The New Mexico football team got its first taste of organized play with a scrimmage last Friday, along with a touch of light rain.
Head coach Bob Davie said he was pleased with the turnout, which also marked the fifth annual Spring Coaches Clinic. Davie said the year prior to him taking the position there were about 10 coaches that showed up, but the numbers have grown each year. There were 75 coaches that attended Friday.
Davie said the clinic is far from a public relations gimmick, instead aimed to provide real value to local high school coaches. He said the emphasis is focused on one main aspect: reinforcing fundamental techniques.
After some light rain passed through University Stadium, the players took to the field for its first scrimmage, although several players on both sides of the ball missed out due to class schedules. Davie still said the scrimmage helped paint a picture for the coaching staff as far as which pieces will fit and be able to contribute in September.
With offensive lineman Reno Henderson still being held out, the offensive line is still developing as well, as well as some other areas on the defensive side of the ball. The head coach said it’s been tough on the men, but they’ve responded well.
Quarterback JaJuan Lawson only had one rep last season - a play in which he made a bad read against Boise State. Davie said he is very excited about Lawson and the way he has come back, especially his progression.
Lawson has received an increasingly larger share of snaps during practice this spring, and seemed to assert himself Friday as a candidate to join Lamar Jordan and Austin Apodoca on the field.
“Really, I do not hesitate right now to say we are going to play three quarterbacks,” Davie said. “Every one of those guys brings a different thing, but JaJuan Lawson is starting to let it rip a little bit right now.”
Lawson said he doesn’t concern himself with the amount of reps he gets. He said the coaches all preach that it’s important to do the best and make each one count.
The quarterback said his individual goal for the season is the same as the team’s. He said at the end of the day, the team will be judged by one thing — how many games it wins.
“In our quarterback room, everyone’s goal is the same,” he said. “We want to get a conference championship and see where that goes.”
One way to win football games is by playing stingy, hard-nosed defense. The team continued to show improvement and the coaching staff appeared to harp on the importance of lining up in man coverage and developing the team’s fifth corner.
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Davie said one of the keys on defense will be the ability to line up in man coverage on receivers. At one point, cornerbacks Blair Manly, Bijon Parker and Marquez Mackey ran repeated plays where they were isolated against receivers Patrick Reed and Q’ Drennan.
“We’re just trying to escalate what it’s going to be like in the fall,” Davie said.
Up next, the football team will hold another scrimmage on Saturday. The showcase will kick off shortly after practice begins at 2:00 p.m., with gates opening thirty minutes prior.
Robert Maler is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers cross country, tennis, and track and field. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @robert_maler.
