[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]
New Mexico Vs. Sam Houston State: Game Preview, Kick Time, TV & Radio Schedule, Livestream, Prediction
New Mexico opens up againast an FCS team
Contact/Follow @MWCwire
Will Bob Davie start of the year with a win?
WEEK 1: New Mexico Lobos vs. Sam Houston State Bearkats
WHEN: Saturday, August 31st 4:00 p.m.
STREAMING: Mountain West Network
RADIO: Radio 77 AM/94.5 FM
SERIES RECORD: SHSU leads 1-0
WEBSITES: GoLobos.com | GoBearKats
ODDS: Lobos -9
Bob Davie’s New Mexico Lobos are days away from their first game of the year at DreamStyle Stadium in Albuquerque and host the Sam Houston State Bearkats from Huntsville, Texas.
If there was ever a team that is the perfect team to test the Lobos on both sides of the ball, it would be this team.
The BearKats come in nationally ranked, 22nd in the preseason poll by Stats FCS, and have been ranked in each of the last eight preseason polls.
Head Coach K.C. Keeler, when asked about the strength of this team, had this to say, “If you line up our starting lineup, player by player, I like our starting lineup and we are deep at the receiver spot, running back spot, and we might have the best secondary since I have been here.”
[lawrence-related id=17492]
This team will give new defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson’s unit all they can handle, especially in the secondary.
One of the strong points of the BearKats is their receiving corps, so getting pressure on quarterback Ty Brock will be one of the keys for the Lobos.
Peterson will be running the base 3-3-5 defense with blitzes coming from different angles. That is one of the strong points of this defense.
The Lobos have made massive changes from last year’s team on the other side of the ball, though, bringing in Joe Dailey from Liberty as the new offensive coordinator to run the hybrid spread, combining both old school and new school football.
This is a very high up-tempo offense and, when run effectively, can move the ball down the field very quickly. However, one concern is that the offense could use four quarterbacks in this opener. The hope is to find the one guy to lead the Lobos the rest of the way.
The Lobos have, however, two of the top receivers in the MWC as far as speed as concerned. One is Jay Griffin IV, who happens to be from Huntsville, Texas, where the Bearkats call home. The other is Elijah Lilly, who had 14.8 yards after the catch and led the MWC, and most in the FBS, last season.
These two are lightning in a bottle and you can bet Dailey plans on getting them the ball in open spaces against the BearKats.
The strength of the Lobo team should be the large offensive line led by Teton Saltes, Javon Mosley, and Kyle Stapley.
How well this Lobo team can come together with all the new dynamics will be the key to success for Bob Davie and company. This Lobo team in transition can ill afford to take any team lightly this year with so many changes.
It will interesting to watch this Lobo football team from the MWC play against a solid FCS ranked opponent that has quality athletes and will be very well coached.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=645997029]