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At the very end of Tuesday鈥檚 practice, Spence Nowinsky called for one more.

鈥淟ast play!鈥� New Mexico鈥檚 defensive coordinator called out from the end zone.

By that point, the offensive starters had already wrapped up and were walking to the middle of the field. But UNM鈥檚 scout team offense lined up against the defensive starters and got another play off, bringing practice to a close.

Sort of.

鈥淟ast play!鈥� Nowinsky yelled again.

Welcome to Air Force week.

Among defensive coaches playing the Falcons, there is a common lament: There鈥檚 simply not enough time in a week for a team to get prepared for Air Force鈥檚 vaunted triple-option scheme. For starters, it鈥檚 completely different from what teams like UNM see on a week-to-week basis. Every play, every rep matters a little more than usual.

鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like putting a new defense in in one week鈥檚 time,鈥� Nowinsky said.

It鈥檚 also a chore to replicate, and a near-impossibility to do so at the speed Air Force plays. That this has been a particularly potent Falcons鈥� offense (271.1 rushing yards per game) doesn鈥檛 help the Lobos either.

So how is UNM approaching one of the league鈥檚 perennial challenges?

Ironically, just how Nowinsky has approached nearly every offense this year 鈥� by playing 鈥渟ound鈥� defense, tackling well and (perhaps most importantly) limiting big plays.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 bleed out on (one play),鈥� he said after Tuesday鈥檚 practice. 鈥淭hey can鈥檛 have a pass for 76 yards 鈥� you know, run, run, run, run, run, shot over the top. Or, you fall asleep a little bit and you don鈥檛 fit their fullback trap up, and next thing you know it鈥檚 a 50-yard gain.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what can鈥檛 happen. They鈥檙e gonna have some passes for 18. They鈥檙e gonna have some runs for 12. We just can鈥檛 (let them) have a bunch of runs for 40.鈥�

To that end, Nowinsky said the Lobos have to subtly tweak some things to ensure the Lobos aren鈥檛 in a spot where Air Force can get a step ahead and knock them for an explosive play.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 totally get off the Richter scale with what you do,鈥� he added, 鈥渂ut you can鈥檛 sit in the same thing every down either. That鈥檚 what they want (and) then they can pick you apart. Like, they鈥檙e not watching film of us right now.

鈥淭hey do what they do. They鈥檙e gonna see what front we have in, they鈥檙e gonna see what coverage we鈥檙e playing (and) they say, 鈥榶ep, this is what we鈥檙e gonna do against that鈥� 鈥� You can鈥檛 sit like ducks in a pond or they鈥檒l shoot you right off the water.鈥�

A former defensive coordinator at Memphis and Miami (Ohio), Nowinsky has coached against traditional option teams in Army and Navy in the past. Despite that experience, he said he鈥檚 reached out to coaches that have seen Air Force this season, whether they be from fellow service academies or previous opponents.

And, sure, there might not be enough time. But Nowinsky admitted there鈥檚 something enjoyable about going up against the Falcons.

鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to look at something different,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting because it鈥檚 not something you really know 鈥� We鈥檙e gonna learn, we鈥檙e gonna go, and our guys on defense are really tough. But how disciplined, how smart, how resilient can we be?鈥�

Ball security

It wasn鈥檛 exactly a secret why Damon Bankston tucked a football when he spoke with a reporter long after practice ended.

After UNM lost four fumbles Saturday 鈥� Bankston accounting for two 鈥� securing the football has been an emphasis this week. Head coach Jason Eck said UNM re-taught some of the 鈥渢raining camp stuff鈥� on carrying the ball in an offensive meeting this week, a message that鈥檚 been received by players like Bankston.

鈥淲hen you hold the ball the most, you have the majority of the responsibility (for) ball security,鈥� he said Wednesday. 鈥淎nd (it鈥檚) knowing that that just can鈥檛 happen. Putting the ball on the ground is unacceptable. We really have to take more pride (in) ball security. This week, that鈥檚 been a point of emphasis, and I鈥檝e been focused on it.鈥�

Eck added he鈥檇 also like for UNM to force more fumbles, adding a period to Tuesday鈥檚 practice focused on just that.

鈥淚 told the team in camp that turning around our turnover margin (-9) was going to be a big part of how we turned around this program,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd we really haven鈥檛. I think last year (UNM) was about -9. So I do think it鈥檚 certainly a way that if we improve on that, we can improve as a team.鈥�

Notes and quotes

FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE: Starting linebacker Mercury Swaim played quarterback in an option offense at Bedford (Penn.) High School, but admitted it鈥檚 a challenge from the other side.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very different just getting used to our keys and getting used to our (run fits),鈥� he said Wednesday. 鈥淏ut I think we鈥檝e gone about it well, and we鈥檝e been preparing well throughout the week so far.鈥�

NOT DISAPPOINTED: After calling for 鈥�27,000 to 30,000鈥� fans against Colorado State, Eck said he wasn鈥檛 disappointed with UNM鈥檚 announced attendance of 27,526.

鈥淚 thought (fans) did a darn good job turning out 鈥� We鈥檒l have to gather them up next week (against San Diego State),鈥� Eck said. 鈥淎 little Black Friday (game), you can drop the shopper in your family off (and) you can watch football. That鈥檚 perfect timing. You give them three hours of shopping, then go pick them up.鈥�