Three keys: New Mexico State looks for first football win against Hawaii

LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State quarterback Jonah Johnson is a game time decision for the Aggies on Saturday against Hawaii. 

Aggies head coach Doug Martin said Johnson (wrist) split practice reps during the week with backup Dino Maldonado, who passed for 321 yards and three touchdowns against South Carolina State last week. 

Weston Eget practiced this week, as well, but is still limited with a knee injury suffered against UTEP.

"Weston was getting reps and is getting better, but I still worry about him being able to protect himself mobility wise," Martin said. "Jonah was a lot better this week, but we will see on Friday."

More:New Mexico State football plays the first of two meetings against Hawaii

More:New Mexico State Film Room: Aggies limit big pass plays, Maldonado continues to deliver

Regardless of who starts at quarterback on Saturday at 6 p.m., at Aggie Memorial Stadium (TV: Comcast New Mexico; Radio: 99.5 KXPZ-FM), the Aggies are 17-point home underdogs looking for their first victory over the Rainbow Warriors in nine tries. 

Saturday is the first of two meetings against Hawaii and the Aggies last home game for a month. Both teams are 1-3 and looking for their first win of the season against an FBS opponent.

Creating pressure will take pressure off secondary

Hawaii is No. 27 in passing offense with 289 yards per game with Chevan Cordeiro completing 53 percent of his passes for 1,133 yards (13 yards per completion) with six touchdowns and five interceptions. 

Cordeiro has been sacked 12 times in four games this season, including four times in Week 1 against Portland State and twice last week in a 17-13 loss to San Jose State. If the Aggies could create some pressure up front, it would certainly help a secondary that has struggled and is still rotating multiple players in the four positions. 

"It's more about us than them," Martin said. "We can't just get pressure when we blitz."

Martin said the Aggies hope to avoid the need to send more than four players up front against the pass, which would allow the Aggies to limit Cordeiro's early reads. 

The Aggies have six sacks this season with Chris Ojoh and Lazarus Williams with two sacks each.

"(Cordeiro) does a great job with timing and getting rid of the ball," Martin said. "Getting them in third and long is a big deal and it opens a lot of opportunities for the defense."

Third down on both sides

With a struggling secondary and facing the No. 37 passing offense in the country, keeping the Rainbow Warriors off the field could help the Aggies get the game into the fourth quarter.

Although they are allowing 5.4 yards per carry on the ground on first down and 17 yards per completion on 63 percent completion percentage on first down, the Aggies have been better on third down defensively. 

The Aggies are No. 49 in third down defense at 34 percent. UTEP was 25 percent and New Mexico was 27 percent, but the Aggies allowed South Carolina State to convert 46 percent last week. 

Hawaii is converting on 36 percent of its third down conversions.

In third downs of seven or more yards, Aggies opponents are 11 for 19 passing (58 percent) for 159 yards (14 yards per completion). If the Aggies have Hawaii in those situations, it's important to be able to pressure with four and get the Rainbow Warriors offense off the field. 

Offensively, the Aggies are converting on 34 percent of their third down chances. 

Hawaii allows 11 yards per completion on first down and five yards per rush on first down - both numbers that the Aggies would live with. 

Even though the offense was paired down last week for Maldonado's first FBS start, I liked the early involvement of rollouts and passes to tight end Thomaz Whitford and the running backs to keep the down and distance manageable. Regardless of who plays quarterback on Saturday, the Aggies should be able to move the ball if the Aggies can avoid the third and long situations that will put the Hawaii offense back on the field.

Anyone but Turner

Senior Calvin Turner shows up everywhere in Hawaii's offense. 

He's listed as a running back, but seems to have a Jason Huntley type role for Hawaii. 

Turner is fourth on the team with 73 rushing yards with a team-high four touchdowns, first in receptions with 21 and second in receiving yards with 294 yards and another score.

He also averages 22 yards per kickoff return. 

The Rainbow Warriors have multiple options such as a dual threat quarterback, leading rusher Dae Dae Hunter (212 yards) and 6-foot-6 receiver Nick Mardner, who leads the team with 339 yards and two touchdowns. 

But it's also apparent they want to get the ball in Turner's hands. If Turner has a big game against the Aggies, chances are Hawaii has dictated the game offensively.