Taking a look at Friday’s college football game:
• Ray of hope?: Should the Aggies, or their fans, have reason to believe today will be different from past Saturdays throughout the 2012 college football season? Since their Week 1 win over Sacramento State, the Aggies really haven’t been in any games and now BYU comes to town in the final home contest of the year. On paper, it looks like much of the same should be expected, which would mean a long day at Aggie Memorial Stadium for the home team.
• Can they score?: NMSU’s last game against San Jose State might as well have ended in a shutout — down 47-0, the Aggies managed to score a touchdown with under a minute to play in the contest. The Aggie offense hasn’t progresses as the season’s moved along — a lack of creativity where the deep ball is forced frequently — which means it’s taken steps back. Even a couple touchdowns today would be encouraging.
• Dealing with BYU up front: How will the Aggies protect quarterback Andrew Manley? This is a key for the team every game, and the Cougars certainly have the bodies up front the get after NMSU’s drop-back quarterback. BYU’s front-seven is its strength, namely a linebacking corps anchored by standout Kyle Van Noy. Expect the Cougars to attack the Aggies like most teams have this season — get after Manley up front while taking away the deep ball in the secondary. Thus far NMSU hasn’t been able to capitalize against such strategies.
• Aggies front-seven: How does this part of NMSU’s defense — the line and linebackers — match up against BYU’s offensive line? The Cougars will look to overpower the Aggies in the trenches during the contest. In truth, BYU doesn’t quite have the same big-play capabilities as some of NMSU’s past opponents this season (team’s such as Utah State, San Jose State and Louisiana Tech, for instance). What the Cougars are is physical, and they’ll simply look to wear NMSU down.
• An inspired effort: It’s been a depressing season across the board, but ending on a high note in the home finale would be good to see. If the Aggies simply go out, play hard and compete, this would qualify as marked as progress. If for nothing else, it would be nice for a senior class about to play their final game at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
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6 comments:
One more week and Walker will fire Jerry McManus and his "3 & Out" offense!! Yaay!!
Bring back Doug Martin!! Seems like he will be available since BC just fired Spaziani.
Teddy - have you considered doing a little investigative reporting? Here's what I mean. I think all loyal Aggie fans would be eager and likely stunned to find out what has happened at Utah State and San Jose State in the past four years compared to what has happened at NMSU. Obviously, both of those programs have seen a tremendous turn around with nothing but unheard of success (both in top 25 BCS as of today). Who are the movers and shakers at those universities? What kind of investments (both monetary and emotional) were declared by the universities? How is football promoted to the student body and the community? How much have the respective Athletics Directors done to bring the change. There are other significant questions that need to be asked too. All of this in comparison to NMSU.
It seems that the only answer NMSU, the community, and the LC media have for a struggling football program is to put the blame on the coaches and players. I'm not so quick to think so. Let's be fair. Please do a fair assessment and compare the programs. I'm convinced that Aggie Football can be equally competitive - but there must be equitable resources and good faith.
Teddy, if you don't do this, who will? Who is going to expose the anemia in the athletic department?
Who is going to spark the honest conversations? You probably have more influence than almost anyone else - because you are not part of the institutional dysfunction (or at least don't have to be).
What do you think?
-- a lifetime Aggie fan!
Anon. 7:00 Is on the ball!!
Why is NMSU playing the last WAC FB game EVER vs. TX State and going Independent???
This falls on the anemic Athl. Dept.!!!
I live in Roswell. Yesterday I asked a friend (who is a BYU grad) if he traveled to see his Cougars play against my Aggies? He said he was not able to get tickets. Apparently, he went to Ticketmaster, StubHub, and the NMSU Athletics site. He thought the game must have sold out (I wish). Has anyone else discovered a problem with getting Aggie tickets?
prediction: walker resigns and becomes a defense coordinator in california. His choice.
Anon 7:00,
Great post!! Those are the same questions most of us have been asking? We need to expose this issue and maybe the athletic dept. will get the shake up it needs to set the dept. in a winning direction. Teddy, help us out.
JH
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