Lack of respect has Lobos growling

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004 | 9:27 a.m.

Monday -- Air Force

Tuesday -- BYU

Wednesday -- Colo. State

Today -- New Mexico

Friday -- San Diego State

Next Monday -- Utah

Next Tuesday -- Wyoming

(Fourth in a series previewing the Mountain West Conference)

The New Mexico Lobos have played in back-to-back Las Vegas Bowl games and were the only team to knock off 2003 conference champion Utah, with a resounding 47-35 victory in Salt Lake City.

The Lobos are tied with Colorado State for the best record in conference play (10-4) over the past two seasons. Only Utah (six) had more players picked to this year's preseason all-Mountain West team than the Lobos (five).

But Rocky Long's Lobos, which returns 12 starters from last year's 8-5 squad and has steadily improved its win total in each of Long's first six seasons in Albuquerque, were picked to finish fourth in this year's MWC preseason media poll.

Don't think that went unnoticed.

"I don't know if that's respect," all-MWC offensive lineman Claude Terrell said. "It's still not high enough."

Although New Mexico must replace steady three-year starter Casey Kelly at quarterback as well as a trio of all-conference defensive linemen in D.J. Renteria, Zach Rupp and Daniel Kegler, it's not like the cupboard is bare for the Lobos.

All-MWC running back DonTrell Moore, a Doak Walker Award candidate who led the MWC in rushing (1,450 yards, 19 touchdowns) and all-purpose yards (1,626 yards) as a sophomore, returns and should contend for offensive player of the year honors.

The offensive line, a staple of Long's smashmouth style of football, loses all-MWC tackle Jason Lenzmeier but returns two first-team all-MWC picks in Terrell, who moves from guard to Lenzmeier's strong tackle spot, and 6-foot-7, 323-pound junior center Ryan Cook, a candidate for the Rimington Trophy (top center). And sophomore strong guard Robert Turner, who moves into Terrell's old spot, might be as good or better than both of them.

"That's a darn good foundation to start with," Long said.

Sophomore Kole McKamey, who saw action in six games last year, takes over for Kelly at quarterback. McKamey is an excellent runner who has lined up at wide receiver for the Lobos.

Long's unique, blitz-from-all-angles 3-3-5 defense continues to be copied around the nation. The Lobos once again led the MWC in rush defense and were fifth nationally, allowing 86.1 yards per game on the ground while rolling up a league-high 39 sacks.

A big key for Long's defense is cornerbacks who can play man-to-man coverage. The Lobos have one of the conference's best in junior left corner Gabriel Fulbright, a first team all-MWC pick who had four interceptions. Junior Jerrell Malone and senior Brandon Payne split time at the right corner spot a year ago and give the position good experience and depth.

Another key for the Lobos will be how well Long can reload his defensive front seven, where junior nose tackle Marcus Parker and senior defensive end Kyle Coulter have proved to be playmakers in the past. The linebacker corps got a boost when Fola Fashola, the team's top outside linebacker a year ago before suffering a torn left ACL at the end of a 42-28 loss at Texas Tech, was granted a sixth year by the NCAA.

"Obviously he's a huge plus to our team," Long said of Fashola, who had 11 tackles, three sacks and three pass breakups in less than two games before the injury. "He's an awfully good football player, he's got experience and maturity, and he's a playmaker."

One big edge the Lobos might have in what figures to be a tight, competitive MWC race is special teams.

Senior placekicker Wes Zunker was a first-team all-MWC pick last year after connecting on 15 of 17 field goal attempts, including a school-record 15 in a row highlighted by a game-winning 33-yarder as time ran out against Colorado State on national TV. And punter Tyler Gaus is back for his third year.

New Mexico plays a difficult nonconference schedule. The Lobos open with back-to-back home games against Washington State and Texas Tech before traveling to Oregon State in a rematch of last year's Las Vegas Bowl won by the Beavers, 55-14. They also must travel to Las Cruces to play in-state rival New Mexico State before opening conference play at home against defending MWC champ Utah.

How well the Lobos survive that first month will go a long way to determining whether New Mexico goes bowling again.