2011 New Mexico State Aggies Football Preview

DeWayne Walker comes into his third season in charge of the New Mexico State Aggie football program with a sense of optimism, but the obvious question is this: Should any sense of optimism be justified in this corner of the Western Athletic Conference until proof of a resurgence emerges in full relief?

Walker claims that he may have just found a player the community can rally behind, but incoming talent needs to produce before the locals should get their hopes up. Success has been a long time coming for the folks in Las Cruces. The Aggies haven’t fielded a .500 ballclub since 2002. Walker, the former defensive coordinator at UCLA who bottled up USC’s offense in a memorable 2006 upset that altered the complexion of that season’s BCS National Championship Game, has just five wins in 25 contests during his tenure in the Land of Enchantment. Suffice it to say, the emergence of Andrew Manley is a sight for sore eyes.

Manley is the odds-on-favorite to win the starting quarterback job during the New Mexico State spring scrimmage session. The offense surely needs a makeover - the Aggies were ranked 99th and 89th in passing and rushing yards in 2010. New Mexico State had used the air-raid offense under former coach Hal Mumme, but in keeping with Mumme’s methods, the Aggies had absolutely no defense. Now, under Walker, a defensive guru, the balance of the team’s problems lie on the offensive side of the ball. It’s been that kind of a decade for the Aggies – whenever they try to address one notable and profound deficiency, they lose whatever gains they made in another facet of competition. Walker hopes that Manley will enable his offense to join the fray in earnest and give this team the balance it needs to be more of a factor over the course of a full WAC season. Not having Boise State in the league might allow this team to breathe freely, due to the realization that the league championship might not be a foregone conclusion. (Naturally, Nevada would object to that characterization, but with the Wolf Pack losing the best quarterback in their history, Colin Kaepernick, it’s fair to say that the WAC is going to be as wide open as it’s been in quite some time.)

Scoring was the first, second and third problem for the crew from Las Cruces in 2010 – it was just that simple. New Mexico State put just over 15 points per game on the scoreboard. That won’t cut it unless a team’s defense is as good as the 1992 Alabama team or the 1991 Washington Huskies. The offense will need to find its groove in 2011 if the Aggies are to have any level of success.

The Aggies have three tough non-conference road games - they will travel to Minnesota, Georgia, and BYU this season. A home slate of Ohio, UTEP, Idaho, and Utah State should provide a good foundation and if the Aggies can take advantage, any smell of prosperity can perhaps give them momentum in their other contests.

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