NEW MEXICO FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW:
The New Mexico Lobos may have entered the national consciousness during 2011 thanks to their impressive run in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, but their football team is slowly but surely becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Mountain West Conference (MWC). While the Lobos limped to a 1-11 record (1-6 in conference) and experienced a rash of coaching changes during 2011, the dust has finally settled and New Mexico chose former Notre Dame assistant Bob Davie to be their head coach. After years of being away from the college game, Davie is putting his own plan in motion to build a reputable program from the ground-up, but he already has a roster full of talented players that are ready to step up.
The Lobos offense is in the middle of a transition to a power-running attack from a traditional spread offense, so it will take a few years for the roster to round out into the vision that Davie has for the squad. At quarterback, B.R. Holbrook will return as the starter and will likely be looking to have a much better year at the helm that's free of injuries. The Lobos' position players, like running back Kasey Carrier and receiver Ty Kirk, are just as good as any team in the MWC and will likely benefit from the continuity along the offensive line where almost every starter from 2011 will return.
The Lobos are also making a switch to the 3-4 defense and Bob Davie has recruited a slew of big linemen to run the scheme. A.J Butler and Joe Stoner are the most experienced linebackers and will be joined by returning starter Dallas Bollema. The secondary looks to be a bit of a trouble spot for the Lobos in 2012, as the talent is limited and defensive coordinator Jeff Mills will have to get creative with his coverage schemes. Hopefully with the new edge rushers in the 3-4 defense, the defensive backs will be able to enjoy a larger cushion, which can lead to increased interceptions.
There's nowhere to go but up for the Lobos in 2012, but that doesn't mean it will be easy for the squad. In addition to tough MWC opponents like Boise State and Fresno State, the Lobos will face the Texas Longhorns during the second week of the season. The Lobos will have a chance to prove right out of the gate whether or not they can compete with the big boys of the MWC, and they may just have the talent to surprise.
NEW MEXICO LOBOS INFORMATION:
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Stadium: University Stadium
Conference: Mountain West
Rivals: Arizona Wildcats, New Mexico State Aggies (The Battle for I-25),Utah Utes UTEP Miners (Rio Grande Championship)
Mascot: Lobo
Notable Alumni: Brian Urlacher, Stoney Case
Notable Bowl Games:
The New Mexico Lobos began playing football in 1892 and played as an independent until 19301, when the program joined the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Lobos would play in the Mountain States Conference and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) before joining the MWC in 1999. New Mexico has played in 10 bowl games since 1939, but has struggled to find a great deal of success in the postseason. The Lobos will look to change that this year.
The New Mexico Lobos play their home games at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. University Stadium holds a capacity crowd of nearly 39,000. The stadium has hosted UNM football games, the New Mexico bowl, women's FIFA soccer games, and U.S. men's soccer games as well. The stadium is undergoing constant expansion, and should eventually have a capacity of more than 42,000. A bigger state of the art venue will go hand in hand with UNM's increasing football success. Buy New Mexico Lobos tickets today and don't miss any of the action!
See Also:
New Mexico Lobos Football Season Preview History
New Mexico Lobos Tickets - Basketball
New Mexico Lobos Bowl Game tickets
New Mexico Lobos Ticket Information:
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