Vandals face ailing Aggies
If there were ever a reason for the Idaho football team to focus on itself more than an opponent, this is the week.
New Mexico State is dealing with so many injuries the Vandals aren’t sure who’ll they face when they kickoff at 5 p.m. today in Las Cruces.
It makes it tougher to prepare, said Vandals coach Robb Akey. But he added: “They’re going to play their defense and their offense. We need to pay attention to our offense and defense and doing things (better).”
The Aggies (3-4, 0-2) were without six starters when they lost 22-21 at Louisiana Tech last week, although one of the most important will return for the Western Athletic Conference game against the Vandals (1-6, 0-3).
Prolific quarterback Chase Holbrook, who has completed 73 percent of his passes for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns, is expected to start after missing the last game, and most of the one before that, with bruised ribs. That should make star wide receiver Chris Williams (53 catches, 746 yards, 11 touchdowns) even more dangerous.
“I think they’re a pretty good outfit and they’re getting a danged good quarterback back for us,” Akey said. “They got him rested up just so he could play against the Vandals. … Chris Williams, that sucker, he can fly. He’s a dang good receiver and having their quarterback back, obviously, I would think is going to be a plus to them.”
Three critical players – tight end Nick Cleaver, wide receiver A.J. Harris and middle linebacker Chris Nwoko – are questionable. Outside linebackers La’Auli Fonoti, Jamar Cotton and cornerback Vince Butler are out.
“We always know if we were 100 percent it would be a completely different ballgame, but (adversity is) what good teams have to play through,” Aggies lineman Polo Gutierrez said.
The Vandals are going with the two-quarterback look of Brian Nooy and Quin Ashley for the third week as they wait for starter Nathan Enderle to return from a hand injury, but the run is their point of emphasis.
Behind standout freshman Deonte Jackson and senior Brian Flowers, the Vandals are fourth in the WAC at 166.9 yards a game.
The numbers for the two teams are similar, with the Vandals averaging 22.4 points and giving up 35.9, while the Aggies score 22.7 and allow 33.4. Idaho averages 353.9 yards and gives up 414.9, compared to 398.4 and 399.9 for New Mexico State.
The Vandals are 10-3 against NMSU dating back to 1971, but the teams have split the last six – all decided by eight points or less. That includes a pair of double-overtime wins for Idaho, including a 38-37 win on the last trip to Las Cruces.
“I think that does a lot for the guys that played in that game and the guys remember that,” Akey said. “That would be a positive memory from a football game that we certainly need at this point in time. … I think those things all disappear after the first hit, but it’s still a positive.”