August 25, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
SATURDAY: UNM VS. TCU, 4 P.M.
In Comfort Zone
Lobo junior QB Donovan Porterie better prepared for opener
By Greg Archuleta, Journal Staff WriterDonovan Porterie is ready. It seems an obvious statement to make about the returning starting quarterback as he and the University of New Mexico football team open the season Saturday against TCU.
Judging by the results of the 2007 season-opening loss at Texas-El Paso, Porterie might not have been as prepared the last time.
Porterie was learning his third different offense in three seasons, and Then first-year offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin’s game plan for UTEP was to ride tailback Rodney Ferguson. The Lobos couldn’t find the end zone, and an inferior Miners team pulled out a 10-6 victory.
Porterie did throw 40 passes in that game, completing 25 without an interception. He rarely tried to stretch the defense, however, and Baldwin received criticism afterward for playing too close to the vest.
“Last year, I felt that I learned a lot of things on the run,” says the junior who has compiled a 12-6 record in two years as a starter. “I was learning a lot of things during the games; there were some things that I didn’t understand until I actually saw what was going on.”
That won’t be the case Saturday at University Stadium.
“I feel a lot more confident about his understanding of the offense than I did last year at this time,” Baldwin says of his star pupil. “He’s not struggling with formations. He’s not struggling with terminology or protections. He’s now able to read defenses and go with the speed of the game, so I feel he’s advanced in all those things.”
That’s not to say that Porterie will be infallible, but the chances that he could be are greater.
“He understands that his focus is the team’s focus,” Baldwin says. “He is the guy that everybody is waiting for the good throw, the good call, the good everything.
“He’s going to miss a throw, and he’s going to throw an interception. That’s evident of every quarterback.
That’s not the missed focus I’m talking about. It’s missing a read, a protection, a call, not making us hustle to the line of scrimmage. He’s doing all the right things. I’m really excited about what his progress has been this football camp.”
Ironically, UNM game plan for the Horned Frogs may resemble that of UTEP last year for a different reason.
The Lobos have a bevy of inexperienced wide receivers who are being asked to replace All-Mountain West Conference first-teamers Marcus Smith and Travis Brown.
“Young wide receivers slow us down,” Baldwin says. “You’ve always got to play to the caliber of your team, where your talent is. We’ve got two great running backs. We’ve got a very, very good fullback. We’ve got to utilize those people.”
Baldwin says the new wideouts’ understanding of the offense has to approach that of Porterie for the unit to be effective.
At least it’s not the other way around.
“My job, my role on the team, is just to keep us on the field, try to make plays for the team,” Porterie says. “I take a lot of pride in doing that. I feel way more comfortable than I did last year.”
That put the Lobos in a much better position heading into Saturday’s season opener against TCU.
At the quarterback spot, anyway.
INJURY NOTE:True freshman defensive back Freddy Young broke his collarbone during Friday morning’s practice.