New Mexico Football: Bob Davie or not, Lobos must improve

Defense

Defense was actually less of a weak point for New Mexico than it has been in seasons past. The Lobos held opponents under 400 total yards of offense per game. But opponents still scored more than 31 points per outing against New Mexico. Coupled with an offense that struggled to put points on the board, it was a recipe for a losing season.

Kevin Cosgrove returns for his fourth season as defensive coordinator, and he served as the acting head coach through spring practices as Davie served his university suspension. Cosgrove’s squad was 55th nationally against the run, though they were one of the worst teams at preventing red zone scoring.

The defense struggled to get much push against opposing offensive lines. New Mexico’s front seven ranked in the bottom quartile nationally in terms of both sacks and tackles for loss generated. That put even more pressure on the secondary, which fell flat against the pass.

Focusing on the secondary

Let’s look at that secondary a little more. New Mexico ranked 109th in the country in opponent passing efficiency. Having to face players like Josh Allen, Brett Rypien, and Nick Stevens certainly didn’t help the numbers in Albuquerque. But even as the Lobos held opponents under 60 percent passing, they still gave up 240 yards per outing.

Senior corners Jalin Burrell and D’Angelo Ross both return. Gaining that year of experience bodes well for improvement on last year’s results against the pass. But they also struggled to generate turnovers, getting just eight interceptions all year.

If Burrell and Ross can hold on to some of the passes they’ve become adept at tipping, they can rebound and improve dramatically. Strong safety Stanley Barnwell Jr. is also back for the Lobos, though they have to find a new nickel back and free safety for their 3-3-5 defense.