LAS CRUCES – The two open weeks in the state of New Mexico come at a perfect time for the increasingly difficult road trip to Hawaii.
The Aggies were open last week while Hawaii fell 2-2 with a road loss to Nevada. The Aggies play on Saturday at 10 p.m. and have next week off as well. The game is available to fans outside of Hawaii via the Team1 Sports app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
NM State enters the game as an 18-point street underdog, but it remains unclear whether starter Chevan Cordeiro will play quarterback for the Rainbow Warriors or freshman Brayden Schager.
It’s rare in college football for two teams to play against each other twice in the same season, so it will be interesting to see what adjustments the Aggies can make on either side of the ball after they first met at Aggie Memorial Stadium at 41 : Lost 21.
Build on the dynamics of the early game
The Aggies Offensive has scored points early in the game in the last three games.
It was a field goal against Hawaii, a field goal and touchdown to the Open against Nevada, and consecutive touchdowns in third and fourth possession against San Jose State.
If the aggies defense continues to struggle, the aggies offense cannot afford some of the offensive pauses they took later in the game.
Passport protection
At this point, Aggies coaches should just assume quarterback Jonah Johnson will be under pressure.
Johnson was sacked six times against Nevada and Hawaii sacked him four times in his first game after missing a game with a wrist injury. Whether it’s the offensive line or Johnson is holding the ball too long, the Aggies are playing pretty well against Hawaii. Sacks or penalties seem like the only things capable of slowing an improving aggies offensive that has averaged 419 yards and 30 points per game in the past two weeks since Johnson’s return to the line-up.
Hawaii has 17 sacks in the Mountain West game, which is seventh in the conference. The Aggies allowed 21 sacks during the season (three sacks per game).
Limit long pass games
Hawaii scored a 76-yard touchdown pass in the first meeting between the teams on their first game off scrimmage and it came in coverage that shouldn’t have.
The Aggies proved they can pressurize Hawaii in their first game with three sacks, and I believe they will be able to put the pressure back on as they play back with their collateral. It may open things up for Hawaii’s running game, but I trust the Aggies more than the second at this point.
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