Las Cruces Sun: COMMENTARY: Vincent is the spark Aggie offense needs

By Geoff Grammer/Sun-News Sports Editor

Brace yourselves. Here comes a compliment to Hal Mumme from a guy most at NMSU dismiss as the anti-Aggie before reading what I write.

Coach Mumme’s decision to start Joey Vincent tonight against the Cal Bears is a great move. It should serve as a huge shot in the arm for the Aggies, even in a game against a highly talented and nationally-ranked Cal Bear squad. Further, it is a change of pace decision that goes against much of what Mumme critics have said about his tumultuos Southeastern Conference tenure with the Kentucky Wildcats. Apparently Hal Mumme isn’t too proud, stuborn or set in his ways to make a change at quarterback. He won't, to the detriment of his team, stick with his guy to prove a point.

With the Wildcats, Mumme was criticized by several Kentucky columnists and one now infamous ex-assistant coach in a tell-all book Fourth Down and Life to Go for “picking his guy” in Jared Lorenzen at quarterback over a proven commodity in Dusty Bonner — the previous year’s starter who led the Wildcats to a Bowl game and many argued staved off Lorenzen in Spring practice. Kentucky went on to a 2-9 record with Lorenzen. Bonner went on, after transferring away from Mumme and Kentucky, to twice win the Harlan Hill Trophy as Division II’s bestplayer while leading the high-powered Valdosta State offense. Last year, Kentucky made good on what became a nasty break up when they invited Bonner back to the school as an honorary captain for the Georgia game. When Mumme chose Royal Gill to be the signal caller this year, it came after a battle that nobody could say was won hands down by either quarterback. There were divided loyalties and there were those, myself included, who thought the faster, quicker and strong armed Vincent — in his fourth year with the Aggies — would be a better fit for an offense with a suspect offensive line. Gill went on to get sacked 13 times in two and a half games under center and, while its hard to put all the blame on him, never looked as comfortable with the offense as Vincent did in less than one half last week in Albuquerque.

Mumme pulled the trigger less than two minutes into the second half of the UNM game and seemed to have his mind made up about Vincent starting tonight even before the 6-foot junior from Chandler, Ariz., led the Aggies on two second half scoring drives and made the offense click better than it had all season. Vincent draws a tough matchup tonight with Cal, but its no better than the UTEP-Colorado—UNM draw Gill had to prove he was the man. No excuses can be made for Vincent as none were made for Gill. But Vincent gets one thing this week he didn’t have before: For the first time, he knows this is his Aggie team and he got all reps with the first team offense in practice. “I think the team is confident,” senior receiver Paul Dombrowski said. “We’re very excited to see what Joey can do when he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder.”

New starting running back Justine Buries described Vincent best at a press conference on Monday. Buries said the gritty, gunslinging Vincent finds a way to make plays and compared his style of play to one of the game’s best ever.  “I’d say he’s a little like Brett Favre,” Buries said. “They both like to go out there and have fun.” So here’s a pat on the back for Mumme for making the decision I think will give his team a chance to make a run at a bowl game, even after a horrible start to the season. It gives his team a chance to have a firm grasp on their starting quarterback position heading into next week’s Western Athletic Conference schedule.

In the end it might be Gill over Vincent, but with at least one start apiece under their belts — two each in non-conference games would have been more ideal — fans will now know who the best quarterback for the Aggies will be.  No second guessing, no wondering.

From the looks of the WAC so far, the third spot in the conference and a possible bowl game is still a possibility even for an Aggie squad that has yet to take flight. All this team needs is a spark. Anyone who knows Vincent or has watched him play knows, he just might be the spark the Aggies need.