sports@dailylobo.com
The UNM football team will finally get its first taste of game action when it hosts Southern University at University Stadium on Saturday.
Head coach Bob Davie said the main difference between Southern and UNM is that the Jaguars have more experience in their offensive and defensive schemes.
“They’ve got some guys who are experienced in their system. Basically, they have more experience than we have in our systems,” Davie said. “The first games of the year you worry a lot more about what you do and how you execute than your opponent. I have a lot of respect for Southern, but I’m more worried about how the Lobos play.”
The Lobos will mix young with old as the team returns eight offensive and five defensive starters from last season’s squad and will play 15 newcomers in some capacity across offense, defense and special teams.
One of those newcomers is freshman quarterback Cole Gautsche, who went to Cleveland high school in Rio Rancho, where he led the Storm to the state title in 2011.
Davie said Gautsche is going to get snaps because senior B.R. Holbrook is the only quarterback on the team who has played a down of Division I football.
“We’re going to play Cole every game, basically,” Davie said. “It’s a long season, 13 straight weeks. We need to get some experience at quarterback; the reality is that no one has taken a snap besides B.R.”
Davie said he likes what he’s seen from the true-freshman signal caller at practice.
“He looks better sometimes in the game — I mean our game-like drills and scrimmages — than he does in practice,” Davie said. “He’s a lot like younger guys in that he overthinks things, and that causes him to overthrow the ball. I think he’s a better runner than thrower and he’s a tremendous leader. He’s going to need to progress as a thrower for us to be better.”
Davie said it’s about time the team gets onto the field and plays an actual game.
“You always want more practice time, particularly when it’s the first time starting out with a group of new guys and new coaches,” he said. “It’s time for us to go play and see what kind of team we’re going to put out on that field. I’m really anxious to go see them play.”
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The Lobos are coming off three consecutive one-win seasons and haven’t won an opening game since 2005, when UNM beat UNLV 24-22 in University Stadium.
Davie said he expects the Lobos to show a massive improvement from the last three years.
“I’ve done a bunch of talking, a lot of philosophical stuff. Let’s go see what we have, it’s going to be a long process,” Davie said. “I expect us to be the most improved team in college football. I think it’s a realistic goal to be the most improved team in college football and that doesn’t necessarily mean the record is the most important thing.”
The Jaguars, who went 4-7 last season, will rely on an aerial attack against the Lobos in order to expose a passing defense that ranked 99th in the nation in 2011. The offense will be carried by Jaguars quarterbacks J.P. Douglas and Dray Joseph, who combined for 2,826 yards last year.
Davie said he’ll be surprised if Southern doesn’t sling the football around against UNM in the schools’ first-ever meeting.
“They’re a pass-first kind of team. I expect them to go four wide, drop back and throw the ball,” he said.
UNM vs. Southern
University Stadium 3 p.m.
