The 10 year streak of week one wins was snapped, as Colorado Mesa University (CMU) dropped the season opener to the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas. The defense was impressive, but the Mavericks could not overcome penalty and special team mishaps.
Both teams came out with the first game jitters going three-and-out on their first drives. It looked like that would remain on their second drives once the Kingsville quarterback (QB) was sacked on third down, but two personal foul penalties on the Mavericks on the same play flipped the field position for the Javelinas giving them an early 3-0 lead.
After another three-and-out for the CMU offense, receiver Keenan Brown was inserted, and made an impossible 49 yard diving catch on the first play he came in. The next play, Maverick starting QB Gavin Herberg rushed in for a two yard touchdown, giving CMU a 7-3 near the end of the first quarter.
Kingsville responded marching down the field early in the second, until defensive back Kash Bradley jumped a route for an interception.
“We always talk about reading the tempo of the receiver. He seemed a little slow to me so I broke, [and] played the ball. I was a little excited, I probably could have taken it back farther, but it felt good,” Bradley said.
The defense continued to play stout, making Kingsville go to both their backup QB, and running back.
“Once we saw the backup QB we were kinda licking our chops. Anytime you can get the backup QB in there, you’re playing pretty good defense,” linebacker Hudson Metcalf said.
The Maverick offensive then had their best drive of the day, going 71 yards to kick a field goal to go up 10-3. Unfortunately, the following kick was then taken back by 93 yards by the Javelinas all-american defensive back Amos Coleman III to tie the game at 10.
The special teams headaches for CMU continued, and with just under a minute to go in the first half their punt was blocked, and returned for a touchdown giving Kingsville a 17-10 lead.
For Herberg, the signal caller did not have good pass protection from the offensive-line consisting of three freshmen, and went 6/21 in the first half. Colorado State University Pueblo transfer Leslie Richardson then came in to start at QB in the second half.
On Richardson’s first drive, the redshirt sophomore was intercepted for an easy pick-six giving the Javelinas a 23-10 lead. After his shaky start, Richardson was able to move the Maverick offense a little better, going 11/21 for 111 yards.
Later in the second half, it appeared the special teams made up for the prior mistakes. Linebacker Cam Nathan scooped up a blocked field goal, and returned it over 100 yards for a score. However, amidst the huge celebration, the Mavericks took a devastating blow as the touchdown was taken away after review.
Early in the fourth, down two scores, CMU was in desperation mode, and went for it on 4th and 17. Richardson threw a laser down the middle and connected with receiver Noah Sarria for a big gain. Sarria responded by throwing the ball at the face of the Kingsville defensive back for a personal foul. So instead of 1st and goal on the seven yard line, it was 1st and goal from the 22.
After the penalty, Richardson and his receiver weren’t on the same page, and he threw an interception the next play halting the Maverick comeback. In the game CMU was penalized 10 times for 104 yards.
Kingsville added a late touchdown, bled the clock, and went on to win 30-10. Despite the loss, the Maverick defense shined throughout, only allowing one touchdown and a field goal. The unit took away the Kingsville passing game, as they only threw it 25 times compared to 39 runs.
“Anytime you can make a team one dimensional you’ve put yourself in a good spot. They did a good job challenging everything and not giving free access. We knew we would be a good defense if we could do that and make them earn everything,” head coach Miles Kochevar said.
The Mavericks face another challenge next week when they travel to take on a division I opponent in the University of San Diego.
