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UNM Football: Lobos get mediocre marks
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It's the sort of preseason hype the Lobos expect.
National analysts are all shrugs and uncertainty when it comes to evaluating the 2007 University of New Mexico football team.
The Lobos could easily be Mountain West Conference title contenders or mired in the middle of the pack, if you believe six preseason college football magazines reviewed by The Tribune.
When the magazine rankings were averaged, the Lobos landed solidly in fourth place among nine Mountain West schools.
The Sporting News' preview gave UNM the highest marks, picking the Lobos to finish third. Street and Smith's and Lindy's conference previews gave UNM its lowest rankings, predicting the Lobos will finish fifth in the league.
TCU was the consensus top pick to win the conference, with several magazines predicting the Horned Frogs will go undefeated in league play.
Defending conference champion BYU came in second, followed by Utah. The Lobos were next, with Wyoming, Colorado State, Air Force, San Diego State and UNLV rounding out the list.
The mediocre marks don't stroke the ego of a UNM team returning 20 starters and two first-team all-MWC honorees, but the Lobos are used to it.
They have never been the most glamorous team in the conference, much less in the national college football landscape.
"I don't put any stock in what the magazines say," UNM coach Rocky Long said. "It's not where you start that counts. All that matters is where you finish."
Long said his team is in a strong position to prove the pollsters wrong.
"I think we have the potential to be a real good team," he said. "If we stay healthy and work hard, we have a chance to make a run at the conference championships.
Analysts highlighted the Lobos' lack of depth at key positions, including quarterback, but pesky injuries were the biggest knock on the Lobos cited by the magazines.
They noted injuries that crippled the offensive line during spring football remain a serious liability for the Lobos.
Long said the team has gotten the injury bug out of its way.
"I think our team has worked hard this summer and is very excited about the season," he said. "The players that were hurt during the spring should be healthy by the fall and the start of camp."
Despite his confidence in the Lobos, Long said he understands why TCU is widely viewed as the Mountain West's top team.
"They have the most good returning players who have really proven themselves," he said. "They were a strong team last year and contended for the conference championship, so it's natural for them to get a lot of attention."
Players leaving: Luke Higgins, a junior defensive end, and Mike Vandenberg, a sophomore wide receiver, are leaving the football program, Long said.
Higgins needs to pass summer classes before he is eligible to transfer. Vandenberg already is set to transfer to Montana.
