Wright: Hail (hale) and hearty — Lobos do more than survive

Hail to thee, New Mexico, thy loyal sons are we …

Oh, wait, check that. I’ve just been informed that it’s only when our high school alma mater wins a football game that we’re allowed to invoke the school fight song, as my colleague Geoff Grammer did after covering his Alamogordo High School Tigers’ victory over Albuquerque High on Friday.

Nonetheless, I’m saying as a UNM grad, class of ‘69, that the New Mexico Lobos deserve at least a little hailing after defeating the Idaho State Bengals 32-22 on Saturday at University Stadium.

After all, coach Jason Eck’s first home game at UNM almost went to hell. But, hail, hail, the Lobos, down 22-17 in the fourth quarter against a team from a lower NCAA football subdivision, steadied themselves and dominated the final 10 minutes like the Football Bowl Subdivision team they are.

“We didn’t panic and press when they got (ahead),” said linebacker Jaxton Eck, the head coach‘s son and UNM’s leading tackler on Saturday with 15 stops. “You keep trusting each other and keep playing hard.”

The Lobos did just that, and a crowd announced at 17,689 — just 19,801 short of a sellout — was rewarded. My first instinct upon seeing the glaringly underpopulated east grandstand and north bleachers was to write snarkily about all the folks who chose other pastimes on a temperate early September afternoon.

Where was the enthusiasm engendered by the Lobos’ spunky performance the previous Saturday in a 34-17 loss at then 14th-ranked Michigan? Where was the lure of Louie Lane, UNM’s new pre-game entertainment center?

Then, Frank Mercogliano, UNM’s associate athletics director for communications, pointed out that Saturday’s attendance was the best for a home opener since 2018.

This season’s home schedule is a sports writer’s dream, with all five of the announced kickoffs scheduled for daylight hours. Fans should appreciate this too, especially in November. But a 1:07 p.m. kickoff on Sept, 6, even on a relatively cool day, can be quite uncomfortable for those in the previously referenced east stands and north bleachers.

As for how Saturday’s game will fly with the fans, a Michigan-like strong showing at UCLA on Friday would help bring out the faithful for a home game against New Mexico State (2 p.m. kickoff) on Sept. 27 following a bye week.

Regarding Saturday’s performance against Idaho State, there’s more to like than dislike.

But it’s a close call.

Not only were the Lobos not dominant in the game’s first 50 minutes, they looked like the second-best team on the field.

When Idaho State’s Tytan Mason crossed the goal line from 3 yards out to give the Bengals a 22-17 lead with 10:40 left in the game, the Lobos had been out-gained, out-first downed, out-possessed and generally outplayed.

New Mexico’s defenses have had a remarkable propensity for making opposing backup quarterbacks look great, and the trend continued Saturday — times two.

With starter Jordan Cooke out with an injury, Bengals backups Davis Harsin (the son of former Boise State coach Bryan Harsin) and Jackson Sharman combined to go 28-for-39-1 passing for 265 yards and rushed for 64 more.

But Cooke had played hurt in the loss to Southern Utah, and both Ecks, Jason the coach and Jaxton the linebacker, said their lack of film on Harsin and Sharman created problems.

Jason Eck added, though: “We need to do better on our drops in zone coverage. We left some seams in there.”

The final 10:40, however, belonged to New Mexico.

First, the Lobos drove 70 yards on nine plays for the go-ahead touchdown. Completions of 22 and 25 yards from quarterback Jack Layne to receiver Dorian Thomas (listed as a tight end, but I’m just calling a receiver because offensive coordinator Luke Schleusner splits him out with regularity) set up Damon Bankston’s 1-yard touchdown plunge.

Then, the UNM defense, which had struggled all afternoon to get the Bengals offense off the field — they hadn’t punted since the 5:29 mark of the second quarter — got not just a stop but a three-and-out.

The Lobos proceeded to drive 58 yards on nine plays for the game-clinching score. Rushes of 18 yards by D.J. McKinney and 17 by Bankston set up Scottre Humphrey’s (141 yards on 18 carries) 1-yard TD plunge.

Afterward, Jason Eck said he’ll happily take the win and more or less happily take the 17,689, as something to build on.

Hail, yes.