On the surface, the Arizona Wildcats’ New Mexico Bowl appearance is the ultimate convenience. A short trip, a winnable game against a familiar foe — New Mexico — on national television, and home by Christmas. Win-win-win-win.
Unless, that is, the Wildcats lose.
See, the Dec. 19 game in Albuquerque isn’t a typical low-tier bowl game against a non-Power-Five conference foe. New Mexico (7-5) runs a triple-option offense that can be a nightmare to prepare for. The Wildcats have many advantages leading up to the game, but time and tackling aren’t among them. The team will depart for Albuquerque a week from Wednesday.
“It’ll be tough … it’s gonna be fun,” said UA linebacker Scooby Wright, who plans to make his first start since Week 4. “You’ve got to play assignment football when you play a triple-option team.”
Here are three things you need to know about New Mexico’s offense:
1. The Lobos are an endangered species. Nearly every team runs some kind of option package on offense, but New Mexico is one of the rare programs that takes it one step further. Navy and Georgia Tech run similar schemes as a way to control the clock and keep their opponents’ offenses off the field. Consider: Five of college football’s top nine rushing teams — Georgia Southern, Navy, Georgia Tech, Army and New Mexico — run some version of the triple option. A sixth, Air Force, still uses many of the principles learned from decades of running the attack. The Lobos have run 569 times for 2,959 yards and 38 touchdowns this season. The team averages 47 rushes and just 17 pass attempts per game.
“I wish they threw the ball a little more so I could get some pass rush in, (but) that’s just me personally,” Wright said. Wright called UNM “a good team.”
“With the triple option, you have to be disciplined and do your job because everyone has to have their guy. It can be tough.”
2. They’re pack animals, too. The Lobos’ rushing numbers are a byproduct of their unfailing dedication to it. Running back Jhurell Pressley leads the team with 846 yards and 11 touchdowns on an eye-popping 135 carries. Tailback Teriyon Gipson (132 carries, 766 yards, 6 touchdowns) and quarterback Lamar Jordan (126 carries, 672 yards, 6 touchdowns) are dangerous in space. By comparison, Arizona (6-6) has just one rusher — Nick Wilson — with more than 120 carries.
3. The option is an equalizer. The old-school offense gives New Mexico an identity in the Mountain West Conference, and may provide an edge against bigger, stronger teams. The Lobos became bowl-eligible with a 31-24 road win over conference heavyweight Boise State on Nov. 14, and secured a 7-5 regular-season record with a 47-35 win over Air Force on Nov. 28. The teams’ combined regular-season records: 16-9. Air Force won the MWC’s Mountain Division, but fell in the conference title game Saturday.
Stopping the complex fake-and-pitch attack is tricky, even for larger, more talented opponents.
“You’ve gotta be disciplined,” UA defensive end Reggie Gilbert said.
