567 yards to Montana State? UNM defense found lacking

Aug. 24—Passes will be dropped. Field goals will be missed. Decisions will backfire.

What does one say, though, about 567 yards total offense and 362 yards rushing, given up to a Football Championship Subdivision team — even a good one?

Former University of New Mexico Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez’s parting gift to the University of New Mexico, it could be said, was his hiring of Bronco Mendenhall as the Lobos’ new football coach last December. It was a hire hailed almost universally as a home run/slam dunk/golazo or whatever mixed metaphor you prefer.

Nothing I saw during the Lobos’ 35-31 defeat-snatched-from-the-jaws-of-victory has changed my mind regarding the above. Mendenhall’s record as a head coach — 17 years, one losing season — is unassailable.

One could say as well, though, that Nuñez’s parting gift to Mendenhall was a schedule from hell: road games up next against Arizona and Auburn — mercifully, separated by a bye week — before opening conference play against Fresno State.

Then comes a road game against New Mexico State, a team that’s had the Lobos’ number the past two years. All this while trying to rebuild a fragile UNM program that has won 22 games the past eight seasons.

With such a schedule, early victory opportunities should not be kicked away. This one was: two fourth-quarter drops, by Luke Wysong and Caleb Medford, that would have produced first downs, either one of which probably would have secured a New Mexico victory.

Missed Luke Drzewiecki field goals of 35 and 42 yards, the latter into a furious cross wind. Questionable decision, though Mendenhall pointed out afterward that the down and distance was fourth-and-7.

Lobos sophomore quarterback Devon Dampier had a terrific first half, going 13-of-19 passing and running 24 yards for a touchdown on a brilliantly designed quarterback…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/567-yards-montana-state-unm-030100679.html

Author : Albuquerque Journal, N.M.

Publish date : 2024-08-25 03:01:00

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