近距离内射合集

Three takeaways from New Mexico鈥檚 70-7 win over Mercyhurst:

1. UNM got what it emphasized, and then some

For all of UNM鈥檚 success last season 鈥� nine wins, a tie for first place in the Mountain West and the program鈥檚 first bowl appearance since 2016 鈥� there was something lying in plain sight that made all those accomplishments a little more impressive, a little rarer than they already were.

Hint: It wasn鈥檛 that they achieved all that with a first-year head coach or a transfer-heavy roster.

鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty amazing that we had as good a year as we had last year,鈥� head coach Jason Eck said bluntly at Mountain West Media Days in July, 鈥渨hen we were -6 in turnover margin.鈥�

By losing 23 turnovers and gaining only 17, UNM finished 10th in the Mountain West last season in turnover margin. That was even after the Lobos figured some things out, minimizing turnovers lost and increasing turnovers gained once Eck emphasized it to the point of adding a turnover circuit to practice midway through the season.

No surprise: It remained an emphasis in the offseason.

鈥淚t provides us with an avenue of, hey, how can we be better, how can we get to double-digit wins this year?鈥� Eck continued. 鈥淚t鈥檚, 鈥榟ey 鈥� let鈥檚 flip that.鈥� If we can go from -6 to +6, that鈥檚 gonna equal more wins and more things.鈥�

Saturday, that emphasis paid off. UNM notched six defensive turnovers and seven total against Mercyhurst, blowing the game open in no small part due to 21 points scored off three of four turnovers gained in the second quarter.

As it stands, UNM is +8 in turnover margin through two games. The Lobos鈥� defense deserves the majority of the credit, but this offense needs a little shine for issuing a pair of clean games to start the year.

And, yes, UNM played Mercyhurst, far from a Northeast Conference power 鈥� much less an FCS power. 

The Lakers didn鈥檛 have their starting quarterback. Nor did they have any real, relevant matchups to take advantage of, even as the Lobos emptied their bench.

But Saturday, UNM won because of turnovers 鈥� not in spite of them. That鈥檚 no small thing, especially considering what last year鈥檚 team had to overcome. 

鈥�(It鈥檚) been a nice boost to take that step,鈥� Eck said Saturday. 鈥淎nd now we have a much better challenge (ahead) 鈥� this offense we play next week will be a lot better than the first two offenses that we鈥檝e played. But we got a heck of a defense.鈥�

2. The multi-quarterback offense is here to stay 鈥� for now

UNM鈥檚 multi-quarterback offense will remain a story for as long as the Lobos decide to rotate Luke Moga and Toa Fa鈥檃vae. And whether or not it鈥檚 productive in the aggregate 鈥� the two combined to complete 7 of 18 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns, with two rushing touchdowns to boot 鈥� it will draw questions so long as Moga or Fa鈥檃vae misses a throw or botches a play it's assumed the other can run.

Again, it鈥檚 only fair. If nothing else, we are conditioned to believe teams need a down-to-down starter that can put the offense on his shoulders when things get tough. UNM might need one. It might not.

We just don鈥檛 know yet.

And ahead of perhaps the most relevant data point to either conclusion 鈥� that is, next week鈥檚 game against Oklahoma 鈥� Eck indicated that Moga and Fa鈥檃vae will both have their say against the Sooners.

鈥淪ome people think this is an illness, and we need to take medicine and get better. I don鈥檛 view it like that,鈥� Eck laughed. 鈥淲e鈥檙e playing two quarterbacks 鈥� I expect them to both play well. And if they both play well, we鈥檒l keep playing two quarterbacks.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 view it as something that we need to try to solve. It鈥檚 not a riddle.鈥�

3. If UNM still has room to grow, this was more or less the start it needed

UNM鈥檚 seven turnovers gained was probably the most impressive stat it put up Saturday. A very close second: 104 players logged at least one snap against Mercyhurst, the most comprehensive emptying of the bench this program has seen in years.

With Oklahoma looming, that matters. UNM was able to post a commanding lead in the first half against the Lakers and jettison not just key starters, but key backups to the sideline 鈥� whether they were pleased about the extra rest or not.

鈥淲e shut (linebacker Jaxton Eck) right when we got a 28-point lead (in the second quarter),鈥� Eck said, 鈥渨hich was our plan. And he wasn鈥檛 happy about it.鈥�

And for all the things that need improvement 鈥� be it issues in the passing game or cleaning up simple errors on special teams 鈥� UNM has outscored two less-than-stellar opponents 108-14 through eight quarters.

That鈥檚 about as good a start as any Lobo team has had in some time. But it gets real next week.

鈥�(Oklahoma) ain鈥檛 going to be an easy game,鈥� Eck said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not too worried 鈥� even though we haven鈥檛 been battle-tested much in these first two games, I think we have the characteristics that are ready for a game that鈥檚 going to be very challenging.鈥�

Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at .