Lobos’ passing game strong, running falters in opening win

UNM’s Jordan gets more passing yards than any other Lobo quarterback

ALBUQUERQUE — It was nearly nine months in the making, but the college football season opener for The University of New Mexico was well worth the wait.

Blowout win, solid defense and some passing fireworks never seen in the Bob Davie era. So why the long face? The Lobos rolled to a 38-14 win over Abilene Christian on Saturday night at Dreamstyle Stadium. They got more passing yards from quarterback Lamar Jordan than any other Lobo QB in the last fiveplus seasons, but their vaunted running attack that led the country in rushing a year ago never fully took off.

UNM did run for 259 yards and three touchdowns, but running between the ACU tackles proved to be a chore from start to finish. For a team that relies on doing damage inside and out, it was an unsettling reality for Davie after the game.

“It never felt like we had any sustained umph,” he said.

That was a reference to both the offense and defense, specifically along each line. His young offensive linemen failed to dominate the game between the tackles as ACU did such a good job containing the interior while the relatively new defensive line never showed the explosiveness he was looking for.

Still, a win is a win, and Davie’s taking it.

Let us count the ways: Jordan’s 213 yards passing were the most since the 2011 season. He completed his first nine passes and finished 11-for-17, throwing for a touchdown to Jay Griffin early in the fourth quarter.

The defense shut down Abilene Christian’s running game, holding the Wildcats to just 8 total yards on 21 carries. Much of that was a product of ACU attempting 55 passes.

“They never did try to run the ball,” Davie said.

Lastly, the game marked the return of popular Lobos Romell Jordan and Delaney Hart-Johnson. A running back out of Rio Rancho’s Cleveland High School, Jordan blew out his knee in the 2016 spring game and missed all of last season.

He rattled off a career-long 44-yard run in the second half and finished wigh a team-high 65 yards on just three carries.

A tight end, Hart-Johnson caught three passes for 77 yards.

He is clearly going to be a favorite target in the passing game as things continue to evolve with Jordan under center.

While it wasn’t exactly a perfect start, it was more than enough. The defense scored one touchdown, recorded a pair of sacks, forced three turnovers. One of them was a 91-yard interception return for a touchdown by Jake Rothschiller in the fourth quarter, the sixth-longest scoring play in UNM history.

“I got to the 50 and was thinking, ‘Is this really happening?’ ” Rothschiller said.

The Lobos drove to the ACU 1-yard line on the first drive of the game but failed to convert when stuff just shy of the goal line on fourth down. The Wildcats responded with a methodical 99-yard touchdown drive for an early 7-0 lead.

New Mexico scored the next 38 points, taking a 14-7 lead at halftime and then blowing the game wide open by scoring 24 points in an 11-minute span between the middle of the third quarter and early part of the fourth.

Davie wasn’t entirely pleased with what he saw during parts of Saturday’s game.

His special teams unit was called for roughing on a punt by ACU, then it fumbled another punt away during a return.

The offense turned it over twice, the last of which led to a final touchdown by the Wildcats in the closing moments.

“Those things kind of stick with you,” Davie said.

GAME NOTES

Turnstiles: Saturday’s attendance was announced as 21,457, a slight increase over last year’s opener against South Dakota that drew 20,221.

Those numbers figure to go up next week as the Lobos host downstate rival New Mexico State. The Aggies stunned UNM a year ago, 32-31, in Las Cruces.

Debut: UNM freshman quarterback Tekava Tuioti made his first appearance, relieving Lamar Jordan in the fourth quarter. He attempted one pass, completing it for nine yards.

Rushing: Three Lobos had at least 62 yards. Romell Jordan’s 65 were a team high, but Daryl Chestnut had 64 with two touchdowns while Lamar Jordan had 62 yards on seven carries.