The Long Road to Glory. A Ryne Scott Journey- CFB26

[redsox907]

didn't expect a close game like that, may not be a cake walk through the MW. Nice job rebounding in the 4th to steal the win

[Deuce2223]

TURNOVERS LEAD TO 3-0 START!!!

GAME RECAP

Hawaii opened up the game taking a (7-0) lead as SO QB Micah Alejado (81 Ovr) finds JR Jackson Harris (88 Ovr) on a 40 yd bomb but New Mexico State would answer the Warriors with a big play of their own as RB Bryan Jackson runs over 3 defenders on his way to a 64 yd touchdown to tie the game (7-7).

Hawaii however would waste little time answer back as SR RB Cam Barfield (81 ovr) scores the first of 2 touchdowns in the 1st half to give Hawaii the (14-7) lead but the Aggies would fire right back as Jackson takes a rare pass play 39 yds to set up another rushing touchdown (4 yds) as NMSU ties the game (14-14) as the 1st Quarter comes to a close.

The 2nd Quarter was as action packed as the first as Hawaii turns to backup QB Tucker Kilcrease (76 ovr) finds fellow SR WR Brandon White for a 10 yd score but again New Mexico State answers back as Smith finds Donovan Faupel for the first of 2 touchdowns. Tied (21-21) Hawaii retakes the lead with Barfield's 2nd rushing touchdown of the game but the Aggies answer back as Bryan Jackson scores his 3rd touchdown of the half to tie the game up (28-28) with 2:12 to play in the half. Hawaii not looking to slow things down continued to push the ball down the field but Florida transfer J'Vair Flowers showed why the Aggies made him CB1 as he comes up with what Aggie fans hope to be the first of many INT's in his career as he picks off Kilcrease to setup a 31 yd FG by Maze to give the Aggies the (31-28) lead at the half.

Turnovers would continue to plague the Warriors in the 3rd Quarter as they lose 2 Fumbles that set up a pair of scores as Faupel hauls in his 2nd touchdown and Jayden LImar caps off another scoring drive with a 8 yd touchdown run as NMSU extends their lead to (45-28).. Both teams would exchange FG's to close out the 3rd Quarter scoring makin it (48-31).

Hawaii would open up the 4th with a 11 play 80 yd scoring drive as Kilcrease dives in from 1 yd out to make it (48-38) but Vince Maze's 3rd FG of the day would extend it back to (51-38) still with over 6 minutes to play in the game.

Hawaii however would turn the ball over on downs twice in the final 6 minutes well New Mexico State gave one of them right back as Smith throws his 2nd INT of the game but with 48 seconds to play, the Aggies would add 1 final score as SO FB Brian Sage gets involved in the offense rushing the ball 3 times for for 34 yds including a 20 yd touchdown run..FINAL SCORE NEW MEXICO STATE-57 HAWAII-38

KEY PLAYERS
QB A. Smith Jr-24/39 (61%) 275 yds 2 TD 2 INT
RB B. Jackson-28 carries 207 yds (7.4 avg) 3 TD, 1 rec 39 yds
RB J. Limar-12 carries 41 yds 1 TD, 5 rec 46 yds
FB B. Sage-3 carries 34 yds 1 TD
WR D. Faupel-8 rec 72 yds 2 TD
WR L. Poutasi-4 rec 43 yds
WR TJ Pride-3 rec 36 yds
TE G. Harris-3 rec 39 yds
CB J. Flowers-1 INT
LB Z. Davis-1 Forced Fumble and 2 Fumble Recovery's

*RB Bryan Jackson was named the Triple Taco POG with his 2nd (3) touchdown game of the season and first 200 yd performance of the year.. Jackson had 101 yds after contact.

INJURY UPDATE
The Victory didn't come without a cost.. The Aggies lost 3 D-Lineman from a already thing group.

Team Captain Gabe Peterson (80 Ovr) is expected to miss the next 4 weeks with a Ruptured Disk. Backup Jaden Robinson (72 ovr) will miss the next 5 weeks with a Dislocated Ankle and Starting DT Henry Davis III (72 ovr) will miss the next 5 weeks with a Partial ACL Tear.

The 3 injuries left NMSU with just 4 active lineman leading to JC transfer K. Gash and True Freshman Tyrone Stokley having the redshirts removed at least for the next 4 weeks..

UP NEXT

NMUS will play it's 4th straight game as they take on (1-1) UNLV in a rematch of last year's Famous Idaho Potato Bowl as HC Tony Sanchez will get a a 2nd chance at his former team.

UNLV opened up it's season with a Week 9 win over Cal (17-14) before having a Week 1 "Bye".. The Rebels then lost (45-0) @ #6 Texas in Week 2.

[Deuce2223]

Last season Coach Ryne Scott made headlines as he convinced 4* WR Lamont Poutasi to turn down multiple offers including New Mexico to move 3 hours south to Las Cruces and join the Aggies. So far LP has lived up to his 4* billing as he is tied with SR Donovan Faupel for the team lead in receptions (20) well leading the team in yards (241) to go with 2 touchdowns.

This season Scott is at it again as the Aggies look to target 5 instate kids including 4* LB Ezekiel Ngata the New Mexico Gatorade POY (#220 Overall/#1 NM/#15 LB)

Sanchez

"It's not very often we will even attempt to recruit a 4* Caliber player, but we fill like when they are in our own backyard they are a guy we have to go all-in on until he makes it known we have no chance.. We don't exactly have alot of high quality pitches we can make to top talent like Ngata except the ability to stay close to home and play in front of friends and family and the ability to play right away.. Ngata is a kid who won't see a redshirt and would be a team leader on our Defense and a starter Day 1"

Ngata currently has the Aggies #1 but he also has offers from BYU, Fresno State, Utah and Texas Tech.

Ngata isn't the only player hailing from the Land of Enchantment that the Aggies are targeting as the Aggies hand out 4 other offers to instate kids.

3* RB Legend Ajayi (#463 Overall/#2 NM/#64 RB) ranks #2 on the Aggies Big Board well 3* CB Trent Freeley (#1017 Overall/#4 NM/#77 CB) is #5.

Feeley currently has a scholarship offer from Washington State, well Ajayi has no official offers but lists Colorado State as his #1 school..

The Aggies are also offering/targeting 2* WR Rashawn Poole (#2040 Overall/#5 NM/#368 WR) and 1* WR Alfonso Kafka (#3823 Overall/#6 NM/#730 WR).

[redsox907]

got to get Legend to make himself a new legend as an Aggie

[Deuce2223]

REBELS RUN WILD ON AGGIES!!!

GAME RECAP

HC Tony Sanchez didn't exactly put up great # well the HC of the Rebels going 20-40 over 5 seasons and now the former Rebel HC is 0-2 against his former team as the Aggies drop their fist game of the season as they fail to get revenge after last year's loss UNLV.

Tied (7-7) at the end of the 1st Quarter, UNLV jumped out to a (21-10) lead early in the 2nd Quarter and held that lead through halftime. NMSU would cut the lead to (21-17) early in the 3rd Quarter but a Akili Smith Fumble would lead to another Rebel touchdown as SR QB Anthony Colandera (86 ovr) hits fellow SR WR Daejon Reynolds on a 35 yd touchdown to give UNLV the (28-17)... The Rebels then added a 34 yd FG to make it (31-17 as we head to the 4th.

Again New Mexico State would answer back as Smith finds JR WR AJ Williams III for his first TD of the season on a 23 yd pass and catch well facing 4th and 2 as the Aggies make it (31-24) with 6 minutes to play in the game.. A forced punt would give the Aggies the ball back with 3:48 to play in the game and a chance to tie the game but Smith would throw the first of 2 INT"s leading to a Rayshon Luke (84 ovr) 34 yd touchdown run.. The run was Luke's 3rd 20+ yard run of the game and his 2nd touchdown of the game as the Senior RB closed in on 200 yds rushing on the day, as UNLV extends their lead to (38-24) and then Smith 2nd INT would turn into a "Pick 6" as Nijrell Eason takes it back 61 yds to the house. FINAL SCORE UNLV-45 NEW MEXICO STATE-24

KEY PLAYERS
QB A. Smith Jr-37/58 (63%) 451 yds 1 TD 2 INT, 1 Fumble
RB B. Jackson-7 carries 27 yds 1 TD,, 1 rec 8 yds
RB J. Limar-6 rec 30 yds , 6 rec 25 yds
FB B. Sage-2 carries 4 yds 1 TD
WR L. Poutasi-10 rec 181 yds
WR TJ Pride-4 rec 56 yds
WR AJ Williams-4 rec 68 yds 1 TD
WR D. Faupel-4 rec 27 yds
TE G. Harris-6 rec 64 yds
TE C. Jensen-2 rec 22 yds


QB A.Colandrea-17/26 (65%) 177 yds 3 TD, 9 carries 59 yds
RB R. Luke-25 carries 191 yds 2 TD, 2 rec 10 yds 1 TD
WR D. Reynolds-4 rec 66 yds 1 TD
WR R. Jackson-4 rec 40 yds 1 TD


**I made a chance and went to 10 min Quarters for this game.. The TOP was pretty even (21:11) UNLV compared to 18:49 for NMSU.. I just didn't play smart. I gave up on the run in the 2nd half and the turnover killed me.. Also it didn't help that I couldn't stop their run..


UP NEXT

The Aggies will return home for a 2 game home stand in Week 4 vs (2-0) San Jose State before hosting instate rival New Mexico in Week 5 before finally getting some rest in their Week 6 "Bye"

The Spartans come in to the game having played half the # of games as the Aggies. with non-conference win's over Eastern Michigan (42-17) and Sacramento State (FCS West) 38-10.

[Deuce2223]

got to get Legend to make himself a new legend as an Aggie

I do really like the name.. Ajayi isn't super common either so I am guessing he is is related tor former Boise State Bronco Jay Ajayi too.

With Jackson being a JR and Limar being a Senior I would love to add him to the mix of RB's I got on the roster. I am liking Ramon Hills but you can never have enough good RB's. He isn't anywhere close to the type of talent Tavon Logan was coming out of high school, but I have yet to find that kind of size and speed from a high school recruit..

[djp73]

Big changes to the roster this season. Nice start with a couple wins. Rough loss to UNLV, gotta protect the rock better than that.

[Deuce2223]

AGGIES FALL SHORT IN OT!!

GAME RECAP

Tied (7-7) at the end of the 1st Quarter.. San Jose State would take a (14-10) lead into the half as JR QB Camden Coleman (78 ovr) finds JR WR Ismael Cisse (79 ovr) for a 2nd time in the game.

The Aggies would open up the 2nd half with the ball but quickly had to settle for a 51 yd FG attempt by Freshman Vince Maze who knocks it down to set a new career long as NMSU makes it (14-13), but San Jose State answers back a pair of rushing touchdowns from SR RB Jabari Bates (82 ovr) to extend their lead to (28-13) going into the 4th.

New Mexico State would open up the 4th with a 5 play 80 yd drive ending with a 26 yd touchdown pass from Akili Smith Jr to Lamont Poutasi and then after a quick 3 and out, the Aggies closed the gap to (28-27) as Smith runs in a 5 yd score to cap a 7 play drive.

San Jose State answers back with as Coleman throws his 3rd touchdown of the game finding SO WR Wondame Davis Jr (79) on a 24 yd scoring strike to make it (35-27) with less then 3 minutes to play on the clock.. Smith already with 2 touchdowns in the Quarter would lead a perfect 2 minute drive ending with a 23 yd strike to TE Gavin Harris to pull the Aggies within 2 points with :42 seconds to play. The Offense would stay on the field with the game on the line as NMSU converts the 2pt play to tie the game (35-35).. San Jose didn't even try to score as the settle for Overtime.

The Aggies would win the toss and quickly found the endzone as Bates scores his 3rd rushing touchdown of the game. Needing a touchdown to tie and force another series, the Aggies would come up short as Smith throws a INT into the endzone as the Spartan D seals the victory.. FINAL SCORE SAN JOSE STATE-42 NEW MEXICO-35

KEY PLAYERS
QB A. Smith Jr-26/44 (59%) 342 yds 2 TD 1 INT,, sacked 3 times
RB B. Jackson-17 carries 71 yds (4.2 avg) 1 TD
RB J. Limar-5 carries 10 yds (2.0 avg), 3 rec 20 yds
WR L Poutasi-7 rec 104 yds 1 TD
WR TJ Pride-5 rec 83 yds
WR D. Faupel-5 rec 63 yds
TE G. Harris-4 re 58 yds

QB C. Coleman-27/42 (64%) 295 yds 3 TD 21 yds rushing
RB J. Bates-16 carries 90 yds 3 TD 2 rec 14 yds
WR W. Davis Jr-10 rec 107 yds 1 TD
WR I. Cisse-8 rec 86 yds 2 TD
WR B. Trimble-5 rec 74 yds


UP NEXT

The Aggies drop to (3-2) with back to back loss's and will look to rebound as they hose instate rival New Mexico in Week 5. The Lobos enter the game (2-2) on the season After starting the year 0-2 (lost to #1 Oklahoma 38-17) and then to the Death Valley Dingos (FCS West 28-16), New Meixco rebounded by winning it's past 2 games against Old Domiinion (21-16) and Wyoming (33-28).

[Deuce2223]

Big changes to the roster this season. Nice start with a couple wins. Rough loss to UNLV, gotta protect the rock better than that.

Yeah Smith is going to be good but he is a Redshirt Freshman and my O-line isn't great so he has been a little INT prone.. I just posted the San Jose State game and with the INT in that game he now has 10 TD and 9 INT on the season. despite passing for 61% of his pass's.

When you lose 30+ players in season you get to see and play with alot of new faces. This year I have 15 Seniors and I am pretty confident we will lose our max 7 players to the portal combined with a couple guy's I will cut next year to free up some depth spots, I hope to land a full class of 25 players.. I would love for that to be around 18-20 High School and leave the other-5-7 spots for transfers but we will see.. Right now I have out of my Top-25 15 Defensive players and 8 of the other 10 are O-line.. Hoping I can land most of them cause I feel good about our depth at QB/RB/WR.

[djp73]

roster turnover is always challenging and fun