Friday, October 21, 2011

Sympathy for New Mexico on Homecoming

Well, it’s Homecoming Friday on University Drive and that brings back a lot of alums and even more memories. Whether you went to TCU six years ago or 60, there’s something special about this weekend. Enjoy it, Frogs!

Gary Patterson calls the visiting New Mexico Lobos a “dangerous” football team. He’s right, but they may be more dangerous to themselves than anyone else. The Lobos come into Saturday’s game as one of two teams in the nation who don’t have a win. I’m talkin’ O-Fer 2011. Can you name the other? (Florida Atlantic)

New Mexico recently fired head coach Mike Locksley. It wasn’t his fault. He should have never been hired. New Mexico vice president Paul Krebs has admitted that very fact, and the Lobos are trying to recover from a tailspin that’s become a nightmare, believe me. I went through a similar situation when TCU fired then-head coach F.A. Dry with one game to go in the 1982 season. It was a sad week, with players leaving, assistant coaches bolting for the USFL and other jobs and the team left with Coach Dry and 4 assistants to go to College Station and play the one game and finish out the Dry era at TCU. It was the worst week of my college career and for many reasons. It was bad enough for one week. I can’t imagine having to go through that for eight games as the New Mexico Lobos are right now. They’re changing schemes, they have massive injury issues, especially along the defensive line. They’re trying the wildcat formation and, most of all, they’re trying to forget the Locksley era, in which UNM posted two wins versus 26 losses.

This won’t be much of a game tomorrow, folks. Consider that New Mexico is giving up an average of 44 points per game to opponents and have registered just five sacks in six games. Look for a 3-2-6 alignment on defense tomorrow and a gambling style that will blitz from all angles in a “damn the torpedoes” strategy. Note to fans: the torpedoes have already hit the USS UNM.

By the way, while you’re at the game tomorrow, look for the 1951 Southwest Conference Champions this weekend. They’re celebrating their 60th anniversary and they’ll be on the field at the end of the 1st quarter. Now that was a team!

Enjoy Homecoming!

Kick ‘Em High!

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