New Mexico State looks to rebound

(Editor's note: This is the third story in a series previewing Western Athletic Conference football teams. Today, the Appeal takes a look at New Mexico State).

BY DARRELL MOODY

Appeal Sports Writer

The 2005 season is one that New Mexico State would just as soon forget.

Under first-year head coach Hal Mumme, the Aggies went 0-12, the first winless season at NMSU since 1988 when that squad went 0-11 under coach Mike Knoll.

Despite the winless season, there were several bright spots on both sides of the ball.

Consider the following:

• The Aggies broke several passing records, including attempts in a season (547), most completions in a season (310) and most completions in a game (40).

•For the first time since 1995, the Aggies throw for at least 300 yards (Joey Vincent), have a 100-yard rusher Justine Buries) and a 100-yard receiver (Tim Tolbert).

• Senior linebacker Jimmy Cottrell led the nation in tackles with 179, the most ever by an Aggie player.

• Wide reveiver Paul Dombrowski caught a school-record 78 balls, including a single-game mark of 16 against San Jose State. Dombrowski graduated last spring.

"I told the team during the season that they were like Seabiscuit; kind of worn down and hadn't won," Mumme said. "I told them once they started to win they would do it for a long time. We're still in that search."

The Aggies lost 15 seniors, but do return 14 starters and have some talent on the offensive side of the ball, inluding wide receivers Tolbert (6-2, 190), Brandon Allen (6-2, 195), A.J. Harris (6-1, 210), Derek DuBois (5-9, 170) and running back Buries (6-0, 220). Aikeem Jolla, a transfer from Miami, is expected to start. Nick Cleaver, who caught 16 passes for 226 yards last year, also returns.

Tolbert, who has started 19 straight games for the Aggies, caught 31 balls for 358 yards and a score. Allen had 33 catches for 362 yards and a score, and Dubois had 28 grabs for 373 yards and four scores. The versatile Buries, a junior, caught 23 passes for 141 yards and a score, and he rushed for 779 yards and five scores. Buries was third in the conference in rushing.

Sophomore Jeremiah Williams, who rushed for 56 yards in limited action last season, backs up Buries.

The responsibility for getting the football to the wide receivers falls on the shoulders of redshirt sophomore Chase Holbrook, who Mumme brought with him from Southeastern Louisiana, a Division 1-AA school.

It was no secret that last year's quarterbacks Joey Vincent and Royal Gill weren't the type of guys that could handle Mumme's wide-open offense. Now, Mumme has his man.

"His first year at Southeastern, he played sparingly," Mumme said. "You could see him getting beter and better and that he was going to be a great player. He knows the system. He's been in in it for three years."

The Aggies are big along the offensive line.

Sophomores Mike Martinez (6-3, 335) and Ray Zielinski (6-2, 313) enter fall camp as the starting tackles. Juniors Brett Leeds and Zach Monono are the back-ups.

Mammoth freshman Maveau Hemuli (6-4, 387) and sophomore Polo Gutierrez (6-1, 296) are running No. 1 at the guard spots, though sophomore Josh Coburn is pushing for playing time. Nevadan James Farrelly (6-3, 294) opens fall camp at center, and he's being backed up by sophomore Richie Bolin.

NMSU returns six starters on defense, including senior down linemen Kyle Smith (6-3, 265) and Jeremy Weeks (6-2, 285) and junior down lineman Brandon McKinney (6-3, 260). Junior Skylar Sargent, freshman Sioeli Fakalata and sophomore David Nuimatalolo are the back-ups on the defensive front.

Weeks finished with 19 tackles last year and McKinney had 33. Skylar finished with 27 and Niumatalolo had 26 stops.

Senior Nathan Nuttall (6-0, 212) is the only linebacker returning, and without question the Aggies will miss Cottrell, who finished with 179 stops last year.

Nuttall will be joined by senior Tim McManigal (6-0, 231), junior Michael Hernishin (6-2, 245) and sophomore La'Auli Fonoti (6-2, 250). Nuttall finished with 35 stops, Fonoti 8, McManigal 36 and Hernishin 19.

Senior free safety Eric Carrie (5-10, 208) and senior cornerback Courtney Bryan (5-11, 195) are the only starters returning in the secondary. Going into fall camp, Gerald Gurrier (5-10, 191) is tops at strong safety and junior Alex Bernard (5-8, 185) lines up opposite Bryan. Carrie was third-best on the 2005 squad with 80 tackles, Bernard had 39 and two interceptions, while Bryan had 38 and three picks. Gurrier had 22 stops in eight contests. Senior Cole Marton backs up at safety, and sophomore Jarrod McCullar and junior Marvin Betts are the back-ups at the corners.

"We don't have many seniors," Mumme said of his defensive unit. "It will be hard to replace Cottrell."

Mumme expects to pressure teams more because of added quickness throughout the defense.

Junior punter Jared Kauffman replaces the departed Brad Evans at punter. Evans averaged nearly 42 yards a kick. Matt Pratt replaces Conor Foley as the Aggies' place-kicker. Foley made just 6 of 12 attempts last year.

NEW MEXICO STATE

Mascot: Aggies

Home field: Aggie Memorial (30,343)

Head coach: Hal Mumme (2nd year)

2005 record: 0-12

Lettermen returning: 45 (24 offense, 21 defense)

Lettermen lost: 17 (8 defense, 7 offense, 2 specialists)