New Mexico 2015 College Football Season Preview

When it comes to the Land of Enchantment, there hasn’t been a great deal of it when discussing the state’s two major college football teams in New Mexico and New Mexico State. In the latter case, things have been breaking bad for the past 10 years, with only minimal hope that success is on the horizon. Still, there is fan support for these two schools among the residents of the respective communities, so below is a look at each team for 2015 and things to consider when partaking in online sports betting in New Mexico.

New Mexico Lobos 2015 Football

For the 2015 college football season, the Lobos have an easy schedule that could very well get them to six wins. That magic number will put them is some 2015 bowl game, with the location not likely important to head coach Bob Davie and his squad. New Mexico will benefit from having half of its schedule comprised of either a SWAC team (Mississippi Valley State) or teams that couldn’t win more than four games in 2014. While there’s no guarantee that those teams will stay down, it’s certainly a better prospect than facing some potent units that inflict plenty of damage.

Davie’s offense is almost exclusively based on the running game, having averaged more than 300 yards a game during the 2014 campaign. Chief among the running backs that will provide that punch will be returned Jhurell Pressley, who gained over 1,000 yards last season. At quarterback, either Lamar Jordan or Austin Apodaca will handle things behind center. Jordan is the better runner of the two, which is likely the determining factor. That’s because the raw receiving crew will likely not get a lot of attention in 2015.

Pressley and Jordan will be comforted by the fact that four of the team’s offensive linemen are returning this season. Having been a part of last year’s running page, New Mexico fans are hoping for more of the same. The defense was weak enough that a new 3-5-3 formation will be put in place, which means the defensive backs will be a key component. All of this department has experience, but may be limited when it comes to talent. Still, the defensive line has Nik D’Avanzo at end to handle things up front, and the hoped-for return of linebacker Dakota Cox, who is trying to come back from a November 2014 ACL injury.

New Mexico State Aggies

Near the bottom of all D-I A teams in the country, the New Mexico State Aggies are looking to see some movement upward when it comes to wins. Over the past decade, the school has compiled a miserable 25-98 record, with current head coach Doug Martin sporting a 4-20 mark in his two seasons. One key to the New Mexico State one-back offense is running back Larry Rose, who ran for just over 1,100 yards as a freshman. That kind of production means he’ll likely become a workhorse for the 2015 college football season.

At quarterback, either Tyler Rogers, Nick Jeanty or Andrew Allen will take the controls, with that signal caller’s main target being wide receiver Teldrick Morgan. In 2014, Morgan had four games with over 100 yards in a game, including an eight-catch, 202-yard effort against UTEP on September 13. That quarterback will be especially protected on the right side by the formidable presence of tackle Houston Clemente and guard Isaiah Folasa-Lutui. Even with an offense that primarily runs, allowing just 10 sacks in 2014 was impressive.

The running defense for the Aggies needs some drastic improvement after being shredded for over 300 yards a game last year. No pass rush and small defenders served as the major reasons for that embarrassing number, though new defensive coordinator Zane Vance looks to improve things. The two most notable performers to watch will be linebacker Rodney Butler, who ended 2014 with 7.5 tackles-for-loss, and free safety Kawe Johnson, who delivers some punishing hits.

NFL Football for New Mexico Residents

With no NFL team within the state, New Mexico residents tend to look either east or west to find a rooting interest. To the east, the Dallas Cowboys or Houston Texans are the choice, though Dallas has the benefit of a four-decade start on building a fan base. To the west is the Arizona Cardinals, who have made some inroads in their 27 seasons in the desert.