Tweet
The second installment of the Season Previews goes to Portales, N.M. home of ENMU or the place that is known as Blackwater Draw (where dreams can be crushed at any time).
The Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds:
2014 Season Record: Overall (7-4) LSC Record (3-4): Lost to Midwestern (25 point loss); TAMC (16 point loss); Tarleton (17 point loss); and Angelo (21 point loss).
Head Coach: Josh Lynn (4th Season as Greyhounds Head Coach) Record: 17-14 (.548%)
Who returns to the Greyhounds lineup?
The Greyhounds Offense have 9 offensive starters returning from last season's campaign.
Offensive impact players:
QB, Jeremy Buurma
WR, Aaron Johnson
WR, Adrian Horton
RB, Kamal Cass
FB, Jakorious Williams
OL, Maanaima Lang
The Greyhounds Defense have 6 defensive starters returning to the lineup.
Defensive impact players:
DL, David Aholelei
DB, Ibrahim Maiga
LB, Elliot Peters
Greyhounds Offense: Triple Option Formation
Greyhounds Defense: Classified - New Defensive Coordinator Scott Lewis
2015 Eastern New Mexico Schedule:
(Thurs.) Sept. 3 v. NMHU
Sept. 12 @ Adams State
Sept. 19 v. Midwestern State - LSC Festival
Sept. 26 @ TAM-Commerce
Oct. 3 v. TAM-Kingsville
Oct 10 @ Bacone (NAIA)
Oct. 17 @ Tarleton State
Oct. 24 v. Angelo State
Oct. 31 @ West Texas A&M
Nov. 7 - LSC Playoff
Nov. 14 - LSC Playoff
Nov. 21 - NCAA Playoffs Begin
The Hounds start out with a good schedule to get them fired up early. They play NMHU and Adams State for the 2nd straight year and move on to playing Midwestern State at the LSC Festival for the 2nd straight year, as well. They will have a tough task in playing Midwestern State and Texas A&M Commerce in back-to-back weeks. Then, will have to close out the conference schedule with Tarleton, Angelo and WT in the final three weeks...brutal.
After the first 3 games, they head into the LSC playoffs with high expectations again after winning their 2 LSC playoffs games last season. Will the Hounds be able to step-up again this year?
Coach Lynn Comments about their 2015 Schedule:
You better play your best football every week or you're going to get beat. There are no off-weeks in the LSC.
Coach's Corner with Head Coach Josh Lynn
Our focus in the off-season was to retain the players that we currently have in the classroom. Every year in the off-season we try to develop our kids physically and mentality in our off-season conditioning. On offense we need to solidify our fullback positon with Elon Spight graduating. On Defense, our focus was to get faster in the secondary to match up with the speed in LSC.Our expectations are to be one of the best Teams in the LSC and make the D2 Playoffs. Something that a ENMU football team has never done.
Thank you Coach Lynn for your time and comments!
Thoughts on the Upcoming Season:
The last couple of seasons have been some of the best football teams that the Greyhounds have fielded in quite some time. I give big props to Coach Josh Lynn for all that he has done and put together at ENMU. It definitely doesn't surprise me though with this outstanding Coach and person they have found in Josh Lynn.
The Greyhounds have several things to work on this season as they had a hard time winning several crucial games in the LSC conference schedule. However, they have seemed to have their rival WT's number the last three times that they have played the Buffaloes, so that has to make them happy.
The Greyhounds have some big holes to fill on defense, as well as, trying to keep up with the pass happy team speeds in the LSC. The Hounds had a hard time keeping up with the fast LSC receivers and it hurt them at times. The loss of Seth Bailey, Benjamin Langford, and Julian Yearwood make for a tough replacement, as they were the leading tacklers on the team in 2014. They accumulatively lead the team in interceptions with a total of 9, along with having 208 tackles, 23 TFLs, 3.5 Sacks and 2 FRs. Overall, the defensive holes are the biggest issues that this 2015 team faces. If they can get some players to step up for these 3 holes and the other spots, they will have a good chance to have another great season.
The running game is another point of concern with the graduation of FB E'lon Spight. He was the Greyhounds leading rusher last season and was a major impact player. He will have to have a suitable replacement if the Greyhounds want to make waves in their triple option scheme. We will see if J. Williams will step up for the Hounds.
Looking at this year, I see a very tall order for the Greyhounds in replacing some big players, while trying to improve on their performance for the last 2-years. They have had a wonderful turnaround at the helm of Coach Lynn. I know that he has his hands full this season with replacements and striving for higher. Jeremy Buurma will step-up for his senior season and show everyone exactly how the Greyhounds pound the ball! I just worry that the loss of too many key players on defense may be a little to much to overcome. I'm not as worried about the offense with this group. I will look to see how the defense responds this season with the LSC potent offenses.
Joe's Preseason LSC Rankings:
- [*=left]Angelo State
[*=left].....................
[*=left].....................
[*=left].....................
[*=left].....................
[*=left]Eastern New Mexico
[*=left].....................
New Mexico Highlands(0-0) v. ENMU (0-0), Thursday, 7p.m. Kickoff
Blackwater Draw Greyhound Stadium
Weather: High: 93degrees Low: 66 degrees, partly cloudy
For the 5th straight year, the Grey Hounds will open the season against New Mexico Highlands. This game has gotten to be a great rivalry between the schools and has been won mostly by Highlands. However, ENMU looked very dominant last year and finally beat NMHU in Las Vegas, N.M. after 3-straight opening season losses to them.
2011: L 36-43 OT
2012: L 14-42
2013: L 28-31
2014: W 44-21
I expect this to be another great match up between the 2 New Mexico schools. The last couple of years have proven to be great entertainment and fairly even in terms of competition. I know that the Hounds always get up for this match up and were disappointed in 2013 for letting this game slip away. They proved that they could be the best team and really took it to NMHU in 2014, winning convincingly. NMHU will unfortunately no longer have QB Lance Orender passing the ball around. He has graduated and the Cowboys will have a new gunslinger that will have to step up and fill the role of Orender, who a great QB. Vincent Venegas should be back for another great year with the Cowboys and I expect for him to be another major contributor for the offense.
Also, look for WR Terry-Springs to be their go-to-guy in the receiving core as he was one of Orender's favorite targets. I suspect that he will get his hands on the ball plenty of times. The Hounds have lost several on defense and their best RB on the offensive side of the ball. I expect the defense to have some struggle with defending the passing game; but, I think can do enough to keep it interesting and not let the game be purely decided on the passing attack. I expect the Hounds to force NMHU to run quite a bit.I think having a new QB for the Cowboys will be a tall order and they have only had Orender throwing it the past few years and it is difficult to pick up after his success with some one fresh. Expect a good game between these two teams. However, I expect the Hounds to win it for the second straight year!
Prediction: ENMU 38 NMHU 28