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Mike Roberts is on the radio, describing the action in a future University of New Mexico football game. It sounds something like this ...
"Third and seven, Lobos on the BYU 37. Kole McKamey under center, now he barks out the signals ... McKamey turns and hands the ball to Michael Love ... Love has an opening, leaps over a lineman, and is at the 30 ... 25 ... 20 ... 15 ... 10, 5, and into the end zone. Touchdown, Lobos! Mike Love, from Rio Rancho, has just given the Lobos the lead."
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Love, a senior and key cog in Rio Rancho High School's back-to-back District 1-5A championships, officially signed his letter of intent Wednesday afternoon to play football for the Lobos, surrounded by his teammates, the Rams coaching staff, his girlfriend, Monique Vigil, and his parents, Norman and Theresa Hood.
"I decided to go with UNM, especially because it's the hometown. My family's here; they're going to be able to watch my games," he said, adding he'll need some academic support through TVI before enrolling at UNM.
Although coach Rocky Long usually red-shirts his freshman players, Love said there's a chance he could play as a true freshmen in the fall.
"He told me if I come in prove myself, that I can play, I won't be red-shirted, but if I come in, not pick up the plays as fast and do what most freshmen do, then I'll be red-shirted," he said.
Red-shirting? Not playing football for a year; what will that be like for this former Young American Football League standout?
"Well, let's see; I don't know if I'm good enough," he said, chuckling. "We'll have to see if that happens."
Love, who said he has already to wear No. 6, the number he worse four seasons for the Rams, said the recent change in offensive coordinator from Dan Dodd to Bob Toledo shouldn't affect his touches. Toledo, he said, may opt for more passing, and Love could be McKamey's target for screen passes or shovel passes.
"I'll run whatever way they ask me, whatever they ask me to do," he said.
On the varsity wrestling team for the first season this winter, Love said that sport has improved his aggressiveness, "and so that's going to help me out with my flexibility and running and everything."
Love was the Gatorade Player of the Year for New Mexico after finishing the regular season with 1,954 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. He was a first-team All-State selection, after earning honorable mention status as a junior.
Love's impact was felt in his freshman season, when he was named the team's defensive back of the year. He was a starting free safety for the Rams, earning All-District second-team re-cognition at free safety/kick returner.
On Oct. 4, 2002, in a 27-14 loss to visiting Sandia, Love returned the second-half kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, his first of many and the first ever scored by a freshman on the varsity. In the Rams' next game, an 18-0 loss to Rio Grande, Love had a punt return for a TD called back because of a penalty, but on Oct. 19, he scampered 68 yards on a punt return in a 27-24 victory over Gallup.
"Next year will be my freshman year again," he said, noting his four seasons with the Rams seemed to have flown by.
Despite losing his third great running back in as many seasons - Brandon McKinney headed to New Mexico State after graduating in 2004, Chris Williams did likewise after graduating last May, and now Love - Rams coach Phil Lopez (referred to as Ray Lopez in the UNM press release on the Lobos' release).
"I think he was a big foundation, you know, having been here as a freshman, the year before I got here," Lopez said. "And then, three years in succession, he's a big-time starter. He understood his role as an underclassman and got to really shine as a senior, and we're hoping we can build that type tradition for players that are coming up - that they can follow what Mike Love did. He worked his way up the ranks and was a big-time team player and, by being that team player, the individual awards came piling in, along with the big scholarship."
Lopez said Rams fans shouldn't be surprised if someone on the 2006 roster follows in the steps of McKinney, Williams and Love.
"We have several strong candidates - I don't want to put a name out there yet - but we really do have strong candidates," Lopez said. "Our JV running backs did an excellent job; our back-up running backs at the varsity level did a great job when they were called upon. They'll rise to the occasion."
RAMifications: Besides Love, offensive lineman Brandon Torrey was also an All-State first-teamer. Named to the All-State second team were defensive end Alex Herrarte and linebacker Mike Olson. Kicker Paul Hoisington and linebacker Donovan Jacks were honorable mention selections. All six All-State selections are seniors.
... Love, one of two running backs in the 2006 recruiting class of 26 players signed Wednesday, was among seven New Mexico prep players in all. The others are OL Zayn Bin-Bilal of Taos, DB Roy Hackey (Hatch Valley), WR Chris Hernandez (Mayfield), WR Nicky Lawson (Manzano), DB Jerrell Miller (Highland) and LB Greyson Wieczorek (La Cueva). Amadeus Waters of Hays High School in Kyle, Texas, named the 54th-best running back in the nation by ESPN.com, is the other RB recruit.
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