Albuquerque Journal

Lobo Ferguson Has Lofty Goals
By Greg Archuleta, Journal Staff Writer

Running back Rodney Ferguson and his position coach, DeAndre Smith, each mentioned a goal for the 2008 season after the University of New Mexico's Monday morning practice.
       
If either comes true, the Lobos might wind up as Mountain West Conference champions.
       
"I'd like to be conference player of the year," Ferguson says after running extra wind sprints following the practice.
       
Ferguson should be a strong candidate to earn his third first-team all-conference honor this season, but if he edges Brigham Young quarterback Max Hall for MWC Offensive Players of the Year, the Lobos almost certainly would have to be higher than the Cougars — and everyone else in the standings.
       
"Ideally, I'd love to have two 1,000-yard rushers, if we could," Smith says, including senior Paul Baker. "We'd have to be dominating and things like that."
       
The offensive line will have a say in that, obviously, but Smith, in his first year at UNM after three years at Miami (Ohio) and four before that at Northern Illinois, says the duo have the talent to make it happen.
       
"I had two big-time running backs (at NIU)," Smith says. "Rodney, his facial features remind me of Michael Turner a little bit. Paul's features remind me of Garrett Wolfe a little bit."
       
Turner, who will start for the Atlanta Falcons this season, rushed for 4,941 yards during his NIU career. Wolfe is in his second year with the Chicago Bears and ran for 5,164 yards in three years at Northern Illinois under Smith's tutelage.
       
"They're all smart; they all understand the running and passing schemes," Smith says. "There really is a similarity there that I was surprised to see when I got here."
       
Smith says he's never seen anybody work harder than the 6-foot, 234-pound Ferguson did in the offseason.
       
Ferguson has gone to great lengths to make his goal a legitimate possibility.
       
"I wanted to improve my speed and recognize defenses better," Ferguson says. "That way, I can hit things harder, see things faster."
       
Smith says he's trying to get both Ferguson and Baker to make faster reads when they hit attack holes.
       
"In the run game, I want them to be more consistent, just reason faster with it," he says. "These guys are really good, but they can be even better if they can make their decisions quicker."
       
The 5-7, 198-pound Baker says staying positive while playing behind Ferguson is his key."
       
"I just have to be ready when my number is called," he says, "just get in there and see what I can do."
       
The combination leaves few touches for redshirt freshman James Wright (5-11, 235).
       
"It's a little tough for James," Smith says. "I'd like for him to get a feel for the game. He just needs more reps to get comfortable with everything."
       
INJURY UPDATE: Starting left tackle Sylvester Hatten (headaches) could return to practice Wednesday if the doctor clears him today.
       
Backup center Ben Contreras and backup fullback Andrew Medina, both also suffering minor head trauma, returned to practice Monday. Safety Mica Williams also returned to practice after an extended illness.
       
Backup offensive tackle Bryan Wightman sprained his ankle in Saturday's scrimmage and did not return. Backup cornerback Alex Bustos hurt his knee in the scrimmage, and early indications point to a serious injury.
       
TICKETS GETTING WARMER: UNM associate athletics director Mark Koson said midday Monday that the Lobos have sold 14,854 season tickets. The total is almost 1,500 ahead of last year's pace: in fact, it already has surpassed last year's final figure of 14,785.