Three Keys to a New Mexico Victory
- The Lobos must contain Chevron Cordero
The Spartans have the MW’s most experienced quarterback in Chevan Cordiero, averaging 224.6 yards per game passing and rushing for 121 yards and three touchdowns.
The Spartans are led by the longest-tenured quarterback in the Mountain West Conference, Chevan Cordeiro.
He leads his team with 1,338 passing yards (223 per game) and has a 61% completion percentage (125-of-205), throwing six touchdown passes and three interceptions.
He also has 121 rushing yards on 46 carries (with three touchdowns), averaging 20.2 yards per game.
He was the preseason MWC player of the year and has over 10.765 yards passing in his six seasons in FBS; this Honolulu Quarterback can flat-out throw the football and is good with his legs when needed.
“We have to make him hold the football,” Danny Gonzales said. “He’s really dangerous with his feet. If you saw the second touchdown against Boise (State) on Saturday, he ran over a safety and beat a linebacker to the goal line.
“He doesn’t necessarily want to run it, but he’s very dangerous when he does … And like I said earlier, he can make every throw. He can throw the wide field out, which not many quarterbacks can do.”
When asked about what he saw on film about San Jose State: This is a team that’s been playing good football,” he said. “They’re extremely creative on defense. I think Coach Gonzales does a fantastic job that way.
“Offensively, they have a lot of weapons that can hurt you. They have three good receivers. They have two quarterbacks — both are good players; they’re different, but that proved to be challenging for us last week against Boise State. Their running back is a fantastic player.”
San Jose State at New Mexico: Keys to a Spartans Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction
The Spartans also have Nick Nash, a former quarterback with 29 catches for 333 yards and three TDs; Kairee Robinson at running back has 345 yards on the season and 7 TDs.
Defensively, it’s hard to ignore Tre Jenkins, who had 30 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, and an interception.
- Dylan Hopkins getting the hot hand to Lobo receivers.
Hopkins leads New Mexico with 989 passing yards (197.8 yards per game) on 72-of-128 passing with seven touchdowns compared to three interceptions this season.
He also adds 75 rushing yards (15 yards per game) on 24 carries while scoring one touchdown on the ground.
Hopkins has some game-changing threats, receiving core Caleb Medford: Caleb Medford’s 187 receiving yards (37.4 yards per game) lead the team.
He has eight receptions with one touchdown, followed by Deuce Jones, 166 yards, 33.2 yards per game, 1 TD, and Andrew Erickson with ten receptions for 140 yards and a single TD.
The Lobos come into the game with arguably one of the top running backs in the nation, with Alabama transfer Jacory Merritt “Bill.”
He has carried the ball 62 times for a team-high 420 yards (averaging 84 yards per game) and seven touchdowns.
Out for the season is Dorian Lewis, who suffered a foot injury at Wyoming last week and had surgery yesterday and is expected to make a full recovery for next season.
The Lobos are deep in that position, so look for ULM transfer Andrew Henry and Sherrod White to pick up the slack in Lewis’s absence.
We might see the preseason 2nd team MWC kick-off return Christian Washington, who has been out for the Lobos.
- Do not give up the lighting strike big plays in the secondary.
The Lobos secondary must not give up big plays, and they can expect to be targeted by a very good throwing quarterback for the Spartans.
Nothing will change the momentum of a game for them than to give up the deep threats that will come.
The Lobos have given up a total of 845 yards on the ground, 169 yards per game, and five rushing TDs for the year.
In contrast, they have given up 12 touchdowns via the pass, 235.8 yards per game, putting them at 81st in the country.
The Lobos are surrendering 31.0 points per game, which has them 106th in D-1. Overall, they have conceded 155 total points.
So, based on these numbers, you can get the offensive coordinator for the Spartans licking his chops with having Chevron Cordero at the helm.
This Danny Gonzales defense must apply pressure by blitzing to keep Cordero from throwing the deep routes.
This defense must put their mean socks on and get back to playing aggressive, physical Lobo defense to contain the Spartan offense, or it could be a long evening.
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Playing swarming defense with 11 guys flying to the ball and punishing ball carriers has been one of the hallmarks with defenses in the past and must get back to this to put them in position to win more games this year.
The Lobos play a lot of man coverage; these skill guys in the secondary must play solid fundamental defense.
If there is one unmeasurable motivation for the Lobos, is games that are very winnable right in front of them with the coming close to upsets one of the best if not the best team in the MWC, the Wyoming Cowboys.
This really showed the Lobo team, that they can compete with anyone in the league and have the talent to do so.
What should help the Lobos are some key injuries on the offensive side for the Spartans.
Four Spartan players, all on the offensive side, who are listed as questionable, with three having already been ruled out.
Spartan Tight End Sam Olson (knee) is the lone questionable player and given the lack of depth at the position, could be missed. At 6’5 225 he is a big body to replace.
The Lobo defense need other players beside the Lobos stars on the team to step up and make plays to change the momentum for the Lobos, I see that happening.
Lots of players making plays, not just the Lobos we hear about so regularly hear about.
For example, when is the last time we saw a punt return, an interception, or more than a sack in the backfield.
This is the Lobo defense Lobo fans were spoiled at seeing in the past and this team must rise to the occasion and get on a winning roll.
Prediction. Lobos 34, Spartans 31
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