Who will start at QB against Falcons?
Gerhart came out of SDSU game limping
Bob Davie isn’t sure who will be the starting quarterback for New Mexico in its football game at Air Force on Saturday.
But the UNM coach does know he has a high amount of respect for Coltin Gerhart and the senior quarterback’s determination.
Davie is impressed that Gerhart, a graduate transfer, has been doing his best to overcome a lisfranc injury since the season opener, doing all that he can to get back on the field. In addition he was the backup to start the season.
“That kid is a special kid,” Davie said of Gerhart during his weekly press conference on Tuesday.
Gerhart played at about 70 percent on Saturday when he nearly led the Lobos (3-6, 1-4 in Mountain West Conference) to an upset against San Diego State (7-2, 4-1), Davie said.
Gerhart has practiced the past two days, but Davie said he was limping and suffered a setback against the Aztecs.
Davie said if Gerhart plays he isn’t sure how much he’ll play.
“Right now it’s up in the air,” Davie said. “Sheriron (Jones) may start the game. We’ll have to see. It’s really based on Coltin, on how he heals and can he get to the level from before San Diego State because (Saturday’s game) was a bit of a setback.”
HAYES RETURNS: UNM redshirt freshman safety Marcus Hayes is set to make his return after missing last week because of concussion symptoms he suffered early in the Oct. 27 game against Utah State.
The Lobos, losers of four straight, will welcome back Hayes, who is a playmaker and also returns punts.
Davie said Monday that Hayes is expected to be at full speed today at practice.
Hayes, who has 39 tackles, is tied for the team lead in interceptions with two, including one he took back for a touchdown. He also has broken up four passes, forced one fumble and recovered another.
Hayes averages 13.31 yards on punt returns, with a long of 53 yards.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: Davie, on Monday, talked about if his team could have finished better in games against Liberty, Colorado State and San Diego State that the Lobos could be 6-3 and bowl eligible. He said he delivered this message to his players.
“It’s not what coulda, or what shoulda in a way to skate responsibility or to skate accountability,” Davie said. “But in a way to show that we have to win the games that we can win. That’s what we did when we won nine games (in 2016) and that’s what we did when we won seven games (in 2015) with back-to-back bowl games. We have to be more exact. When we get in games that we can win, we need to win them, and we haven’t won the close games.”
TOHI: Senior linebacker Evahelotu Tohi, the team’s leading tackler, remains on suspension and will not play Saturday.
Tohi was involved in an altercation with teammate David Brown at a party that left Brown in the hospital because of at least two punches from Tohi, according to a police report.
“He’s in the university process of how these things are conducted,” Davie said of Tohi. “There’s also an element of team rules, and when the time is right I’m going to dip into it some more with both young men.”
Tohi is suspended from playing because of team standards, Davie said. The coach would not comment on Brown’s status, citing Brown’s privacy.
RB: The Lobos’ running backs are hurting, including Ahmari Davis and Tyrone Owens.
Davis has been dealing with an ankle injury since the loss to Utah State on Oct. 27 and is doubtful for Saturday’s game, Davie said.
Owens has been hampered by pain in his knee and is not 100 percent. Owens, the team’s leading rusher (581 yards and five TDs on 152 carries) who is No. 9 on the Lobos’ career rushing yards list (2,566), ran for 38 yards on eight carries while dealing with the pain against SDSU.
UNM will look to Daevon Vigilant and Zahneer Shuler to step up against the Falcons.