Davie turning a corner at New Mexico
Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country entering the 2016 season. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 128 to our projected No. 1 team. Today at No. 88: New
Mexico
Coach: Bob Davie (18-32, entering fourth season; 53-57 overall)
2015 record: 7-6 overall, 5-3 in Mountain West Conference; tied for second in Mountain Division
Look back: Former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie turned the corner at New Mexico in 2015, leading the Lobos to a 7-6 record and the first bowl appearance of his tenure. UNM lost a close New Mexico Bowl to Arizona, but a postseason appearance for a program that had struggled at the
bottom of the Mountain West since 2009 can widely be considered major progress. UNM improved on defense, fielded a solid rushing attack and finally saw some breaks go its way in close games.
Offensive starters returning: 4
Offensive starters lost: 7
Defensive starters returning: 10
Defensive starters lost: 1
Key losses: OL Eden Mahina, WR/KR Carlos Wiggins, LB Ryan Langford, RB Jhurell Pressley
Top returnees: DL Nik D’Avanzo, LB Dakota Cox, QB Lamar Jordan
Strengths: The Lobos return 10 starters from a defense that showed considerable progress in 2015. The group will have to continue that steady rise to take pressure off a retooled offense.
During the New Mexico program’s best stretches, it has fielded a potent rushing attack. The group ranked No. 9 nationally last season with 252.2 yards per game on the ground. While key components of the offense do not return, the 2015 squad showed what was possible on the ground and those lessons should be passed on to the top reserves on the roster.
Weaknesses: The Lobos must offset the loss of RB Jhurell Pressley, who left the school ranked seventh in career rushing yards (2,725 yards) and second in career rushing touchdowns (35).
UNM also lost a solid playmaker in Carlos Wiggins, a receiver and kickoff return specialist.
Davie has shaken up some of the offensive staff’s responsibilities and hinted there could be competition for the starting quarterback job despite the return of athletic veteran Lamar Jordan. It’d be ideal if the Lobos had a clear leader to anchor the team’s offensive attack.
Outlook: New Mexico has work to do this offseason
to earn a second consecutive bowl bid and post back-to-back winning seasons. Players have to thrive in new starting roles on offense and the defense must continue to improve to help the Lobos avoid a losing season.