New Mexico State 2005 Season | Team Page	Select Conference ACC Big East Big Ten Big 12 Conference USA Independents MAC Mountain West Pac-10 SEC Sun Belt WAC Select Team

Special Athlon offer for SI.com readers

The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Hal Mumme (2nd season, 0-12) 2005 record: 0-12 WAC finish: 0-8 (9th) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 114th (78.4 ypg) Passing: 24th (266.0 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 111th (216.3 ypg) Passing: 102nd (264.0 ypg) Date Opponent Aug. 31 SE Louisiana Sept. 9 New Mexico Sept. 16 Texas Southern Sept. 30 at UTEP Oct. 7 at Idaho Oct. 14 Boise State Oct. 21 Hawaii Oct. 28 at Nevada Nov. 4 San Jose State Nov. 11 at Fresno State Nov. 25 at Utah State Dec. 2 Louisiana Tech Depth Chart: Offense 7 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 18 A.J. Harris So. 28 Chris Williams So. WR 2 Akieem Jolla Sr. 28 Chris Williams So. WR 19 Derek Dubois Jr. 7 Brandon Allen Jr. WR 84 Tim Tolbert Sr. 16 Jahmeel Hobson Fr. LT 75 Kyle Smith Sr. 54 Brett Leeds Jr. LG 72 Matt Schoonover So. 50 Martinues Albert Sr. C 69 Mike Martinez Jr. 72 Matt Schoonover So. RG 55 James Farrelly Jr. 76 Roberto Davis So. RT 74 Adam Honaker Jr. 71 Alex Gottlieb Sr. QB 12 Chase Holbrook So. 10 Scott Grantham Fr. RB 34 Justine Buries Jr. 30 Jeremiah Williams So. Depth Chart: Defense 6 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 45 Maurice Murray Jr. 98 Skyler Sargent Jr. NG 90 Jeremy Weeks Sr. 65 Polo Gutierrez So. DE 91 Jared Naylor Sr. 44 Brandon McKinney Jr. OLB 11 La’Auli Fonoti So. 95 Michael Brewer Jr. WLB 8 Tim McManigal Sr. 51 Michael Conner Fr. MLB 53 Michael Hernishin Jr. 51 Michael Conner Fr. OLB 57 Jamar Cotton Fr. 17 Nathan Nuttall Sr. CB 27 Courtney Bryan Sr. 39 Jarrod McCullar So. CB 36 Alex Bernard Jr. 25 Gill Byrd Sr. SS 41 Eric Carrie Jr. 37 Matt Jones Fr. FS 26 Cole Marton Sr. 4 Joey Vincent Sr. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 48 Matt Pratt So. KR 18 A.J. Harris So. P 5 Jared Kaufman Jr. PR 28 Chris Williams So.

To order your 2006 Athlon Sports annual and receive $1 off plus free shipping courtesy of SI.com, click here.

When asked on National Signing Day about his personal goals for the upcoming season, newcomer Akieem Jolla gave a startling answer. "A hundred catches," said Jolla, a former Miami Hurricane receiver. "Twenty-five touchdowns."

Perhaps Jolla was reflecting some of the bravado he had learned at "The U." Or, perhaps he'd developed a Superman complex while swooping into southern New Mexico to save a team in distress.

The Aggies certainly need the help, from Jolla and others. They were one of two winless Division I-A teams in 2005. They were the only 0-12 team. And their 13-game losing streak is the longest in the nation.

Things can only get better for second-year coach Hal Mumme, who came to Las Cruces to replace Tony Samuel after two years building a start-up program at Division I-AA Southeastern Louisiana.

The schedule, reflecting the philosophy of a different athletic administration, is softer. The Aggies play two Division I-AA opponents in the first three weeks and have seven home games for the first time since 1986.

An easier schedule will help, but unless the Aggies make significant improvement defensively, they will have a tough time winning games. New Mexico State ranked 116th in the nation in total defense a year ago -- and that was with linebacker Jimmy Cottrell, who led the nation in tackling in his final season in Las Cruces.

OFFENSE

In the first year of Mumme's Air Raid attack, New Mexico State broke three school passing records and ranked second in the WAC with 266 passing yards per game. That seemingly would be a recipe for success, were it not for 22 interceptions, a rushing attack that gained 78 yards per game, and nearly four sacks allowed per contest -- worst in the league on all counts.

The Air Raid could use a lift. Fortunately, two newcomers look like they could fuel one. Jolla is certainly one that could create immediate mismatches with defenses. The other newcomer of impact is quarterback Chase Holbrook. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound sophomore came with Mumme from Southeastern Louisiana and sat out last season as a transfer; otherwise he would have started ahead of Royal Gill and Joey Vincent.

Running back Justine Buries seems to be an ideal fit for the three- and four-wideout spread attack. He finds the seams and can catch the football out of the backfield. Junior center Mike Martinez leads an interior line that might not be any more talented than last year's, but should be deeper.

DEFENSE

The '05 Aggies had one of the worst stop-units around last year, and that was with two of the nation's top nine tacklers in Cottrell and safety Matt Griebel (12.4), both of whom are gone.

The undersized defensive front in the 3-4 scheme made the fewest sacks (nine) in Division I-A and made too few plays, period.

The Aggies had intended to replace Cottrell with redshirt Shana Leaupepe, who died from a drive-by shooting in Long Beach, Calif., in early July. "Shana was an outstanding young man, and we are shocked that this has happened," Mumme said at the time. The team will no doubt spend much of its fall camp attempting to cope with Leaupepe's loss.

The Aggies' top two defenders are probably their corners. That certainly is true of senior Courtney Bryan, who tied for 10th in the nation in passes defended (three INTs, 11 breakups) despite starting only eight games in 2005. Opposite Bryan is Alex Bernard, a converted safety.

SPECIALISTS

Transfer kicker Matt Pratt is confident in his abilities from beyond 50 yards, but the Aggies will be satisfied if he can make the routine kicks.

The Aggies will miss Brad Evans, who averaged 41.8 yards per punt, including 11 inside the opponents' 20-yard line. The emerging successor in the spring was receiver Jared Kaufman, who gives additional options to a coach like Mumme, who likes to go for it on fourth down anyway.

FINAL ANALYSIS

For most football programs, the return of experienced players would be cause for celebration. But New Mexico State, after all, is riding the longest losing streak in NCAA Division I-A. So the veteran Aggies still must prove they can improve. Jolla and Holbrook are two newcomers full of promise who also lend credibility to Mumme's offense. The defense, however, is still searching for playmakers who can get the unit off the field.

The Aggies' losing streak should end early, with two home games against Division I-AA opponents in the first three weeks. Mumme's teams have a history of improving dramatically on offense from year one to year two. But there are way too many holes to consider the Aggies any kind of "worst to first" threat, even in the wacky WAC.