First game jitters or lack of discipline
While a slow start offensively was to be expected with a new quarterback and replacing a player like running back Larry Rose III, a lack of discipline was the last thing I expected.
The Aggies, afterall, are still a veteran team comprised of mostly juniors and seniors.
Yet NM State was whistled for 12 penalties for 57 yards, including two flags on seemingly routine special teams plays.
The first came after NM State went three and out on its first possession, Aggies punter Payton Theisler boomed a 50-yard punt to the Wyoming 8 and the Aggies stopped the Cowboys at their own 10. The play was erased on a false start penalties and Theisler's next punt was only 23 yards to the Wyoming 40...
Romero wasn't ready
The lights were too bright for Matt Romero in his first start at the the FBS level. While an amount of growing pains was to be expected, the game seemed too fast for Romero, who was 10 of 19 for 56 yards before Martin inserted senior Nick Jeanty with less than three minutes to go in the third quarter.
NM State finished with 135 yards of offense on 49 plays (2.8 yards per play) with just seven first downs. The Aggies' worst offensive output last season was 256 yards against Arkansas State...
Romero was sacked three times and while pass protection could have been better, Romero held the football when his initial read wasn't there.
As the game went on, Wyoming had no fear of getting beat down the field or on the ground and took away NM State's quick passes to the perimeter...
The Aggies defense will be fine
NM State had no business being within striking distance for as long as the Aggies were on Saturday.
The final numbers didn't look good with Wyoming rushing for 313 yards on 5.6 yards per carry. But Wyoming's two touchdown scoring drives were 60 and 56 yards. The Aggies effectively shut the Cowboys down in the second quarter, holding Wyoming to 19 rushing yards on 1.8 yards per carry after 89 rushing yards in the first quarter.
NM State did not register a quarterback sack or generate a turnover on Saturday and Wyoming was 8 of 18 on third down...
Yet the defense kept the Aggies in the game, holding Wyoming to a pair of field goals in the second quarter and then closing the first half by forcing three straight punts.
The Aggies weren't perfect defensively, but they certainly played well enough to give the Aggies every opportunity to stay in the game before ultimately running out of gas...
https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/sp...takeaways-new-mexico-state-opener/1104931002/
While a slow start offensively was to be expected with a new quarterback and replacing a player like running back Larry Rose III, a lack of discipline was the last thing I expected.
The Aggies, afterall, are still a veteran team comprised of mostly juniors and seniors.
Yet NM State was whistled for 12 penalties for 57 yards, including two flags on seemingly routine special teams plays.
The first came after NM State went three and out on its first possession, Aggies punter Payton Theisler boomed a 50-yard punt to the Wyoming 8 and the Aggies stopped the Cowboys at their own 10. The play was erased on a false start penalties and Theisler's next punt was only 23 yards to the Wyoming 40...
Romero wasn't ready
The lights were too bright for Matt Romero in his first start at the the FBS level. While an amount of growing pains was to be expected, the game seemed too fast for Romero, who was 10 of 19 for 56 yards before Martin inserted senior Nick Jeanty with less than three minutes to go in the third quarter.
NM State finished with 135 yards of offense on 49 plays (2.8 yards per play) with just seven first downs. The Aggies' worst offensive output last season was 256 yards against Arkansas State...
Romero was sacked three times and while pass protection could have been better, Romero held the football when his initial read wasn't there.
As the game went on, Wyoming had no fear of getting beat down the field or on the ground and took away NM State's quick passes to the perimeter...
The Aggies defense will be fine
NM State had no business being within striking distance for as long as the Aggies were on Saturday.
The final numbers didn't look good with Wyoming rushing for 313 yards on 5.6 yards per carry. But Wyoming's two touchdown scoring drives were 60 and 56 yards. The Aggies effectively shut the Cowboys down in the second quarter, holding Wyoming to 19 rushing yards on 1.8 yards per carry after 89 rushing yards in the first quarter.
NM State did not register a quarterback sack or generate a turnover on Saturday and Wyoming was 8 of 18 on third down...
Yet the defense kept the Aggies in the game, holding Wyoming to a pair of field goals in the second quarter and then closing the first half by forcing three straight punts.
The Aggies weren't perfect defensively, but they certainly played well enough to give the Aggies every opportunity to stay in the game before ultimately running out of gas...
https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/sp...takeaways-new-mexico-state-opener/1104931002/
