UNM’s Moore lives up to hype

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2002 | 9:22 a.m.

DonTrell Moore came to New Mexico as one of the most highly touted recruits in Lobo history.

The 5-foot-11, 211-pounder running back earned Parade All-American honors at Roswell, N.M., High School after rushing for over 6,000 yards in his career. A number of major Division I powers came knocking on his door, but Moore said he decided to stay close to home so his mother, Angela, a high school English teacher, could attend his games.

So far Moore has lived up to his press clippings.

He was a first team all-Mountain West Conference pick this year as well as the conference freshman of the year after rushing for 1,117 yards. And he needs 124 yards in Wednesday afternoon's Las Vegas Bowl game against UCLA to surpass Mike Williams as the school's single-season rushing leader. Williams rushed for 1,240 yards in 1977.

What makes those numbers even more impressive is the fact Moore didn't even make his first college start until the fifth game of the season after starting tailback Quincy Wright was lost for the year with a knee injury. Wright was third in the nation in rushing with an average of 158.3 yards per game at the time of his injury.

"Everybody was kind of shell-shocked when Quincy went down," cornerback Desmar Black said. "He was such a big part of our team."

But Moore, who missed New Mexico's season-opener with a knee injury of his own, stepped in and steadily improved into one of the conference's best running backs. He broke the 100-yard rushing barrier in four of the Lobos last six games and needs just one more rushing touchdown to tie Stoney Case's single-season mark of 14 in that category set in 1993.

"Obviously, he's one of the reasons we're here now," New Mexico coach Rocky Long said. "In the last five or six weeks of the season when he started to get the feel for playing at this level he was really good."

Moore, who scored a school record-tying five touchdowns in New Mexico's bowl clinching 49-20 victory over Wyoming, said Wright has been there to help guide him through his rookie college season.

"Quincy's support has been awesome," Moore said. "He told me I'd have to just step in there and make sure the team keeps on rolling. And that's what I've tried to do."

"This is great," Weber said. "The (AstroPlay) Turf wasn't here then. It's beautiful. They also did a nice job with the wrought iron gates. They've done a great job of finishing up this facility."

Hnida, who will wears uniform No. 2 and has a long blonde ponytail sticking out the back of her helmet, would make NCAA history if she kicks in the game. No woman has ever played in an NCAA Division I-A game. Hnida is only the second women to ever dress for a Division I-A game, joining Louisville placekicker Kathy Klobe (1995).

Hnida, 21, a 1998 graduate of Chatfield High School in Littleton, Colo., is no fluke. She spent three years there on the varsity football team and converted 4-of-5 field goals and 83-of-87 extra points. She was honorable mention all-Jefferson County as a senior and was also voted the school's homecoming queen. She was named on of the 20 most influential teenagers in America by Teen People Magazine.