The Texas A&M Aggies will face the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday, Sep. 2 at Kyle Field in College Station, marking what could be the start of a 2023 rebound campaign. The Lobos enter the matchup with a revamped offense and defense that boasts two new coordinators as well as a transfer quarterback. The new faces on the roster should offer a sufficient first test for an Aggies team looking to rebound from a 5-7 season (2-6 SEC).
Here’s a preview of the Texas A&M’s Week 1 opponent in the New Mexico Lobos.
New Mexico Lobos
2022 Record: 2-10, 0-8 MWC
Head coach: Danny Gonzales
Gonzales is entering his fourth year with the Lobos, having compiled a 7-24 overall record across three seasons. He’s from Albuquerque and played college football at New Mexico, but he could be entering the 2023 season on the hot seat following two straight seasons of finishing last in the conference in scoring.
Offensive leaders
QB Dylan Hopkins (transfer)
2022 stats: 63.3 completion percentage, 1,913 yards, 10 TD, 4 INTs
RB Christian Washington
2022 stats: 73 carries – 310 yards, 12 receptions – 76 yards
Hopkins joins newly hired offensive coordinator Bryan Vincent from UAB as they look to give a stagnant Lobos offense a boost in 2023. The Blazers averaged 36.0 ppg last season as New Mexico looks to rekindle that same type of firepower. The Lobos will likely run an offense that will lean on the run out of the spread, which means returning tailback Christian Washington should get ample carries.
Defensive leaders
DL Tyler Kiehne (transfer)
2022 stats: 2 QB hits, 1 assisted tackle
LB Ray Leutele
2022 stats: 9 tackles, 1 sack, 4 QB hits, 5 QB hurries
S Tavian Combs
2022 stats: 10 tackles, 1 pass break up, 1 defensive TD
Sophomore defensive lineman Tyler Kiehne, a transfer from UCLA, has garnered some preseason buzz for All-MWC team selections. Leutele and Combs both had injury-riddled seasons last year but will look to return to their 2021 form in which they totaled 36 tackles and 81 tackles, respectively.
Week 1 outlook
All 11 projected starters on offense will either be sophomores or juniors, so the Lobos will boast a much more experienced unit when they take the field on Saturday. This is by far the most seasoned roster that Gonzales has had since he took over, but of course, relying on a majority of transfers means hoping that they build chemistry and rapport from the start.
Coupled with the addition of a new offensive and defensive coordinator, one of their key advantages will be the limited tape that Texas A&M can leverage in preparation.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=5]