C'mon, Lobos! Beat the hell out of Texas Tech!
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 3:55 pmPulling for the New Mexico Lobos this Saturday! From today's Albuquerque Tribune newspaper: http://www.abqtrib.com/archives/sports0 ... foot.shtml
By Iliana Lim¢n
Tribune Reporter
Brandon Payne is ready to run.
Payne, a senior cornerback on the University of New Mexico football team, knows his team's matchup against Texas Tech on Saturday will be a track meet.
"I think they must throw the ball something like 80 percent of the time," Payne said. "We know we have to be ready because it's going to be a pure air attack."
The Lobos' second game of the season, which comes after a heartbreaking 21-17 loss to Washington State at home Friday, is another tough matchup.
Red Raiders coach Mike Leach runs one of the most prolific offenses in the nation, piloted by quarterbacks known for throwing deep early and often.
UNM's last win over Texas Tech was in 1984 at University Stadium. The Red Raiders lead the series between the two schools 33-5-2.
Texas Tech is coming off a 27-13 road win over Southern Methodist in its season opener on Saturday. Fifth-year senior quarterback Sonny Cumbie threw for 470 yards and four touchdowns in his first start. Cumbie racked up 221 passing yards by halftime.
The Red Raiders continued to push the ball toward the end zone on their final possession with less than three minutes remaining in the game and nearly scored another touchdown on the final play of the game.
It was yet another sign that, win or lose, Texas Tech never lets up.
The pass-happy statistics are familiar territory for the Lobos, who have felt the burn of Texas Tech's blistering offense.
In 2002, UNM suffered an embarrassing 49-0 loss to Texas Tech in University Stadium.
Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, the most prolific passer in Big 12 Conference history, used the game to promote his Heisman Trophy campaign.
Kingsbury easily picked apart the Lobos' defense, completing 41 of 59 passes for 407 yards and six touchdowns. The six touchdown passes set Texas Tech and Big 12 records, and tied for the most the Lobos have allowed in a game.
Last year, the Lobos improved despite a 42-38 setback at Lubbock.
"We hung in there, but we still got burned enough to cost us the game," Payne said. "We can't let that happen again."
UNM is a far different defensive team than last year, losing seven starters.
But the undersized and inexperienced group dug in and held its own against Washington State.
Defensive coordinator Osia Lewis said the team played well but made a handful of costly mistakes.
"You can't let someone drive 80-plus yards down the field for a touchdown," Lewis said of Washington State's fourth-quarter march. "If they didn't have that touchdown, the blocked punt wouldn't have mattered as much and we might not have lost the game.
"We cannot afford to give up plays like that against Texas Tech."
Lewis saw plenty of positive signs that should translate to a good matchup against Tech.
"We have to execute and be fundamentally sound out there," he said. "Texas Tech is a team that will expose your mistakes. Our guys have to hit their marks and put pressure on the quarterback. Finding a way to shut down their passing is the key to the game."
Payne said the defensive backfield is treating Saturday night as its biggest test of the season.
"We did all right against Washington State, so we know we can hang with bigger programs," he said. "We're going to need strong practices this week to prepare and plenty of time watching film of them, but I know we can beat them. We're good enough to run with them and win."
By Iliana Lim¢n
Tribune Reporter
Brandon Payne is ready to run.
Payne, a senior cornerback on the University of New Mexico football team, knows his team's matchup against Texas Tech on Saturday will be a track meet.
"I think they must throw the ball something like 80 percent of the time," Payne said. "We know we have to be ready because it's going to be a pure air attack."
The Lobos' second game of the season, which comes after a heartbreaking 21-17 loss to Washington State at home Friday, is another tough matchup.
Red Raiders coach Mike Leach runs one of the most prolific offenses in the nation, piloted by quarterbacks known for throwing deep early and often.
UNM's last win over Texas Tech was in 1984 at University Stadium. The Red Raiders lead the series between the two schools 33-5-2.
Texas Tech is coming off a 27-13 road win over Southern Methodist in its season opener on Saturday. Fifth-year senior quarterback Sonny Cumbie threw for 470 yards and four touchdowns in his first start. Cumbie racked up 221 passing yards by halftime.
The Red Raiders continued to push the ball toward the end zone on their final possession with less than three minutes remaining in the game and nearly scored another touchdown on the final play of the game.
It was yet another sign that, win or lose, Texas Tech never lets up.
The pass-happy statistics are familiar territory for the Lobos, who have felt the burn of Texas Tech's blistering offense.
In 2002, UNM suffered an embarrassing 49-0 loss to Texas Tech in University Stadium.
Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, the most prolific passer in Big 12 Conference history, used the game to promote his Heisman Trophy campaign.
Kingsbury easily picked apart the Lobos' defense, completing 41 of 59 passes for 407 yards and six touchdowns. The six touchdown passes set Texas Tech and Big 12 records, and tied for the most the Lobos have allowed in a game.
Last year, the Lobos improved despite a 42-38 setback at Lubbock.
"We hung in there, but we still got burned enough to cost us the game," Payne said. "We can't let that happen again."
UNM is a far different defensive team than last year, losing seven starters.
But the undersized and inexperienced group dug in and held its own against Washington State.
Defensive coordinator Osia Lewis said the team played well but made a handful of costly mistakes.
"You can't let someone drive 80-plus yards down the field for a touchdown," Lewis said of Washington State's fourth-quarter march. "If they didn't have that touchdown, the blocked punt wouldn't have mattered as much and we might not have lost the game.
"We cannot afford to give up plays like that against Texas Tech."
Lewis saw plenty of positive signs that should translate to a good matchup against Tech.
"We have to execute and be fundamentally sound out there," he said. "Texas Tech is a team that will expose your mistakes. Our guys have to hit their marks and put pressure on the quarterback. Finding a way to shut down their passing is the key to the game."
Payne said the defensive backfield is treating Saturday night as its biggest test of the season.
"We did all right against Washington State, so we know we can hang with bigger programs," he said. "We're going to need strong practices this week to prepare and plenty of time watching film of them, but I know we can beat them. We're good enough to run with them and win."
