Play Smart Football:
The Lobos must reduce the number of penalties that have plagued them in the last few games. In their previous game against San Jose State, many penalties cost them 15 penalties for 110 yards.
There is a reason the Offensive coordinator Vincent Bryant laid into this Lobo team during team meetings with his version of a “Come to Jesus” meeting.
This writer has watched many coaches through the years; we have talked since 1999, watching all the head coaches and seeing what has worked and not worked for this program.
The best Lobo teams under Rocky Long, Dennis Franchione, and Bob Davie made up for the lack of talent with intelligent or smart play on the gridiron.
They were the most disciplined teams, playing an aggressive, physical brand of football but with limited penalties.
They didn’t make it a habit for most of beating themselves. Head Coach Danny Gonzales must help this year’s team understand how important this is for them to win games left on the schedule.
The New Mexico offense has racked up 529 penalty yards on 59 violations, ranking them 5th in D-1 in helping out the opposition, this is not good.
The bottom line is that good teams make it a habit to minimize the penalties. Bad teams beat themselves by committing unnecessary penalties to help their opponents.
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Offensive Balance and Patience:
With the addition of UAB Offensive Coordinator Bryant Vincent, established quarterback in Dylan Hopkins, Offensive line coach Cam Blankenship, the Lobos have had immediate improvement.
They must utilize their running backs, especially Jacory Merritt, and get the ball to their talented receivers, including Caleb Medford, Deuce Jones, and Jerimiah Hixon.
Outside of the unusual penalties last week against the Spartans, this Lobo team has had a solid offensive line to at least have a base from which to work.
You can thank Offensive Line coach Cam Blankenship for that; he is a no-frills, need-be coach. I have seen it a few times in practice.
That said, man, this Lobo offense should have a good outing, considering the leadership of Dylan Hopkins, one of the more dominant running backs, combined with some outstanding Wide receivers.
At the very least, the Lobo offense must maintain their average points per game to keep them in the game and dominate with the very big offensive line they have.
All football games are won or lost on the line of scrimmage, and this game is no different.
Look for the Lobo offense to come in with a chip on their shoulders after last week’s bad performance. New Mexico has the 88th-ranked Offense in the country this season in FBS.
The Lobos are 65th running the football and 92nd through the air in the country, and in the red zone are in an impressive 36th in the country.
Sometimes, it’s not about the huge explosive plays; although you want those, it’s about being patient and just moving the sticks to get your team in a position to put points on the board.
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Strong Secondary Defense:
The Lobos’ defense, especially the secondary, needs to have a solid game as they have struggled against deep passes and face a formidable receiver in Steven McBride from Hawaii.
On the defensive side, the Lobos have struggled by allowing an average of 34.5 points per game and 380.6 yards per contest. They have given up 207 points in the season so far. They also check in with the 116th-ranked total defense, 118th against the run, and 95th against the pass.
#70 Isaiah Sillemon working hard in the trenches and special teams
Check him out on the 🎙️#GoLobos #WIN5 @Isillemon03 pic.twitter.com/zxGK2oBcdx
— New Mexico Football (@UNMLoboFB) October 17, 2023
The Lobos have succeeded in getting teams off the field on third down, ranking 30th in preventing third-down conversions.
Putting pressure on Hawaii’s quarterback Brayden Schager, who has impressive passing stats, is crucial for the Lobos to secure a victory.
The big guys up front, such as Tyler Kiehne, Kyler Drake, and company, have looked much better the last few games, helping stop the run game.
The Lobo defense’s leading tackler has been Lobo Safety Tavian Combs (45 and two TFLs).
Syaire Riley and Alec Marenco have been significant for this defense.
This Lobo defense has a small core of guys who consistently get the most tackles or make the most plays.
However good it is, there must be other Lobos who must stop waiting for the leader to lead themselves and make plays!
The Lobos pass defense gave up a completion percentage of 47.1%, relinquishing 272 yards on 8 out of 17 through the air. New Mexico gave up 32 rushing attempts for 259 yards (8.1 yards per rush).
When discussing the points on the board, the Lobos are 74th in D-1, maintaining an average of 27.8 points per contest.
The Lobos maintain an average of 391.0 yards per contest, sitting 69th in FBS.
“The last two seasons, the Lobos have finished last in the country in scoring Offense; this season, they are in the 70s—a 60-spot gain in one season.
If they could shore up the defense, this team could be a dark horse for a bowl game without a doubt.
Unlike the last couple of years, the Lobos have the talent to win games this year, outside of a handful of players.
A large part of that has been the defensive secondary in its growing pains and giving up big chunk plays at the wrong time.
In summary, the game between the New Mexico Lobos and the Hawaii Warriors promises to be an intriguing matchup between two teams looking to turn their seasons around in the winning direction.
Prediction:
As for the prediction of tonight’s game, it’s a closely matched battle between two teams with similar records and issues, strong on the offensive side, not so much on the defensive side.
The outcome may will come down to which team can execute their game plan effectively, minimize mistakes, and capitalize on their opponent’s weaknesses.
It’s a game that could go either way, and the point spread may not necessarily reflect the true competitiveness of the matchup.
The Lobos finally play four quarters of solid, smart football, turn the corner in the secondary, play to their potential, and get a victory. At this point in the season, any win is a good thing.
New Mexico has a 31-28 victory over the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
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