In the first half, UNM head coach Bob Davie added a little trickery to UNM’s normal run-heavy offense that included a 27-yard fake field goal run and an 18-yard halfback toss, both resulting in touchdowns.
Two separate players threw touchdown passes. However, the first two quarterbacks of the game did not assist in the touchdowns. Davie said the assurance to run the offense successfully allowed him to put some tweaks in his team’s play call.
“You don’t run a fake field goal on fourth and 13 unless you have some confidence,” Davie said. “Same thing with the halfback pass.”
UNM’s offense didn’t turn the ball over in the first half against NMSU (2-2). Cole Gautsche, who finished the day with 13 yards through the air and 54 on the ground, assisted the Lobos (1-2) to remain in contention at halftime. However, despite a 21-14 lead, the starting quarterback was nowhere in sight for the second half.
“Cole’s hamstring was close to pulling again. He didn’t pull it; we just held him out,” Davie said. “We’ll see for Friday night for Cole.”
With Gautsche out of the game, Davie split playing time between quarterbacks Clayton Mitchem and Lamar Jordan. Mitchem had 52 yards on the ground on four carries while Jordan tacked up 34 yards on eight runs.
The two quarterbacks combined 5 of 7 with 34 yards through the air. The major difference in play between the two was Jordan’s final toss of the night, a 5-yard game-winning touchdown pass to junior tight end Reece White.
Davie said he was pleased with the way Mitchem played in the second half and kept the game manageable throughout.
“I thought Clayton Mitchem did some good things and made a couple good throws,” he said.
However, the veteran Mitchem was not who Davie turned to in the final 4:41 of the game as UNM received the ball for the final time. It was in the hands of Jordan, a week after the freshman played his first collegiate game.
“Coach put me in this situation just like any other situation,” Jordan said. “If it was first quarter or fourth quarter with two minutes left, you have to play every play the same.”
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Jordan said the team is able to support each of the quarterbacks in the unconventional style of play Davie has drawn up to accommodate Gautsche.
“I feel like they have the same faith (in me) as they have in Cole and Clayton,” Jordan said. “We have a different type of QB swagger. They know who comes in, what’s going to be done and what’s going to happen.”
Liam Cary-Eaves is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
