MWC football: New Mexico Lobos

Date Opponent

Sept. 1 at UTEP

Sept. 8 New Mexico St.

Sept. 15 at Arizona

Sept. 22 Sacramento St.

Sept. 29 BYU

Oct. 13 at Wyoming

Oct. 20 at San Diego St.

Oct. 25 Air Force

Nov. 3 at TCUB

Nov. 10 Colorado St.

Nov. 17 at Utah

Nov. 24 UNLV

NEW MEXICO LOBOS

2006 record:6-7, 4-4 (5th)

Predicted 2007 finish:4th (DMN staff poll), 4th (MWC preseason poll)

Starters returning: 18 (8 offense, 10 defense)

Starters lost: 4 (3 offense, 1 defense)

Key offensive players: QB Donovan Porterie, RB Rodney Ferguson, WR Travis Brown, WR Marcus Smith

Key defensive players: LB Cody Kase, LB George Carter, LB Major Mosley

Top newcomers: DB Brandon Johnson, DB Aaron Lenard

What we learned from MWC media days: Rocky Long doesn't like making excuses, but he dares anyone in the league, including BYU, to go through several changes at QB and still have any success in a season.

Best-case scenario for 2007 The Lobos are through with growing pains and shouldn't go through five quarterbacks again like a year ago. With experience on his side, Long could get the Lobos in position for a piece of the title and another bowl game if they knock off BYU at home and break through against TCU on the road.

Worst-case scenario for 2007: If Porterie goes down, the Lobos will be shuffling once again and for an offense that will break in a new coordinator. It would send the Lobos reeling to another break-even campaign at best.