This will be the second meeting between the two teams as NM State defeated Troy 22-18 in 2004 under former Aggie coach Tony Samuel in Las Cruces, N.M.
The game will be broadcast on local radio in Las Cruces and throughout New Mexico and carried on the Internet at ESPN3.com.
The New Mexico State flagship radio station for football and men’s basketball is changing from 103.9 FM to 98.7 FM in Las Cruces. All football and men’s basketball games will be aired live and in their entirety.
This move took effect for the first home football game on Thursday, August 28 at 6 p.m. (MT). The pre-game show will begin at 5 p.m. with Jack Nixon and Preston Williams.
The flagship station this year will be 98.7 FM of the NM State Sports Network, which extends across the state of New Mexico. Other stations in the network carry all football and men’s basketball games and include:
• KNMZ 107.1FM Alamogordo
• ESPN 101.7 The Team Albuquerque/Rio Rancho
• KSVP 990AM Artesia
• KAMQ 1240AM Carlsbad
Aggies on Social Media
The Aggies Athletic Department has a Twitter account at www.twitter.com/nmstateaggies where fans and media can get all their in-game scores. The Aggies also have a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NMSUathletics. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram at nmstateaggies for all the behind the scene info on your team.
The Aggies fell to 2-4 on the season after their fourth consecutive loss in a 36-28 loss to Georgia Southern Oct. 4.
While the Aggies held the Eagles scoreless in the first quarter, a feat no other team has managed to do against the high-powered Georgia Southern offense, and managed to build a 14-0 lead, the Eagles would regroup and come back and take the lead by halftime. In the end, the Aggies wouldn’t have enough time to try and score again to tie the game and would lose by one possession. Turnovers would play a huge role in the Aggies problems, committing three interceptions and losing one fumble.
Tyler Rogers recorded 329 yards through the air on 34-of-48 passing with three interceptions. Rogers also had a productive night on the ground, going for 49 yards on ten attempts. Brandon Betancourt led the Aggies with 65 yards on the ground on 11 carries, recording two touchdowns.
Larry Rose III and Xavier Hall had a combine 65 yards rushing and a touchdown each. Teldrick Morgan led all receivers with 100 yards on ten catches. Joshua Bowen added 92-yards and Jerrel Brown had 73-yards as well.
Georgia Southern’s Kevin Ellison led the Eagles with 150 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. L.A. Rambsy added 136 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries for Georgia Southern and Matt Breida chipped in with 97 on the ground. The Eagles continued their No. 1 ranked run offense with 405 yards on the ground compared to the Aggies 183. NM State held the Eagles to only 18 yards of passing to continue their secondary dominance.
Series History vs. Troy
The Aggies look to take on Troy on the road Saturday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m., for their third Sun Belt Conference appearance of the season after falling to conference opponent Georgia Southern Oct. 4, 36-28.
The Aggies have faced off against Troy once prior to their upcoming meeting, picking up a 22-18 win over the Trojans at home on Sept. 17, 2004.
Heading into the game, the 2-4 Aggies are looking to snap their four game losing streak against the Trojans, who are 0-5 on the season. The Trojans have only faced off against one other Sun Belt opponent in a 22-20 loss to UL Monroe Sept. 27.
· Freshman quarterback Andrew Allen rushed for 118 yards against LSU on Sept. 27. He is the last freshman to score a rushing touchdown against LSU since former Oregon running back DeAnthony Thomas did so on Sept. 3, 2011. He is also the last freshman to rush for 100 yards against LSU since former Auburn and current Louisville tailback Michael Dyer did so for Auburn on Oct. 23, 2010.
· Teldrick Morgan currently ranks No. 8 in the nation with 608 receiving yards and he is also No. 9 in the nation with 7.7 receptions per game.
· Kawe Johnson is currently tied No. 6 in the nation with three forced fumbles on the season.
· The NM State defense ranks seventh in the nation in passing yards allowed per game with 138.6.
· Rodney Butler is No. 12 in the country for tackles per game 11.3.
· The Aggies attempted 50 passes versus Georgia Southern on Saturday, Oct. 4. The last time that happened was on Nov. 22, 2008 when NM State attempted 60 passes against Louisiana Tech.
· NM State’s Stephan Meredith blocked an extra point attempt versus Georgia Southern, Oct. 4 in Aggie Memorial Stadium. He is the first do achieve that feat since an Aggie player did it on Oct. 20, 2012 at Utah State.
Aggies in the Sun Belt
After playing an independent schedule in the 2013-14 season, the Aggies are now members of the Sun Belt Conference for the 2014-15 season.
The Aggies are 1-1 in the Sun Belt, sitting near the middle of the pack at the No. 7 spot in the Sun Belt standings.
While the Sun Belt just recently got into the full swing of the season, all of the teams in the conference have five or six games under their belt, with Georgia Southern leading the way at 4-2 overall and 3-0 in conference play. Arkansas State and Texas State are tied for second place with 3-2 records overall and 1-0 records in the conference. UL Lafayette is 1-0 in conference, but 2-3 overall, while UL Monroe is tied for fifth place with South Alabama. Both UL Monroe and South Alabama have 2-1 records in the Sun Belt and are 3-2 overall.
Troy, Appalachian State, Georgia State and Idaho are all winless in the Sun Belt, with Troy and Idaho going 0-5 overall on the season thus far. Appalachian State and Georgia State are both 1-4 overall.
Founded in 1976, the Sun Belt has adapted and evolved in its nearly 40 year existence. The Sun Belt Conference has a permanent seat on the NCAA’s 18-member Board of Directors. With the 2014-15 year marking the debut of the College Football Playoff (CFP) the Sun Belt continues to find itself among the 10 premier college football conferences and the new system is guaranteed universal access based on performance – there are no automatic qualifiers for the playoff system. Additionally, the CFP will mean that a spot among the premier bowl games of college football will be guaranteed to the highest-ranked champion from the other “Group of Five” conferences: the Sun Belt Conference, American Athletic Conference, Mountain West Conference, Mid-American Conference and Conference USA.
With the College Football Playoff included with the league’s other bowl arrangements, the Sun Belt Conference is tied to seven total bowl games. The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the GoDaddy Bowl, the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl, the Cure Bowl (debuting in 2015) all guarantee a home for a bowl eligible Sun Belt Conference team each year. And beginning with the2016 season, the Sun Belt is also part of a rotation of conferences that will send a team to the Bahamas Bowl and the Miami Beach Bowl.
The Sun Belt’s 21 non-conference football wins in the 2013 season was a new record for the league - eclipsing the mark of 19 set the year prior. Additionally of note for the league’s non-conference win total was that the Sun Belt fared well against its peer opponents in the non-AQ BCS ranks. The Sun Belt finished a combined 8-1 against members of Conference-USA (4-1), the Mid-American Conference (3-0) and the Mountain West Conference (1-0). The Sun Belt also had the best overall non-conference win percentage when comparing the four non-AQ conferences.
Aggies Through the Air
NM State found some success in the air last season, throwing for a total 2,886 yards. The two main quarterbacks for the Aggies were Andrew McDonald and King Davis III. McDonald threw for 2,497 yards going 235-for-350. He threw 11 interceptions and 15 touchdowns on the year. Davis went 26-for-51 with one interception and two touchdowns.
The Aggies were only out thrown by 114 yards in the air, with their opponents throwing for 3000 yards on the season. The Aggies longest pass of the season was an 85 yard bomb to Austin Franklin against Rice on Oct. 19.
The Aggies averaged a 132.88-quarterback efficiency rating in 2013, with McDonald leading the way with a 134.36.
Tyler Rogers will be the starting quarterback for the Aggies in 2014, coming in as a sophomore from Arizona Western where he played one season. Rogers threw for 1,832 yards at Western, recording 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He rushed for 364 yards and a team high 10 touchdowns as well. In high school Rogers threw for almost 6,000 yards in his career, including 76 touchdowns for Liberty High School.
The success as a pass first team has carried into this season, as the Aggies have recorded 1,503 yards passing in their first six games, compared to opponents 711. Rogers has recorded 1,471 yards passing on 145-237 passes. He has thrown for nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Rogers favorite target this season is standout wide receiver Teldrick Morgan, who has caught 46 passes for 608 yards and four touchdowns.
NM State’s Secondary Getting the Job Done
The Aggies secondary is one of the best in the nation, sitting at No. 3 in the rankings. Behind No. 1 San Jose State (89.6) and No. 2 Stanford (107.4), NM State has only allowed 118.5 yards through the air per game.
The two defensive highlights of the year game against Cal Poly (Aug. 28) and Georgia Southern (Oct. 4). In the season opener against Cal Poly, the Aggies only allowed six yards through the air. Against Georgia Southern the Aggies only gave up 18 yards passing, containing the opposing quarterback to a dismal 3-13 passing night.
Johnson Stepping Up Big for Aggie Secondary
Sophomore defensive back Kawe Johnson has proven to play an important role for the NM State defense, recording 57 tackles on the season along with a team leading three forced fumbles.
Johnson had his breakout performance against No. 17/18 ranked LSU (Sept. 27), where he forced two fumbles and recorded 12 tackles. He also recorded his only interception of the season against the Tigers.
Johnson has recorded double-digit tackles three times on the year, with his season high coming against UTEP (Sept. 13). He also has two tackles for a loss of four yards. Johnson’s 57 tackles places him third for leading tacklers at NM State this season.
Quick Hits
No. 18 Tyler Rogers, QB
• Rogers has thrown for 1,471 yards through six games
• Rogers has gone 145-237 in passing with nine touchdowns
• Efficiency rating of 116.57 with a 61.2 completion percentage
• Currently averaging 245.2 passing yards per game
• Season long pass completion of 57 yards on the season
No. 12 Larry Rose III, RB
• Rose leads the Aggies in attempt and rushing yards
• Single game season-high rushing yards of 149 against Cal Poly (Aug. 28)
• Rose is tied for third on the team in rushing touchdowns scored with two on the season
• Rose has 290 rushing yards and two rushing touchdown with 69 attempts
• Rose did not play in the loss against New Mexico (Sept. 20) LSU (Sept. 27)
• Season long rush of 24 yards
No. 21 Brandon Betancourt, RB
• Betancourt has played in all six games for the Aggies this season
• Finished second on the team last year with 415 rushing yards
• He scored his first touchdowns of the season against Georgia Southern (Oct. 4)
• Has recorded 266 yards on the season and two touchdowns (both against Georgia Southern, Oct. 4)
• Has a season long rush of 32 yards and a career long rush of 36 yards
No. 22 Xavier Hall, RB
• Has appeared in all six games this season
• Leads the team with four rushing touchdowns
• Has six rushing touchdowns for his career
• Season long rush of 17 yards and career long rush of 24 yards
• Led the team a year ago with 5.1 yards per carry among players with 20 or more attempts
• Recorded 218 yards on 61 carries
No. 17 Jerrel Brown, WR
• Leading returning receiver from last year with 935 career receiving yards
• Was second on the team last year with 484 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns
• Currently has four receiving touchdowns for his career
• Has appeared in every game this season
• Brown has recorded 20 receptions for 195 yards with 9.8 average yards per catch
No. 6 Joshua Bowen, WR
• Bowen has appeared in five games this year for the Aggies
• His first touchdown of this season came against New Mexico (Sept. 20)
• Last year Bowen finished second on the team with 39 receptions
• He also caught two touchdowns last year
• He has recorded 166 yards on 17 catches
No. 5 Joseph Matthews, WR
• Second on the team in receptions (23), receiving yards (246) and receiving touchdowns (3) this season
• Has played in all six games this season
• Recorded his first touchdown reception against Georgia State (Sept. 6)
• Currently averaging 10.7 yards per catch this season
No. 19 Teldrick Morgan, WR
• Morgan has 46 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns, with a long catch of 57 yards
• He is the leading receiver for the Aggies in every receiving category
• Morgan is averaging 101.3 receiving yards per game this season
• Season high of 202 yards on eight receptions against UTEP (Sept. 13)
• Redshirted last year, this is Morgan’s first year on the field for the Aggies
No. 7 Adam Shapiro, WR
• Has recorded 16 receptions for 135 yards, with a long of 23 yards.
• Played in all 12 games in 2013, averaging 12.3 yards a catch.
• He recorded 35 receptions for 331 yards and two touchdowns in 2013, ranking second on the team.
• Lead the team in all-purpose yards as the Aggies No. 1 kick returner, with 975 all-purpose yards.
No. 89 Andrew Dean, TE
• Dean had 11 receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown during the 2013 season.
• Played in all 12 games last season and has started at tight end every game this season.
• Career-high receptions against No. 15 Texas (Aug. 31) and 33 receiving yards against Louisiana (Nov. 2) in 2013.
• Has 2 receptions on the season.
No. 52 Jay Eakins, DE
• 32 total tackles on the year, 11 solo and 21 assisted.
• Has recorded 3.5 tackles for a loss of 16 yards.
• Recorded 29 tackles and one sack last year
• Has recorded one sack on the season
No. 48 Kalei Auelau, DT
• Has recorded 31 tackles on the year, five solo and 26 assisted
• Has recorded 1.5 tackles for a loss of four yards.
• 0.5 sacks for a loss of three yards.
No. 95 Stody Bradley, DT
• Has recorded 10 tackles on the season, one unassisted and nine assisted.
• Has appeared in all six games this season
No. 13 Clint Barnard, DE
• Has played in five games this season
• Currently has a total of 12 tackles on the year
• Leading returning tackler from a season ago
• Was fourth on the team with 67 tackles as a Junior
No. 53 Rodney Butler, LB
• Played and started all six games this season
• Currently ranks third in the Sun Belt Conference with 52 tackles so far this season
• Has an average of 11.3 tackles per game
• Recorded one interception and returned it for a 40-yard touchdown against Georgia State (Sept.6)
No. 3 Derek Ibekwe, LB
• Ibekwe has appeared in all six games this season
• 60 tackles on the season
• Has 2.5 tackles for a loss of four yards
• Has recorded 25 unassisted tackles and 35 assisted tackles
• Season-high 14 tackles against Cal Poly (Aug. 28)
No. 31 Dalton Herrington, LB
• Has appeared in all six games this season
• Has a total of 44 tackles on the season
• Season high of 14 tackles against Georgia Southern (Oct. 4)
• Has one forced fumble on the season
• Recorded one interception this season and one broken up pass
No. 29 Lewis Hill, DB
• Hill has played a total of 17 games with the Aggies on defense
• Hill recorded his first interception of the year against UTEP (Sept.13)
• Hill has a total of 16 unassisted and three assisted tackles
• Leads the team in pass break ups with three
No. 16 Kawe Johnson, DB
• With six games played in the season, Johnson has a total of 57 tackles
• Johnson has two tackles for loss, totaling four yards
• Career-high of 17 tackles against UTEP (Sept. 13)
• Currently tied No. 6 in the nation with three forced fumbles, highlighted by a career-high two forced fumbles against LSU (Sept. 27)
• Averaging 9.5 tackles per game this season
No. 4 Winston Rose, DB
• Has played in all six games with the Aggies this season
• One of the five Aggies with an interception of the year.
• Leads the team with two interceptions
• Has recorded 13 tackles so far this season
• Only played in two games last year as an Aggie
No. 14 Jaden Wright, DB
• Recorded a career high five tackles against Cal Poly (Aug. 28)
• Total of 10 tackles so far in his freshman year as an Aggie
• Has played in four games this season
No. 7 King Davis III, DB
• Davis has played in five games this season as an Aggie.
• Has recorded a total of 18 tackles on the year
• Davis passed for 371 yards and two touchdowns as a quarterback last year for the Aggies before making the move to defensive back
No. 52 Jay Eakins, DE
• 12 total tackles on the year, seven solo and five assisted.
• Has recorded 2.5 tackles for a loss of 10 yards.
• One sack for a loss of eight yards.
No. 48 Kalei Auelau, DT
• Recorded nine tackles on the year, one solo and eight assisted.
• Has recorded .5 tackles for a loss of three yards.
• 0.5 sacks for a loss of three yards.
No. 95 Stody Bradley, DT
• Has recorded two tackles on the season, both assisted.
No. 57 Noah Brown, DE
• Has recorded seven tackles on the year, two solo and five assisted.
• 2.0 tackles for a loss of six yards
• 0.5 sacks for a loss of four yards.
No. 69 Alexander Trujillo, DL
• Six tackles with three solo and three assisted tackles.
• 1.0 tackle for a loss of three yards.
Meet the NM State Backfield
The Aggies are looking forward to a successful year from their running backs, with high expectations for the ground game in the 2014-15 season. Headlining the backfield will be sophomore back Xavier Hall and Senior Brandon Betancourt, assisted by incoming freshman Larry Rose III.
Rose leads the way for the Aggie backfield, recording 290 yards on 69 carries and scoring two touchdowns. Rose also has six receptions for 36 yards and another touchdown. Hall has 61 carries for 218yards and four touchdowns, while Betancourt has ran 52 times for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Both of Betancourts scores came against Georgia Southern Oct. 4. As a team, NM State has rushed for 991 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Hall and Betancourt are Las Cruces natives; both having successful careers at Las Cruces High and Mayfield High respectively. Rose is coming off of his senior season at Fairfield High in Fairfield, Texas, where he rushed for 2,924 yards on 237 carries and recorded 49 touchdowns.
Last year Betancourt played in eight games for the Aggies, rushing for 415 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards a carry. He also caught 13 receptions for 106 yards and one touchdown, averaging 8.2 yards per catch. Betancourt rushed for a career-high 139 yards against I-25 rival New Mexico (Oct. 5). He followed that performance with 103 yards rushing on 17 carries against Rice (Oct. 19). Versus No. 13 UCLA (Sept. 21) he rushed for 95 yards and one touchdown.
Hall ran for 247 yards on 48 carries and two touchdowns during the 2013 season and recorded seven receptions for 47 yards in 11 games. He averaged 5.1 yards a rush and 6.7 yards a catch, starting the final four games of the year. His best game came against Boston College (Nov. 9), where Hall recorded career-high 95 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown. He also recorded four receptions for 32 yards in the same game.
NM State rushed for 1,701 yards last season on 444 carries. Averaging 3.8 yards a carry and 141.8 yards a game, the Aggies scored 14 touchdowns on the ground last season.
Return of the Lefty
In the 2013-14 season, NM State was one of only two schools in the nation that boasted left footed kickers starting at both punter and place kicker. While punter Cayle Chapman-Brown has left the Aggies, kicker Maxwell Johnson is returning for his senior year.
In his 2014 season debut, Johnson went 4-4 in PATs for a total of four points against the Cal Poly Mustangs on Aug. 28.
On the season, Johnson is 21-21 on PATs and 3-5 on field-goals, with a long of 41 yards against Georgia State Sept. 6 and has total of 30 points on the season, leading the Aggies in scoring.
Johnson played in 12 games for the Aggies in 2013 as a place kicker, kicking 29-of-32 PATs, 10-of-12 field goal and 20 kickoffs. He was 2-of-2 on field goals attempts three times in the season against Rice (Oct. 19), Abilene Christian (Oct. 26) and Boston College (Nov. 9). Johnson recorded his longest field goal of his career, against Rice, a 49-yard kick. Over the last six games of the season, Johnson made 18 straight extra point attempts, including a 5-of-5 performance against Louisiana (Nov. 2).
Johnson on Lou Groza Award Watch List
New Mexico State's Maxwell Johnson was named to the thirty-player Watch List for the 2014 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, as announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Johnson returns after he was NMSU's leading scorer in 2013. His 10 field goals came in the span of the final eight games, including a pair in the 4th quarter of a 34-29 victory over Abilene Christian.
On the season, Johnson is 21-21 on PATs and 3-5 on field goals, with a long of 41 yards against Georgia State on Sept. 6. and has total of 30 points on the season, leading the Aggies in scoring.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 6th. From this list, a panel of more than 300 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, and former Groza finalists selects the top three finalists for the award by Monday, November 24th. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 11th during the Home Depot College Football Awards, broadcast live from Orlando, Fla.
Valerian Ume-Ezeoke named to Rimington Trophy Watch List
The Rimington Trophy Committee has released its 2014 Fall Watch List, which features 66 of the best centers in Division I football, including three centers from the Sun Belt Conference. Valerian Ume-Ezeoke was listed among the preseason candidates for the award that annually goes to the nation's best center.
Ume has played all 255 offensive downs for the Aggies while recorded five pancakes and a team high 14 knockdowns on the season.
Ume-Ezeoke started at center for the Aggies offensive line during the 2013 season, recording 56.5 knockdowns, second highest on the team. He had a season-high 10 knockdowns against Louisiana (Nov. 2). Ume-Ezeoke’s play helped the Aggies’ leading rusher Germi Morrison rush for an average of 4.1 yards a rush on 109 carries for 451 yards and a team-high four rushing touchdowns. His blocking ability also allowed quarterback Andrew McDonald lead the Aggies in passing, throwing for 2,497 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 208.1 yards a game. Ume-Ezeoke was also named to the Remington Trophy Watch List last season as well.
While more than a dozen All-America teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee uses the Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News and Football Writers Association of America teams to determine a winner. The winner will be recognized at the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015.
New Mexico Talent on Display in 2014
The 2014 NM State football team is filled with local players from N.M. The team boasts 17 players from the land of enchantment, with six from the Las Cruces area and nine from the Albuquerque area.
Some of the local players returning from last year are wide receivers Adam Shapiro and Joshua Bowen, running backs Xavier Hall and Brandon Betancourt and linemen Abram Holland and Matt Ramondo.
Hall and Bettencourt have combined for 461-yards and six touchdowns on 113 carries on the season thus far, while Bowen has 17 receptions for 166 yards and one touchdown.
Aggie Walk On Awarded Scholarship
Sophomore Rayvean Moore was awarded with a football scholarship after playing the 2013 season as a walk on. Head coach Doug Martin said Moore earned the scholarship because of his hard work on the field and in the classroom.
On the season, Moore has recorded two receptions for 15-yards.
Moore played in nine games during the 2013 season at wide receiver and on special teams. He had one reception for two yards against San Diego State Sept. 28. Moore redshirted as a freshman.
Tyler Rogers Steps in as Aggie QB
Tyler Rogers has been named as the starting quarterback for the NM State Aggies for the 2014-15 season.
The Aggies are now 2-4 on the season, having dropped the last four games against UTEP, New Mexico, No. 17 LSU and Georgia Southern. Rogers has recorded 1,471 yards on 145-237 passing, with nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Rogers has also rushed for 113 yards this year.
In his debut behind center, the sophomore quarterback went 18-27 for 158 yards and two touchdowns. With a pass completion rating off 66.7 percent and only one interception, Rogers had an efficiency rating of 132.86 against Cal Poly.
Rogers is a transfer sophomore who played one year at Western Arizona. He played one season with Arizona Western as the team’s starting quarterback. He threw for 1,832 yards and 14 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. Rogers also ran for 364 yards and a team-best 10 touchdowns. Rogers missed two and a half games down the final stretch of the season, but was able to dress for the Matadors third straight appearance in the Fisher Automotive El Toro Bowl.
In high school Rogers was the starting quarterback at Liberty High School for four years, leading his team to three league championships. He threw for 5,903 yards during his high school career, including 76 touchdown passes. Rogers also ran for 1,691 yards and 26 scores. As a senior, Rogers was the league and district player of the year, while also being selected as a first team all-section and second team all-state. He was one of two quarterbacks from Arizona selected to play in the California vs. Arizona All-Star game.
NM State Receivers – A Talented Group
NM State boasts a talented receiving core that features five of last year’s top six receivers led by seniors Jerrel Brown and Adam Shapiro. The Aggies tend to spread the wealth amongst the receiving core, which makes any receiver capable of being a threat to make a play. Of the five receivers who return from a year ago, each of those players appeared in every game last season. Each player also managed to catch at least 20 passes and gain at least 200 receiving yards a season ago.
Although the Aggies have a lot of experience among their receivers, they still are receiving production from their younger wide-outs. Redshirt sophomore, Teldrick Morgan led the way for the Aggies in their season opener against Cal Poly on Aug. 28, where he recorded six receptions for 51 yards and caught the first touchdown of the season for the Aggies on the initial drive of the game. Redshirt freshman, Gregory Hogan served as the full-time punt returner and kick returner for the Aggies in the first game, which appears to be his role going forward.
The receiving core is continuing to play a major role in the Aggie offense, averaging 250.5-yards a game and 10.1-yards a catch. NM State has 1,503 passing yards on the season, compared to their opponents 711 yards. Morgan leads all NM State receivers with 46 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns. Joseph Matthews is second on the team with 23 catches for 246 yards and three touchdowns.
NM State Youth
The Aggies opened up the season against Cal Poly on Aug. 28, with six freshman starters, two on offense and four on defense. Throughout the course of the game, 11 freshmen received playing time for the Aggies. Eight of the 11 freshmen that played in the season opener were true freshmen while the other three were redshirt freshmen.
True freshmen, Derek Ibekwe and Larry Rose III made the biggest impact of the freshmen in their first game with NM State. Ibekwe led the team with 14 tackles while Larry Rose III led the team with 149 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Overall, Rose leads the team with 276-yards and one touchdown on 62 carries.
Ibekwe has 59 total tackles on the season and Dalton Herrington, another freshman, has recorded 44 tackles on the season, 18 of which are solo. Thomas McGwire is also seeing major minutes as a freshman on the offensive line.
Aggie Named to Inaugural Polynesian Award Watch List
New Mexico State’s Isaiah Folasa-Lutui has been named to the Inaugural Polynesian Award watch list for the 2014-15 season. The award was established by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, which inducted its first members in January.
Lutui has played in all 319 offensive plays for the Aggies, recording one pancake and 12 knockdowns. NM State quarterback Tyler Rogers has yet to be sacked thus far in the season thanks to the outstanding performance of the line through the first four games.
Lutui is the only player from the Sun Belt conference to be named to the watch list, while the Pac-12 leads the way with 15 nominees. Other conferences include the Mountain West (12), Independents (4), American Athletic (1) and the Big 12 (1).
Lutui played in all 12 games at left guard during the 2013-14 season, recording 55 knockdowns, with a season-high nine knockdowns coming against Louisiana (Nov. 2).
His play helped leading rusher Germi Morrison rush for an average of 4.1 yards a rush on 109 carries for 451 yards and a team high four rushing touchdowns. His pass protection allowed quarterback Andrew McDonald to lead the aggies in passing, throwing for 2,497 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 208.1 yards a game.
Aggie Punter Aiming for the Record Books
NM State punter Steven Witkowski is attempting to break into the record books, recording a 40.1-yard average on 28 punts, with a long of 60 yards. The record for punting average for a single season is held by Cayle Chapman Brown who had an average of 44.3-yards in 2012. Chapman also holds the No. 2 spot on the leaderboard, averaging 43.8 yards a punt in 2013. Witkowski has a long punt on the year of 60-yards and has 998 total yards punting.
Punting Average (Min. 40 Punts – Top 5 at NM State
1. C. Chapman-Brown…………….…….….2012 - 44.3
2. C. Chapman-Brown……………........……2013-43.8
3. Garret Henson………………….……….1991 – 43.07
4. Cliff Olander…………………….……….1976 – 42.99
5. Andy Kohl……………………….………..1998 – 42.91
NM State RB Named to Award Watch List
Aggie freshman running back Larry Rose III was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List Aug. 20, one of 43 players and one of only two freshman named to the list.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose award recognizes the top offensive player in Div. 1 football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity. More specifically the tenacity to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals.
In addition to those attributes, the athlete must be born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas high school and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or four year college.
Rose is from Fairfield, Texas, where he attended Fairfield High School. Playing running back and defensive back, as a senior Rose was named the Associated Press Sports Editor Class 3A Offensive Player of the Year and a first team all-state selection.
He rushed for 2,924 yards on 237 carries and 49 touchdowns his senior year. He also caught nine passes for 114 yards and three touchdowns. His season high was six scores in one game. Rose helped his team to a 15-1 record, the state championship game, and the No. 19 ranking in the state of Texas. Defensively Rose recorded seven tackles, six pass breakups and one interception.
Of the 43 players to be named to the watch list, there are nine conferences represented as well as three independent schools. By position, 17 wide receivers, 12 running backs, eight quarterbacks, three tight ends, two fullbacks and one halfback were selected for the watch list.
In the season opener against Cal Poly on Aug. 28, Rose had 30 carries for 149 yards and one rushing touchdown, with a long of 24 yards. Rose also had four receptions for 13 yards and a receiving touchdown.
In the season thus far, Rose has 69 carries for 300-yards and two touchdowns. Rose leads the Aggies on the ground even with having missed 11 quarters of play due to injury. Rose averages 4.2-yards a carry and 72.5-yards a game.
Recent Aggies in the Pros
The Aggies currently have seven players listed in the NFL. The most recent of those players picked up by NFL teams are Davonte Wallace and Austin Franklin.
Wallace was picked up by the Miami Dolphins this year and is currently listed as a rookie. Wallace played in 36 consecutive games for the Aggies, earning two second team All-WAC awards. He was the first offensive lineman to do so since 2004.
Franklin was picked up by the St. Louis Rams this year and recorded one reception for 15 yards and a touchdown in preseason. In 2012 Franklin was the Aggies leading receiver, leading the team with 74 receptions for 1,245 yards and nine touchdowns. He also led the team in all-purpose yards as the lead returner for the team as well as a receiver, with 1,627 total yards and 135.6 total yards per game.
Other recent additions to the NFL are second year DB Jeremy Harris for the Jacksonville Jaguars and WR Chris Williams, who is in his second year for the Chicago Bears. Kyle Nelson is in his third season at backup center for the San Francisco 49ers.
Davon House is the most active Aggie in the NFL currently, playing for the Green Bay Packers. House has recorded nine tackles and one assists on the season, with one forced fumble.
Andrew Allen Big Play Potential
Aggie true freshman Andrew Allen has seen limited action for NM State, but in the few plays he has been involved in the young quarterback has found success in the out of the ordinary play calls.
Allen is 4-5 on the season through the air for a total of 32 yards. Where Allen has really shined has been in the rushing game, having carried the ball eight times for 124 yards and one touchdown.
Allen’s highlight play of the year came against No. 17 LSU when he took a direct snap 79 yards down the field to score the Aggies only touchdown of the game. He also went 2-2 in the air against LSU for 16 yards.
Aggie Memorial’s New Look
After six months, including design and construction, Aggie Memorial Stadium finally has its new field.
The synthetic turf used on the field helps stand up to the heavy use such as in sports, requires no irrigation or trimming and the overall upkeep on the field is less than using real grass. The building of the new field was made possible by a $1 million donation from Stan Fulton.
There was 74 tons of sand used on the new field as well as 170 tons of rubber infill.
The highlights of the new field include the incredibly detailed Pistol Pete at the 50-yard line, the state of the art drainage system and storm sewer. The overall sharp and defined markings on the field are another feature that has been highly touted by the local fans.
The artificial turf replaces the Hybrid Bermuda that was used from 1978-2013, which included a quick-draining system beneath the playing surface, was the first Hybrid Bermuda turf of its kind.
Aggie memorial Stadium has been the dedicated playing field for NM State since Sept. 16, 1978, when the Aggies christened the field with a 35-32 victory over I-10 rival UTEP. Eight of the top 10 crowds in the history of the stadium came against UTEP. The stadium seats 30,343 fans. The field was constructed for $4 million and was funded by the New Mexico State Legislature as part of a capital outlay program.
Aggie Underclassmen and Seniors on the Two-Deep
The Aggies rank No. 5 in the nation for most freshman and sophomores on the two-deep roster. Oklahoma state is first with 32 underclassmen in the rotation, followed by Colorado (29) and Utah, Pitt and Wake Forest all with 28.
The Aggies are tied with Texas A&M and place right above Arizona State, Florida and San Jose State all with 26 underclassmen.
NM State also ranks No. 5 in the Nation for fewest seniors in the rotation, with only nine seniors. The Aggies are tied with Washington State and USC, behind Pitt and Arizona State with eight seniors, Baylor (7) and Temple with six.
Most Underclassmen
1.Oklahoma State……….………..32
2.Colorado………………….……….29
T3.Utah…………………..…………...28
T3.Wake Forest…………..……….28
T3.Pitt……………………………..….28
T6.Texas A&M…………….….……27
T6.NM State……………….….…….27
T8.Arizona State………….………26
T8.San Jose State…………………26
Fewest Seniors
1.Temple……………………………6
2.Baylor……………………………..7
T3.Arizona State…………………8
T3.Pitt………………………………..8
T5.Washington State…………..9
T5.USC……………………………….9
T5.NM State……………………….9
T8.Wake Forest…………………10
T8.Baylor………………………….10
10.Colorado………………………11
Sun Belt Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Terrence Franks (Texas State, Sr., RB)
Terrence Franks set a school record and had the sixth-highest yardage total in Sun Belt Conference history when he ran for career-highs of 284 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries to lead Texas State to a 35-30 victory over Idaho. His first run of the game was for a 70-yard touchdown and gave the Bobcats a 7-3 lead. He set a school record and had the second-longest run in Sun Belt Conference history with a 95-yard carry for the touchdown on his second carry in the game. Franks also had another 70-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. His 284 yards are the fourth-highest total in school history and was the sixth-highest in SBC history. His three touchdowns equal a career-high he set in 2011 and are the most touchdowns scored in a game by a Sun Belt Conference player this season.
Aggies from Across the US
NM State’s roster is full of players from across the country, with Aggies hailing from 14 different states.
California leads the way with 29 Aggies, followed by Texas (25) and New Mexico (17). There are over a dozen players from the local area, including the Las Cruces and Albuquerque areas in N.M., including Aggie standouts Xavier Hall (Las Cruces HS) and Brandon Bettencourt (Mayfield HS).
Players by State
California…………………………………………………...29
Texas…………………………………………………………25
New Mexico…………………………………………….17
Arizona ………………………………………………………6
Oregon, Nevada, Hawai’i ………………..……3 each
Alaska, Maryland, Florida ……………….......2 each
Georgia, Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee………1each
Defensive Player of the Week
Craig Mager (Texas State, Sr., DB)
Craig Mager recorded a career-bests 12 tackles and three tackle for losses of 20 yards in Texas State’s victory over Idaho. Mager also recorded the first two sacks of his career and broke up a game-high two other passes against the Vandals. His two pass breakups also equaled his career-best effort and were the most he has had since he broke up two passes against San Jose State in 2012. His two sacks tie as the second-highest total by Sun Belt Player this season behind teammate Michael Odiari’s 4.5 sacks this season.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Wil Lutz (Georgia State, Jr., P/PK)
Georgia State's Wil Lutz became the Panthers' career leader in field goals and successfully executed a fake punt to highlight his performance against UL Lafayette. Lutz, a junior from Newnam, Ga., hit just one field goal against the Ragin' Cajuns, but it was from 48 yards, the third-longest in Georgia State history. It was also the 16th of his career for the GSU school record. Lutz's field goal came on the final play of the first half and sent the Panthers into the locker room with a 17-14 lead. Starting at punter for the first time in his career, Lutz punted three times for a 38.0-yard average, but it was the time he didn't punt that really made a difference for the Panthers. With Georgia State punting on 4th-and-11 from its own 19-yard line, Lutz was attempting a rugby-style punt when he took off down the right sideline and gained 26 yards for the first down. Lutz's play helped lead to the Panthers' first touchdown of the game. Lutz also averaged 64.2 yards on five kickoffs with two touchbacks.
Looking Ahead
After the upcoming game against Troy (Oct. 11), the Aggies will continue their season with a second consecutive road game against the Idaho Vandals Oct. 18 in Moscow, ID.
The Aggies have the game circled as an opportunity to get a conference win against the 0-5 Vandals. The Vandals have played three conference games this season, falling to UL Monroe (45-33), South Alabama (34-10) and Texas State (35-30).
NM State has faced off against Idaho 20 times prior to their upcoming meeting, going 6-14 in the series. The teams first met in 1971 and last played in 2013.
The Aggies defended their home field in 2013, handing Idaho a 24-16