65 yards in two minutes to set up a 26-yard field goal to win 20-18 as time expired.
TOUCHDOWNS: UNM quarterback Sheriron Jones was asked Tuesday what the Lobos offense is capable of doing.
“Putting up 50 points a game,” Jones said. “We have to execute and still believe in what the coaches are telling us, go out there and do what they’re asking us to do and we’ll be fine.”
The Lobos in fact scored 50 points in their win at UNLV on Oct. 6. But UNM has since scored 25 points combined in the last two games.
Meanwhile, Utah State has averaged 50.5 points during its six-game winning streak. The Aggies are No. 4 in the nation in scoring with 47.7 points per game.
Davie said the Lobos are capable of being explosive on offense. He is also confident about the offense because it features playmakers and a line that is playing at a high level.
“(Jones is) not saying that on a basis of arrogance or kind of a mindless statement,” Davie said. “There’s video evidence of that. I’m excited to hear him say that because there have been a lot of missed opportunities that, hopefully through development, we can take advantage of.”