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University of New Mexico officials aren't exactly helping the Lobos earn a home-field advantage.

Head football coach Rocky Long said he would love more help from UNM staff members running the scoreboard instant replay screen, who can give coaches a huge edge when they are trying to decide whether to challenge a controversial call by game officials.

Coaches on the sidelines and in the press box are not allowed to view any TV replays of questionable plays.

Long said since he has only one challenge per game, he has to use it carefully. He asks his staff whether they think a play should be reversed and considers whether it could help his team snare the momentum before raising a challenge.

The coach said it would help if he could see the replays on the scoreboard - a luxury he occasionally enjoys on the road - but UNM officials rarely replay controversial plays.

Mountain West Conference and NCAA rules state a controversial play can be shown on stadium scoreboards once at regular speed and once in slow motion.

"Our people who run the scoreboard don't understand that yet," Long said.

Game officials are also supposed to review every play to assure the game is called fairly, but sometimes the offense snaps the ball too quickly to allow a thorough analysis. Long said the review and reversal of a BYU touchdown Saturday was the first time he saw the official-initiated review system work.

"There was no way we could see that from the sidelines," he said.

After reviewing the game tape several times, Long said he finally saw the BYU player did not have control of the ball, and the game officials were correct in overruling the touchdown.

Special adjustments: Long said he will use the bye week to address UNM's tepid kickoff and punt return play.

The Lobos are spending 10 minutes at each practice this week focusing on proper kickoff return fundamentals.

He said the team will switch to more speedy defensive backs and linebackers for punt returns instead of keeping the regular defensive unit in the game. Long said the only problem with this strategy is the Lobos will be more vulnerable to fake punts without key defensive players on the field.

On the mend: A laundry list of injured UNM football players should reap the rewards of a week off. Marcus Smith, Ian Clark, DeAndre Wright, Paul Baker and Glover Quin are among the players recovering from injuries.

Long said Quin, who has been sidelined for three games with a severe groin injury, should be back at full strength after the bye week. Quin saw limited action against BYU. Long said Quin is still a little bit out of shape and was sore from his exploratory surgery. Doctors thought Quin had an hernia and began surgery, but closed the incision when they could not find the hernia.

Field fungus: Long hopes the bye week and UNM's coming road trips will be good for University Stadium.

The Lobos' normally lush grass was decimated by a fungus, and the field has been in bad condition all season. Long is hoping time off will help groundskeepers repair the damage.

"The field is the worst I've seen it since I've been here," he said. "It's terrible."

Road warriors: Seven of UNM's 10 coaches will hit the recruiting road Thursday through Sunday.

Long and assistant coaches Danny Gonzales and Jason Lenzmeier will stay in the office, while others will hit the road to evaluate prospects. The group will focus on out-of-state recruits.