Shhh! Aggies’ spring debut curiously kept on down low
New Mexico State football to face Tarleton State Sunday in El Paso
Strange might be the most fitting term to describe New Mexico State University’s upcoming football season.
The Aggies, who sat out the 2020 fall campaign because of COVID-19 complications, are expected to kick off an abbreviated spring schedule Sunday in El Paso. NMSU is set to play Tarleton State at the Sun Bowl at 3 p.m., though contractual language allowing the game to be officially announced was still being finalized Wednesday.
Fair to say it’s not your traditional season-opener. Fans will not be permitted, and it’s likely to be one of two spring “home” games the Aggies play 40 miles from their campus in a stadium that is home to rival UTEP.
Nonetheless, NMSU coach Doug Martin and his team are beyond eager to line up for any type of football game. Martin discussed some of the particulars in Zoom media call Wednesday.
“It’s different,” Martin said. “Playing at the Sun Bowl with no fans, we’ll have to bring our own energy and enthusiasm. But our guys are so excited to play a game, I think that will take care of itself. We appreciate UTEP making this available for us.”
The coronavirus pandemic is largely responsible for the odd spring contest. COVID-19 caused most college football programs to eliminate non-conference games in the fall, leaving FBS independents like NMSU with
few viable opponents. The Aggies opted to play a limited spring schedule instead.
New Mexico’s COVID restrictions also played a role. The Aggies only recently were allowed to begin full-team workouts in Las Cruces, but athletic competitions within the state remain prohibited.
As a result, NMSU will host Tarleton State in nearby El Paso. A second game against Dixie State, planned for March 6, is expected to be played at the Sun Bowl as well.
Assuming it goes off as planned, Sunday’s contest will amount to something of an unveiling for Martin’s program. New faces are the rule for a squad more than 14 months removed from its last game.
“I think we have 25 guys who’ve actually played in a game for us,” Martin said. “We’ve added two recruiting classes since our last season and we have so many new guys in the program. These spring games are mostly going to be about evaluation and getting ready for the 2021 (fall) season. They can really be valuable for us.”
Martin and his staff have much to evaluate, including a two-man competition for the quarterback position. Former start Josh Adkins transferred to UTSA after the 2019 season, and junior transfer Jonah Johnson is battling redshirt freshman Weston Eget for the starting role. Martin said each QB will likely start one spring game.
NMSU will be exceptionally young on defense and has a number of new players at its skill positions. Some, who are midyear transfers, cannot play in the spring games according to NCAA rules.
“Some of those guys are starters, so we won’t really have our best team on the field,” Martin said, “but it’ll give us a chance to see a lot of young guys.”
As for Sunday’s opponent, Tarleton State is transitioning to Division I this year after a successful run of Division II football. The Texans, who were a combined 25-2 in 2018 and ’19, opened spring competition last week with a 40-37 doubleovertime loss to McNeese State.
“People may not know a lot about them, but Tarleton State is a really good football team,” Martin said. “Most of their team could play for us. We don’t have a talent advantage this week and I’ve told our players that.”