The most important gameplan formulated by the New Mexico State Aggies in preparation for Saturday's football game at the University of Texas-El Paso, will be playing a complete contest.
For starters, UTEP is going to be fired up for this one. The team's played well in the early-portion of its schedule — don't let their 0-2 record fool you. The Miners were competitive in losses to power-conference programs Oklahoma (a 24-7 loss at the Sun Bowl) and Ole Miss (a 28-10 defeat). They were in those games going into the respective fourth quarters and have looked like a good football team doing it. They'll be hungry for their first win of the 2012 campaign going into Saturday night's tilt.
For the Aggies, weathering such a storm and being in the game going into halftime would be a good place to start.
If they accomplish that, coming out in the third quarter and carrying their good play into the second half will be the next step in completing the process. Two-straight weeks the Aggies have played poorly in such a scenario — coming out of the locker-room intermission — and they simply can't afford such a lapse this weekend.
In the home opener against Sacramento State, it meant being outplayed in the third quarter, which really didn't matter to the end result — the Aggies beat the Hornets 49-19 that evening, although Sacramento State scored on four-straight possessions and had the ball once again, down 28-19, before a costly turnover in its own territory.
Last Saturday it came in the form of an abysmal third period that saw the Aggies get outscored by Ohio 24-10 — Ohio scored 24-straight points, sandwiched between an NMSU field goal and kick-return touchdown. The Aggies gained just 16 yards in the quarter, and completed five passes in the second half all together.
When reflecting on the game, there's no apparent reason for it. The Aggies performed as well as could be expected the first half. They were competitive with the favored Bobcats, and blocking a field goal just before halftime should have provided an emotional lift, down 21-14 and ending the second quarter on a high note. Yet it didn't carry over.
Maybe it's a lack of general intensity or halftime adjustments. Maybe it's sheer coincidence. All we know is that it's a trend that must to change, beginning this week.
The NMSU camp has made no secret of it — they see themselves as a bowl-caliber team. If that's the case, getting the required seven wins — heck, even six victories — means coming out of this game victorious would seem to be a necessary requirement.
It will be a tough game. A game the Aggies will be underdogs, and will have to play their best this season. And always an important game against one of the school's top rivals — either UTEP or the University of New Mexico hold that billing, take your pick.
It will also have to be a complete game for the Aggies. Two halves of football, in hopes of one critical victory.
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10 comments:
I hate to say this but, no way NMSU beats Utep this weekend. Utep is way superior in it's athletes and I hate to say it...coaching.
Sorry Coach Walker.
I usually pull for you and the team but, 0-3 vs. Mike Price and watching how they have played OU and Miss. St.
I just don't how NMSU can compete w/ utep.
Jefe
I hate how the officials gave two touchdown to Ohio it took the air out of the Aggies in the 3 rd quater. That being said I live in El Paso but I'm an Aggies fan. My prediction is Aggies 35 Utep 27 they don't have a good qb
This game is already over Ted and the Aggies lost.
NMSU has been talking bowls this year. If they want to bowl, the next 4 games are the most winable in the schedule.
Utep, unm, Utsa & Idaho are all winable games.
4-0 is possible, 3-1 is the worst we could expect.
After these games it gets tougher: Utah st. LaTech, Auburn, SJSU, BYU and Texas St.
It starts this week vs. a very good utep team, or back to back wins vs. our rival. This would do wonders for the team and the fan base!!
This year's motto is: "it's time!"
1). It's time we stop the 3 game skid to jutep!
2). It's time Coach Walker beats Mike Price!
3). It's time we sweep our rivals
4). It's time we go bowling!
Go Aggies...It's go Time, baby!!
Aggietude
I'm a die hard Aggie and always will be. I refuse to go to UTEP to be subjected to ignorant abuse. Having said that, NMSU has fallen so far, there's very little to brag about. Our band has no energy. The cheerleaders have no energy. The Sundancers have no energy. AD Boston has no clue. President Couture could be a cardboard cutout. Fans are spectators, not active participants.
Despite that, the football team keeps on fighting to win. Go Aggies! You deserve better than what we've given you.
With rivalries it's usually the team with the fewest turnovers that comes out on top. The Aggies will be fine if they can control the line of scrimage and take care of the football.
What ? " I refuse to go to UTEP to be subjected to ignorant abuse?"
You must be kidding me? NMS fans have a National reputation for being the rudeness people in the NCAA.
You should see the video I have of the rude, vicious attack on my kid sister when she played at the PAC.
The language is so bad youtube actually removed it after receiving complaints.
This is rich. A miner fan talking trash? The Miners have five, yes count them, five winning seasons in over 40 years. They have 800,000 people living withing a 15 mile radius and can't put 30,000 people in the stands. Talk about a stinking program.
If there are jokes in college football it's the UTEP/NMSU/UNM Rio Grande trio. None of them has squat to say to the other.
I agree with anon September 12,4:31pm. The Aggies should let their play do the talking. And none of the three Rio Grande Universities have any reason to talk smack. I read Coach Walker's most recent comments about building a program and I think he is a better writer than coach. He could prove me wrong by out-coaching Mike Price this weekend. His staff was badly out-coached last year, especially on the fake punt--really not ready for that against a Price team. Price will have tricks up his sleeve again this year. Also agree with the UTEP fan talking about the rude fans. There are rude fans to go around on all three Rio Grande teams. The fans should show a little class and refrain from cursing the other team and their fans. I could have posted things on You Tube from numerous encounters with UTEP and UNM fans over the past several years that would also have been pulled due to complaints. When you are trying to get into a conference, it is better to have friends than enemies and I'm sure that there are several teams that would like to keep NMSU from joining their league. The "Nice Shot A-hole" shouts did little to help our reputation as a University. I remember many fans comments about the rude Aggie fans at the WAC Basketball Tournament held in Las Cruces. Once again let the players play and as a fan, cheer for the home team. It really is that simple, but of course it will not happen because there are always people like Miner Mario who just want to start a fight and bring the other team and their fans down. It would be great if most of the fans were in attendance due to the love of the game--is that too much to ask.
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