2014-15 Football Previews – (Mountain West) – Lobos
The New Mexico Lobos went 3-9 in 2013, but the bigger concern is that they only managed to win one conference game—a 45-37 defeat over Air Force.
New Mexico
Mountain West Conference 2014-15 College Football Previews:
Head Coach: Bob Davie
2013 Record: 3-9
New Mexico Gambling Odds to win BCS Championship:
New Mexico Gambling Odds to win Mountain West Mountain Division:
New Mexico Gambling Odds to win Mountain West Conference: 75/1
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In 2014, more experience should show, but an improvement on defense and the ability to at least threaten defenses with some semblance of a passing game will both be necessary if the team wants to truly take a step in the right direction.
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When Bob Davie took over this football team, it had only won three games in the previous three seasons. He’s moving them in the right direction slowly, but we’re looking at another season in 2014 that will go down as a rebuilding process toward something greater.
Team Strengths:
Losing your go-to running back is never a good thing. In fact, it’s an especially bad thing for this team, as it was fourth in the country in terms of rushing yards per game (308.8) last season.
All that said, the system played a large role in the team’s success on the ground. Don’t take anything away from Kasey Carrier, who rushed for 1,122 yards on the year, but this team has depth at the position, which is necessary considering 77 percent of its plays were rushing plays in 2013.
Although the quarterback position is iffy at best at this point (the team was 123rd nationwide last season in terms of passing yards per game), the team knows that it has a capable runner behind center. Cole Gautsche only completed 44.9 percent of his tosses a year ago, but he managed to rack up eight touchdowns on the ground while rushing for 86.3 yards per contest.
If the team opts to go to the air a bit more this season, it can be confident knowing that six of the top seven pass-catchers are returning in 2014.
Team Weaknesses:
Defense, defense, defense. It’s no secret that this group must improve the passing game, but when you allow 42.8 points per contest over an entire season (121st in the country), as the Lobos did last year, something has to change.
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That change will come primarily in coaching personnel. New Mexico hopes that the additions of two new defensive coordinators will spark something from this group and that the team will see improvements, even if they’re minimal ones, to bring a different mentality to the field.
Specifically, this group needs to work on defending the long ball. Almost the entire secondary is back, and while experience is going to help them improve, it’s worrisome that a group that allowed 10 touchdowns of 30 yards or more is set to continue defending against the pass.
2014-15 New Mexico Football Gambling Prediction: 3-9
It might sound harsh, but the New Mexico Lobos should be considered the favorites for last place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference. They’d be the favorites to finish last in the entire conference, but the Hawaii Warriors are set to make that claim entering the new year.
At this point, giving New Mexico the same number of wins it racked up last year is safe. Give or take a win and you’re still in a safe zone, but it will likely be multiple years before we see true improvements for this program.
2014 New Mexico Schedule
- Sat, Aug 30 vs UTEP
- Sat, Sept 6 vs Arizona State
- Sat, Sept 20 @ New Mexico St
- Fri, Sept 26 vs Fresno State
- Sat, Oct 4 @ UTSA
- Fri, Oct 10 vs San Diego State
- Sat, Oct 18 @ Air Force
- Sat, Nov 1 @ UNLV
- Sat, Nov 8 vs Boise State
- Sat, Nov 15 @ Utah State
- Sat, Nov 22 @ Colorado State
- Sat, Nov 29 vs Wyoming
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