Three games into the 2009 football season, it seems defense is about the only thing the Lobos have going for them.
UNM lost its Mountain West Conference opener to Air Force 37-13 on Saturday at University Stadium.
With a little more than three minutes left in the half, UNM’s offense scored its first touchdown after 15 scoreless quarters.
In a drive that took only 20 seconds, running back James Wright ran 43 yards to the end zone. Wright added an 84-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, the fourth-longest run in school history.
But other than that, on special teams and offense, the Lobos looked a notch below subpar.
With 49 seconds left in the first quarter, Air Force cornerback Jon Davis intercepted quarterback Donovan Porterie and bolted up the left side of the field. Even a pounding hit by Lobo center Erik Cook couldn’t stop Davis from scoring. That gave the Falcons a 17-0 heading into the second quarter. Locksley pulled Porterie for B.R. Holbrook before the end of the first quarter, but Holbrook didn’t fare much better, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked four times.
“We thought getting B.R. in the game early would give us a chance,” said head coach Mike Locksley.
Not a chance.
Even though the Falcons lost starting quarterback Tim Jefferson early in the first quarter because of an injury, they managed just fine without him. Jefferson sprained his right ankle with 4:19 to go in the first quarter after completing a 19-yard pass to wide receiver Jonathan Warzeka. Backup quarterback Connor Dietz then replaced Jefferson.
Paced by the legs of Asher Clark (20 carries for 90 yards) and the hands of Kevin Fogler (two catches for 42 yards and a touchdown), the Falcons handed the Lobos their third-straight double-digit loss.
All Dietz had to do was hand the ball off to Clark and fullback Jared Tew, who combined for 151 yards on 37 carries.
Dietz completed two of four passes for 40 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown strike to Fogler in the third quarter that put the Falcons up 37-6.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
While Dietz filled in well for Jefferson, Holbrook couldn’t get the job done.
Early in the second quarter, Holbrook’s pass was intercepted by Davis, who returned it to the Lobo 45, setting up another touchdown drive for the Falcons, which made it 24-0.
On special teams, the Lobos allowed Reggie Rembert to return two kicks for a total of 90 yards, including a 60-yard return to open the third quarter. That led to another field goal for Air Force, pushing it to 27-6.
“I was a little disappointed (with the special teams),” Locksley said. “But one thing you have to take note of: We have a lot of defensive starters on all of our coverage teams. And our defensive starters are playing about 85 plays a game.”
The Lobos were the Falcons’ best friends, too.
Turnovers and a multitude of miscues by UNM gave USAFA an average starting field position on the UNM 45-yard line. The Lobo defense was on its heels all day.
The Falcon offense had three third-quarter possessions inside UNM’s 35-yard line, but the Lobo defense held USAFA to field goals on two of those drives.
Defensive lineman Kendall Briscoe said fatigue is taking a toll on the defense’s energy level.
“I am not trying to look (tired),” Briscoe said. “Sometimes (defensive linemen) coach (Rubin) Carter tries to pull me out, but I am kind of stubborn, and I don’t want to come out. So, I do get a little winded, but I am pretty tough. I suck up the wind and I stay in.”
