Crowned QB1: How Toa Fa’avae Gives New Mexico’s Offense Best Chance to Win

“It just feels like I earned it.”

On top of earning a rivalry win in Las Cruces over the weekend, New Mexico QB Toa Fa’avae ended September with a crowning achievement-more than just a victory.

After UNM took down New Mexico State, Lobos head coach Jason Eck announced Fa’avae as their starting quarterback from here on out.

“Overall, I just kept working and taking it day-by-day and snap-by-snap, and now I’m here. I gotta take control and keep getting wins.” Fa’avae said.

A dual-quarterback stretch of unanswered questions surrounded the Lobos, starting in fall camp. Will it be Fa’avae, or transfer QB Luke Moga? Or even returning QB James Laubstein?

They now have their answer, but a new page of questions now forms: what makes Fa’avae the right choice for the starting job? 

Here is why Eck and the Lobos likely chose the Californian native to be QB1:

Against rival New Mexico State, Fa’avae went 10-for-17 for 177 yards and a touchdown, taking the majority of snaps at quarterback compared to the rest of the UNM QB depth chart.

However, what stood out the most to Eck was Fa’avae’s ability with his legs. The sophomore rushed for 57 yards on 11 carries, bringing him up to 131 rushing yards for the year.

“Toa, I thought, added such an element of running the football in (vs. Oklahoma) and making stuff (happen), that’s what kinda tipped it in his favor,” Eck told the media.

Where Moga may be better with his arm, and Laubstein better with his legs, Fa’avae adds a perfect blend of both. This mixture is a big part of why the Lobos took home the Chile Roaster Trophy.

While the sample size is small, Toa Fa’avae’s statistics show one thing: the dual-threat quarterback gets better as the game goes along.

From the first half to the second half, Fa’avae’s completion percentage shot up from 38.7% to 69.2%.

This includes a 21-point third quarter against the Aggies last week that Fa’avae led, effectively ending the game in Las Cruces.

These splits have a chance to get even better, with Fa’avae only having five throws and eight rush attempts in fourth quarters so far this season.

When looking at the Lobos’ passing attack, the first name that comes to mind is Troy Omeire.

The former UNLV receiver generated quite the hype when he made the move to Albuquerque, looking like UNM’s WR1 with little doubt.

Now, it’s just a matter of getting the ball to the Houston-born talent. Fa’avae has been up to the task.

It all started when UNM’s new QB1 found Omeire for a 64-yard touchdown catch-and-run. 

This past weekend, the Fa’avae-Omeire connection was clicking in the first half, connecting for two separate 11-yard grabs. In the red zone, Toa would go back to Troy in the end zone for a touchdown grab, but it was negated due to an offensive penalty.

If these two can keep up the productive partnership, the Lobos’ offense should benefit all season long.

Your Turn: What do you think of New Mexico making Fa’avae QB1?