April 9, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
'08 Lobo Football: All in the Letters
By Rick Wright Of the JournalReluctantly, coach Rocky Long left the Lobo football offices Tuesday to address the news media and a regional TV audience on The Mtn.
He and his assistant coaches, he said, were having too much fun upstairs.
"We were X-ing and O-ing," said Long, referring to his favorite letters of the alphabet— the ones coaches use to depict defensive and offensive players as they diagram plays and coverages.
Taking Long's cue, here's an alphabetical look at the state of the UNM program entering this month's spring practice. (Note: due to time and space constraints, we'll be using the 12-letter Hawaiian alphabet.)
A is for attitude.
Long has called last season's Lobos (9-4 with a New Mexico Bowl victory) the best team he has had— not the most talented, but the best because of its all-for-one, one-for-all spirit.
Based on their performance in offseason weight training, he said, the 2008 Lobos could equal or surpass the '07 team in that respect.
"Their attitude seems to be as good or better than it's ever been," he said.
E is for experience, something the Lobos lack in most areas. Returning players have a combined total of 134 starts, compared to 284 a year ago.
H is for Hernandez. Chris, a sophomore wide receiver, and Ivan, a junior offensive tackle, are two of many unproven offensive players who must assert themselves next fall.
I is for Ian Clark. He and Blake Ligon, both starting safeties, will miss spring drills with shoulder injuries.
While that's not a good thing, Long said the extra repetitions could be invaluable for his younger, less-experienced DBs.
K is for kickers. After nine seasons of mostly excellent placekicking— Vladimir Borombozin to Wes Zunker to Kenny Byrd to All-American John Sullivan— Long admits he has "no idea" who'll replace Sullivan.
But that's OK; he had no idea who would replace Borombozin, Zunker and Byrd, either, and that worked out.
L is for linebacker, historically the deepest position on the UNM defense.
Not this year; not a single starting linebacker— and only one starting defensive lineman, Wesley Beck— returns.
Not to worry, said cornerback Glover Quin, who has faith.
"The (front six) rotated so much last year, even the last two years, that the guys we've got coming back this year played as much as the starters we lost," Quin said. "I think the talent level is just as good."
M is for muscle, something the Lobos continue to add each year.
Long credits strength and conditioning coordinator Mark Paulsen and his staff. Paulsen credits the players.
"There's never been a more powerful team at UNM," said Paulsen, who's been at the school 21 years.
N is for New Mexico Bowl. Quin, who's from Summit, Miss., said folks back home were watching when the Lobos blasted Nevada 23-0 on national television last December.
Now that The Mtn. has been picked up nationally by DirecTV (as of this fall), Quin's friends and family might be able to see him play more often.
O is for offense. With coordinator Dave Baldwin back for a second season, Long hopes, inexperience on that side of the ball will be less of a factor.
P is for Donovan Porterie. That inexperience around him, Long said, will demand more leadership from the junior quarterback.
U is for unknown. Question marks abound, especially at wide receiver.
W is for James Wright, a redshirt freshman, who joins Rodney Ferguson, Paul Baker and Mike Love to give the Lobos a wealth of weapons at running back.
Come the fall, we'll see if anyone can block for them.
Catch Rick Wright's column at www.abqjournal.com. E-mail him at rwright@abqjournal.com