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Bob Davie went 0-3 in bowl games during his five years as head coach at Notre Dame.

The third and last of those — a 41-9 drubbing at the hands of fifth-ranked Oregon State in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl — taught him what he hopes will prove a valuable lesson.

“I thought we practiced too much (for that game),” Davie said last week at a news conference held to preview Saturday’s New Mexico Bowl between the Arizona Wildcats and his New Mexico Lobos. “I thought we practiced too long.

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“… So we’re gonna try to be a little fresher (this time) and try to be a little more excited to play than the last time I did this.”

Accordingly, the Lobos practiced as a team only once — doing only conditioning — during the 12 days that followed their regular-season finale against Air Force on Nov. 28.

The team returned to the field for a light practice Friday, practiced for 90 minutes each on Saturday and Sunday, then took Monday off. Starting today, they’ll follow a normal game-week schedule.

“Really, it’s two extra days (of preparation), Davie said after Saturday’s practice. “… That’s how I’m looking at it.”

RECRUITING: Kameron Smith, a 6-foot-8, 310-pound offensive tackle from Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Wash., has committed to attend UNM.

Smith confirmed his commitment via Twitter. He’s the eighth player known to have committed to UNM, but it appears there is at least one more out there.

Each time it gets a commitment, the UNM football department posts a Lobos logo on its Twitter feed. It has done so nine times since Nov. 16.

It’s not clear whether Las Cruces High School quarterback Kameron Miller, who committed to UNM in October, or Dickinson (Texas) High School lineman Anietie Etuk, who announced his commitment in August, are two of the nine. No logo was posted in August or October.

By NCAA rule, coaches are not allowed to discuss individual recruits until a signed letter of intent is received by the school.

The players known to have committed, in addition to Smith, are:

Stanley Barnwell, cornerback, 6-2, 195, from Miami by way of Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College. He’ll be a sophomore next season.

Etuk, 6-1, 246. He is listed by some recruiting sources as an offensive lineman, by others as a defensive lineman.

Blaise Fountain, offensive lineman, 6-2, 284, from Maize (Kansas) High School by way of Butler County (Kansas) Community College. Fountain will be a junior.

Avery Jordan, offensive lineman, 6-6, 280, from Pearland (Texas) High School by way of Blinn College in Brenham, Texas. Jordan, the younger brother of Los Angeles Clippers star DeAndre Jordan, will be a junior.

Miller, quarterback/athlete, 6-1, 190, from Las Cruces High School.

Gabe Ortega, quarterback/athlete, 6-1,190, from Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho. As with Miller, Ortega’s position — offense or defense — is yet to be determined.

Marcus Williams, wide receiver, 6-4, 200, from Cleveland. Williams and Ortega led the Storm to the New Mexico Class 6A championship.

BRANCH TO TECH: Former Lobos defensive lineman and Cibola all-stater Desmond Branch announced on Twitter Monday that he has committed to attend Georgia Tech. Branch signed with UNM in February of 2014 and sat out that season as a redshirt. He left the program for unspecified reasons.