For Starters
UTEP (3-2, 1-1 WAC) and Hawaii (2-2, 2-1 WAC) meet at the Sun
Bowl for the Miners' homecoming. Hawaii leads the series 18-12, and
has won the last three meetings between the two schools.
The Miners hold a 7-6 edge in games played in El Paso. The
Warriors have taken six out of the 11 meetings between the rivals in
the Sun Bowl. UTEP has won three of the last four Sun Bowl matchups
with Hawaii.
UTEP's Mike Price and Hawaii's June Jones will be squaring off
head-to-head for the second time in their careers. Price's
Washington State team defeated Jones' Warriors 22-14 during the 1999
season.
The two teams enter the game riding two-game winning streaks.
Hawaii has beaten Tulsa and Nevada in its last two outings, while the
Miners downed New Mexico State and Fresno State.
On The Radio
UTEP's English flagship station is KROD 600 AM. The announcers
are Jon Teicher (play-by-play) and Bernie Ricono (color commentary).
Teicher is in his 24th season as "Voice of the Miners." Ricono was
the Miners' defensive coordinator from 1977-79. The pregame show
begins at 4 p.m. Mountain time. The game will also be carried on
KBUY 1360 AM in Ruidoso, N.M.
The Miners can also be heard in Spanish on La Consentida 1150 AM.
KINT-TV weekend sports anchor Omar Ropele handles the play-by-play,
while former collegiate and high school coach Rick Bolanos serves as
the color commentator.
On Television
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN Regional Television
(ERT) with Michael Reghi (play-by-play) and Bob Chmiel (color)
handling the call. The game will also be available through ESPN's
GamePlan. Chmiel is a former collegiate coach, serving on the staffs
at Michigan and Notre Dame.
Home Is Where The Heart Is
UTEP will celebrate its 73rd homecoming on Saturday by hosting
Hawaii. In the previous 72 homecoming games, UTEP is 31-40-1. The
Miners are 12-29 in homecoming games in the Sun Bowl.
UTEP has found greater success on homecoming over the last six
years, winning four times. The Miners fell 38-35 last year to
Louisiana Tech.
The Miners have met the Warriors five times on homecoming and have
gone 1-4. The last time UTEP played Hawaii on homecoming was in
1990, when the Miners defeated the Warriors 12-10.
Tough Times With The Warriors
Hawaii has won the last three meetings between the schools in
convincing fashion. The Warriors' average margin of victory in these
contests has been 33.3 points. UTEP's last win came in the Sun Bowl
in 2000, when Rocky Perez and Lee Mays led the Miners over the
Warriors 39-7.
Scouting The Warriors
Hawaii is coming off back-to-back WAC victories over Tulsa
(44-16) and Nevada (48-26), after opening the year with losses to
Florida Atlantic (35-28) and Rice (41-29). The Warriors have
averaged 46.0 points and limited their opponents to a 21.0-point
average over the last two games. Hawaii averaged 28.5 points and
allowed an average of 38.0 points over its first two contests.
The Warriors' game at UTEP will be only their second game off the
island. They fell at Rice 41-29 on Sept. 18. Hawaii was 2-4 when
playing away from the island in 2003.
The key to Hawaii's success falls on the shoulders of QB Timmy
Chang and WR Chad Owens. Chang is one of the most prolific passers
in NCAA history. In 44 career games he has passed for 14,179 yards
and 90 touchdowns. Chang has attempted 2,028 passes and completed
1,145 in parts of five seasons. He currently ranks fourth in the
NCAA in total offense (335.0 ypg) and 30th in passing efficiency
(136.06).
Owens is a threat both as a receiver and as a punt returner. He
has caught 175 passes for 2,183 yards, including 18 touchdowns during
his four-year career. He leads the country with 9.5 receptions per
game and is eighth in receiving yards per game with 110.5. His is
fourth in the nation in scoring (12.0 ppg) and 10th in punt returns
(17.2 ypr). Owens is also ninth in all-purpose yards per game (160.5
ypg).
Chang and the Warriors rank third in the NCAA in passing offense,
averaging 346.0 yards per game. They are also 14th in scoring
offense (37.3 ppg) and 15th in total offense (449.3 ypg). The
Warriors rank 96th in rushing offense (103.3 ypg).
The Warriors rank 96th in total defense (426.8 ypg), 101st in
rushing defense (211.0 ypg) and 68th in passing defense (215.8
ypg).
UTEP/Hawaii Ties
UTEP Offensive Coordinator Eric Price served as a graduate
assistant at Hawaii on coach Bob Wagner's staff. Wagner later
coached at UTEP in 2001.
Eric Price worked with Hawaii's associate head coach George
Lumpkin during the 1991 season.
While Price was a GA, Hawaii's strength coach Tommy Heffernan was
a senior defensive back.
Defensive Line Coach Ikaika Malloe is from Waimanalo, Hawaii. He
was an all-state player while at Kamehameha High School before
playing collegiately at Washington.
The Miners' Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations
Nate Poss and his wife -- the former Yvette Terrazas -- were married
in Honolulu on Oct. 23, 2003, two days before the Miners met the
Warriors.
Defensive lineman Tevita Fifita was born in Honolulu on May 7,
1983.
UTEP's Robbie Felix and Hawaii's Mike Bass, Ray Bass and Lamar
Broadway attended Centennial High School in Corona, Calif.
The Miners' Aaron Osborn and the Warriors' Michael Brewster were
teammates at Nimitz High School in Houston, Texas.
UTEP Secondary Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Jeff Woodruff
coached Hawaii's Kainoa Akina when he played at Eastern Michigan.
UTEP's Kevin Maurice and Hawaii's Alika Durington were teammates
at Eastern Arizona College.
Last Meeting
Hawaii, which has been known for its high-powered offenses in
recent years, flexed its defensive muscle on Oct. 25, 2003 in
Honolulu, downing UTEP 31-15 before a crowd of 40,136 at Aloha
Stadium.
The Miners lost their fifth straight game on the island.
UTEP, already thin at tight end, lost starter Jonas Crafts to an
apparent separated shoulder in the third quarter. Crafts entered the
contest leading the team in catches (21) and yardage (218).
Keith Robinson's 44-yard field goal with 9:42 to go in the first
quarter put UTEP ahead 3-0. It ended a string of four straight misses
by Robinson to open the 2003 season.
Hawaii took a 6-3 lead late in the first period on a 10-yard pass
from Timmy Chang to Se'e Poumele. The extra point attempt was
blocked by UTEP's Chris Mineo.
The Warriors extended their advantage to 12-3 on field goals of 33
and 24 yards by Justin Ayat in the second quarter.
Robinson pulled the Miners to within 12-6 on a 40-yard field goal
of his own with 38 seconds remaining in the half.
Hawaii tacked on a 32-yard field goal by Ayat as time expired in
the half.
The Miners outgained the Warriors 193-190 in the first half, but
committed eight penalties for 66 yards. UTEP had 147 yards rushing,
including 68 by Howard Jackson and 65 by Matt Austin.
UTEP's Adrian Ward intercepted a Chang pass at midfield on the
second play of the second half. But the Miner drive was ended when
Hawaii's David Gilmore intercepted QB Jordan Palmer in the end zone.
Five plays later, the Warriors went up 18-6 on a 27-yard field goal
by Ayat.
The Hawaii cushion swelled to 25-6 on a six-yard pass from Chang
to Michael Miyashiro with 7:47 to go in the third quarter.
The Miners weren't finished, though.
Robinson drained a 45-yard field goal with 4:36 remaining in the
period to close the gap to 25-9.
And UTEP sliced the deficit to 25-15 on a one-yard run by Palmer
with 6:07 to play. But the two-point conversion attempt &emdash; a
run by Austin &emdash; was snuffed out by the Warriors.
Hawaii put the game away on a 13-yard pass from Chang to Jeremiah
Cockheran with 2:28 left.
National Rankings
UTEP ranks 27th in the nation in punt returns (11.6 ypr), 38th in
kickoff returns (22.2 ypr) and 34th in net punting (38.3 ypp).
The Miners rank 48th in total defense (342.6 ypg), 48th in rushing
defense (130.2 ypg), 28th in pass efficiency defense (107.22), 60th
in passing defense (212.4 ypg) and 50th in scoring defense (21.8
ppg).
UTEP is 69th in total offense (359 ypg), 59th in rushing offense
(155.4 ypg), 65th in passing offense (203.6 ypg), 43rd in scoring
offense (28.2 ppg) and 77th in passing efficiency offense
(117.63).
The Miners are also 39th in turnover margin with an average of
+0.4 per game.
Individuals On The National Radar
The Miners have five players -- Howard Jackson, Jordan Palmer,
Jahmal Fenner, Bryce Benekos and Reagan Schneider -- who are listed
among the NCAA leaders.
Jackson is 12th in all-purpose yards with 154.6 per game. He is
26th in rushing (98.8 ypg) and 34th in scoring (8.4 ppg).
Palmer is 80th in total offense (171.2 ypg) and 93rd in passing
efficiency (107.41).
Fenner ranks 18th in punt returns with an average of 13.4 yards
per return.
Benekos is 10th in the country with a punting average of 44.6
yards per boot.
Schneider ranks 15th in field goals per game (1.6) and 53rd in
scoring (7.8 ppg).
Big Time College Football Returns
A large crowd is expected for Saturday's UTEP-Hawaii game in the
Sun Bowl. If more than 40,000 fans pack the stadium, history will be
on the side of the Miners. UTEP is 12-4 all-time when playing before
crowds of over 40,000 in the Sun Bowl, including 1-0 when facing the
Warriors.
The largest crowd in the Sun Bowl came on Nov. 11, 2000, when
53,304 fans saw the Miners clinch a share of the WAC title by
defeating Rice 38-21.
Attendance has been on a steady rise since the debut of head coach
Mike Price. The last home game versus New Mexico State drew 46,123
fans to the Sun Bowl.
UTEP, which has not led the WAC in attendance since 2000, is
averaging 38,091 fans per game. Fresno State is the current league
leader with a 41,535 average, followed by Hawaii at 39,632.
UTEP Weathers Storm
Mike Price's Miners have survived what was expected to be the
toughest portion of the 2004 schedule. UTEP is 3-2 through five
games, with its two losses coming at the hands of Arizona State and
Boise State. Each are 5-0 and ranked 19th and 21st respectively in
the Associated Press top 25 poll.
UTEP blanked I-AA foe Weber State 32-0 and New Mexico State 45-0.
The Miners surprised Fresno State 24-21 in Fresno, Calif. on Oct. 9.
The Bulldogs were in the top 25 earlier this season.
The Miners' first five opponents carry a combined record of 15-12
(including 0-6 Weber State). UTEP's final six opponents are
currently 12-19 overall.
Best Start Since 2000
The 2000 season was magical. Could the 2004 campaign -- Mike
Price's first season as head coach -- be another special year?
UTEP's record through five games mirrors its 2000 mark in as many
contests. The Miners went on to finish 8-4, win a share of the WAC
title and earn a spot in the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl in Boise,
Idaho.
Like 2000, the Miners lost their first and third games before
starting a winning streak. UTEP has currently won two straight
games. In 2000, the Miners rattled off a school-record seven
consecutive victories.
The Miners have already surpassed their win total for each of the
past three seasons. UTEP finished 2-9 in 2001, 2-10 in 2002 and 2-11
in 2003.
Price is looking to change the fortunes of a UTEP program which
has had only three winning seasons (1987, 1988, 2000) since 1971.
The Bold And The Beautiful
UTEP's defensive line came up big at Fresno State last week,
despite not being at full strength. Brian Givens, the usual starter
at left end, missed the game with an injury, and tackle Aaron Osborn
also went down in the first half against the Bulldogs.
Chris Mineo, Justin Hanel, Tevita Fifita, Joe Ward, Alex Obomese,
Ibok Ibok and Zach West stepped up in Givens' and Osborn's
absence.
Mineo scored the first points of the game on a 17-yard
interception return. It was the first interception for a TD by a
Miner since Thomas Howard turned the trick against Sam Houston State
last year.
Hanel made his first start at left end and posted six tackles.
Mineo, Fifita, Ward, Ibok and Obomese each posted two tackles
apiece.
With UTEP leading 24-21, Obomese batted down a pass by Paul
Pinegar on fourth and three with just under one minute remaining to
dash Fresno State's chances of a last minute comeback.
Not So Fast
UTEP had slow starts offensively in both halves against Fresno
State.
The Miners had 23 yards of total offense on eight plays (2.9 ypg)
with one first down in the first quarter. They possessed the ball
for four minutes to Fresno State's eleven minutes.
In the third quarter, UTEP held the ball 4:30 and amassed 25 yards
on 11 plays (2.3 ypg), including one first down.
The Miners had 115 yards on 25 plays in the second quarter, and
104 yards on 16 plays in the fourth quarter.
TD Lee?
Who is TD Lee? Those familiar with the UTEP program remember TD
Lee to be former Miner and current member of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Lee Mays. However, there could be a new TD Lee on the horizon at
UTEP -- Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr.
Higgins has caught a touchdown pass in each of the last three
games. Jordan Palmer and Higgins hooked up for the second-longest
pass play in Bulldog Stadium history with a 91-yard score on Oct. 9
at Fresno State.
Higgins is fourth on the team with nine receptions for 205 yards
and three scores. A third of his receptions have been good for
TDs.
Rodriguez Still Piling Up Big Numbers
Senior LB Robert Rodriguez has amassed a whopping 369 tackles in
his career despite having a down year (50 stops) in 2002. He has led
the WAC in tackles two of the last three years, registering 137 stops
in 2001 and 135 in 2003.
This season Rodriguez has amassed 47 tackles, including eight
tackles for losses, a sack and an interception.
An El Paso native and converted running back, Rodriguez had a
personal best 22 stops against SMU and Rice in 2001. He has posted
double-digit tackles in 19 career games, including nine of the last
10 contests in 2003.
Rodriguez's 369 career tackles are tied for fourth nationally
among all active players. He also ranks eighth on the UTEP career
list.
More On Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez's preseason honors included first team All-WAC
by Athlon, The Sporting News, Street & Smith's and Lindy's;
honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith's; and second
team All-Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football. He was rated the
14th-best inside linebacker in the country by The Sporting News.
Rodriguez ranks eighth on UTEP's all-time tackle list. Next on
the list is Pete Shufelt (1989-92), who posted 385 stops in his Miner
career.
Rodriguez is trying to become only the fourth Miner to lead the
team in tackles in three seasons this fall. This was previously
achieved by Raymond Morris (1980-83), Barron Wortham (1990-93) and
Michael Comer (1994-96). Morris, Wortham and Comer all went on to
enjoy NFL stints. Morris was with Chicago, Comer was with Arizona
and Wortham was with Houston, Tennessee and Dallas.
Rodriguez is on the watch lists for the Butkus Award and Rotary
Lombardi Award, presented to the nation's best linebacker and finest
lineman respectively.
The Real Dynamic Duo
Senior linebackers Robert Rodriguez and Godwin Akinduro were on
the field together for the first time in their careers at Arizona
State. Previously Akinduro backed up Rodriguez. He was switched
from middle linebacker to weak side linebacker under the new
staff.
The duo is currently 1-2 on the team in tackles. Rodriguez leads
the unit with 47 stops, while Akinduro has posted 43 over five games.
Rodriguez also leads the team with eight tackles for losses. He has
one sack, three QB hurries, two forced fumbles, a pass breakup and an
interception (18 yards at Fresno State). Akinduro has two and a half
tackles for losses and has recovered one fumble.
Akinduro picked up 12 tackles against New Mexico State to earn WAC
Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Throw in Thomas Howard -- UTEP's starting strong side linebacker
-- and you have a terrific trio. Howard ranks third on the team with
26 tackles. Howard, a big playmaker, has seven TFLs, three sacks,
one interception, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles in
2004.
Benekos Ranks 10th Nationally
Senior P Bryce Benekos ranks 10th in the NCAA with a punting
average of 44.6 yards this year. He hopes to continue his
improvement each week and gain consideration for the Ray Guy Award,
which is presented to the college punter of the year.
He struggled against Fresno State, punting eight times for a 40.8
average. He had a long of 50 and two punts inside the 20.
Benekos rates second in school history in punts (224) and punting
yards (9,162). His punting average has risen steadily in four years
with the Miners, from 34.5 as a freshman to 40.8 in 2002, 44.1 in
2003 and 44.6 this season. His 44.6 average in 2004 stands as the
fourth-best seasonal figure in UTEP history.
In addition to ranking 10th in the country, Benekos leads the WAC
in punting average. He has also pinned eight punts inside the
opponents' 20-yard line.
Benekos, who got married during the off season, is a three-time
Academic All-WAC pick.
Getting Tough On Defense
While much of UTEP's defensive personnel is the same as from the
2003 squad which allowed 448.3 yards per game, the unit has staged a
dramatic turnaround under new coordinator Tim Hundley. In 2004 the
Miners rate 48th nationally in total defense (342.6 ypg), including
48th in rushing defense (130.2 ypg).
Hundley's defense has limited two opponents to under 250 yards of
total offense (112 vs. Weber State, 226 vs. New Mexico State). It is
the first time that UTEP has performed such a feat since the 2000
season, and only the 12th time since 1965.
Against Weber State, UTEP put up its best defensive effort since
the 1967 Sun Bowl game, when it allowed 109 yards in a 14-7 victory
over Mississippi. The Miners held Weber State to 112 yards of total
offense (34 rushing, 78 passing). The performance marked only the
eighth time since 1965 that the Miners have limited an opponent to
under 150 yards of offense.
A Lotta Action From This Jackson
Senior RB Howard Jackson, a Doak Walker Award candidate, seeks to
continue his climb up the UTEP charts when the Miners meet Hawaii.
The slight (5-9, 160) but speedy (4.26 time in the 40) Jackson ranks
third in career rushing yardage (2,773), fifth in rushing attempts
(525) and sixth in rushing touchdowns (20). The Freeport, Texas,
native has had 11 career 100-yard rushing games, which ranks third on
the all-time list.
Jackson will catch Robert Elliott (1974-75-76-77) with another 61
yards to move into second on the rushing list. He is now 803 yards
away from tying school record-holder John Harvey (1985-86-87-88).
Jackson will need to average 133.8 yards per game over the last six
contests to catch Harvey.
Jackson will also move into fourth place for carries with 32 more
attempts, tying Toraino Singleton (1994-95).
Jackson has already smashed UTEP's career all-purpose yardage
record. He has 5,134 all-purpose yards -- tops in school history --
and has averaged 135.1 all-purpose yards per contest, which is also
best in the record books. Last season Jackson racked up 2,146
all-purpose yards, shattering Hughes' single-season mark which had
stood for nearly 40 years.
Jackson rates third on the Miner charts in kickoff returns (73)
and kickoff return yardage (1,746).
UTEP coaches have hinted that he could be utilized on punt returns
as well this fall. Jackson hasn't returned punts since his freshman
year (2001), when he had one return for five yards at Rice. Jackson
was back for a punt return against New Mexico State on Oct. 2, but
did not field the punt.
More On Jackson
Howard Jackson was chosen first team All-WAC by three preseason
publications (Athlon, Lindy's, Street & Smith's), as well as an
honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith's. He was rated
a "Special Teams Demon" in the WAC by Lindy's, as well as a "Top 10
NFL Talent" in the league by that publication.
Jackson ranks 26th in the country with 98.8 rushing yards per game
this season.
Jackson Chasing Down History
Howard Jackson is just 452 all-purpose yards away from cracking
the NCAA's all-time list. Jackson currently has 5,134 total yards
and should crack the top 40 in his final season with the Miners.
Currently 40th on the all-time list is Johnny Rodgers (1970-71-72) of
Nebraska. Ricky Williams (1995-96-97-98) of Texas is the all-time
record holder with 7,206 all-purpose yards.
First Year Head Coaches
Head coach Mike Price is one of 14 coaches who are new at NCAA
Division I-A schools this season. He currently is tied with the best
record and the most wins among the new coaches.
Price was named National Coach of the Year when he led Washington
State to a 10-2 record and a Rose Bowl appearance in 1997. Price is
not the only former national coach of the year to start at a new
school this year. Army's Bobby Ross and Central Florida's George
O'Leary have also earned that honor in the past. Ross was the 1990
National Coach of the Year after directing Georgia Tech to an 11-0-1
record, while O'Leary was also recognized after leading Georgia Tech
to a 9-3 mark in 1999.
First time Division I-A coaches include J.D. Brookhart (Akron),
Mike Stoops (Arizona), Brian Kelly (Central Michigan), Mark Dantonio
(Cincinnati), Jeff Genyk (Eastern Michigan), Nick Holt (Idaho),
Sylvester Croom (Mississippi State) and Bill Callahan (Nebraska).
Price has now compiled a 132-124 record in a 23-year coaching
career at Weber State (1981-88), Washington State (1989-2002) and
UTEP (2004). He directed the Cougars to three 10-win seasons (1997,
2001, 2002). During his 14 years in Pullman, Price coached five
players who were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft,
including quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf.
No Picking Allowed
UTEP's quarterbacks have had 49 consecutive pass attempts without
an interception, including having no picks in the last two games.
Jordan Palmer has now attempted 32 passes without throwing an
interception. Palmer had a rough start at Arizona State (21-for-44,
four INTs, 196 yards), throwing four interceptions. Since then he
has gone 49-for-86 (57.0 percent) for 658 yards, two interceptions
and three touchdowns.
Palmer is the younger brother of Carson Palmer, winner of the 2002
Heisman Trophy at USC and the first pick by Cincinnati in the 2003
NFL Draft.
Backup Omar Duarte has played in 16 collegiate games and completed
95-of-183 passes (51.9 percent) for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns.
Duarte has thrown four interceptions, but has not thrown one in his
last 120 attempts. He is 10-for-14 (71.4 percent) with 146 yards and
three touchdowns this season.
A Whole Lot Of Picking Going On
While UTEP's quarterbacks have mended their ways, the Miner
defense has taken off in the interception category. The Miners'
eight interceptions rank 17th nationally.
Senior Jahmal Fenner is tops on the squad with two picks. Robert
Rodriguez, Thomas Howard, Quintin Demps, Adrian Ward, Chris Mineo and
James Delgardo each have one to their credit.
Ward has had several near interceptions. He currently leads the
team and is second in the WAC with eight pass breakups this
season.
Freshman Of The Year?
Quintin Demps is building his candidacy for WAC Freshman of the
Year. Demps is the fourth-leading tackler on the squad with 25
stops. He has also recorded an interception, three pass breakups,
blocked a kick and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Potentially a future Jim Thorpe Award candidate, Demps had eight
stops, an interception, a 51-yard fumble return for a TD, a blocked
PAT and a pass breakup against #23 Boise State.
Team Of High Discipline
The Miners rank 15th nationally with the fewest penalties per
game (5.0 ppg) and 20th in fewest penalty yards per game (43.0
pypg).
UTEP has committed two penalties in two out of three games this
year.
The 2003 UTEP squad was the most penalized team in school history,
finishing the year with 109 penalties for 864 yards. Through five
games in 2004, UTEP has committed 25 mistakes for 215 yards.
Fenner: A Knack For Punt Returns
Senior Jahmal Fenner returned three punts for 98 yards at Arizona
State. The 98 yards stand as the 11th-highest single-game total in
school history. Fenner had 115 yards (ranks fifth) in 2001 against
Texas Southern.
He also had his career-long return of 84 yards in the fourth
quarter versus the Sun Devils. His previous long was 62 yards last
year against Cal Poly. Fenner currently ranks 18th in the NCAA in
punt return average (13.4 ypr).
Fenner (74 career returns) holds the school record for career punt
returns. The previous record was held by Javier Sanchez (1996-97-98,
2000) with 70. Fenner now has 714 career punt return yards. Gerald
Campbell (1949-50-51) is the career record-holder with 874 yards.
True Freshmen
Former Parade All-American Marcus Thomas and Paul Darby have been
the only true freshmen on the field for the Miners in 2004.
Thomas is being eased into the college game. He has rushed 20
times for 74 yards, and caught three passes for seven yards. Thomas
had career highs for rushes (nine) and yards (32) against New Mexico
State.
Darby, who has been suspended indefinitely, saw his first
collegiate action on special teams against Boise State.
Along with Thomas and Darby, 11 other Miners currently on the
active roster saw action as true freshmen. Among them are Matt
Austin (debut in 2001), Bryce Benekos (debut in 2001), Mark Dowdy
(debut in 2000), Justin Hunt (debut in 2000), Howard Jackson (debut
in 2001), Jeremy Jones (debut in 2003), Aaron King (debut in 2003),
Chris Marrow (debut in 2003), Phillip Moss (debut in 2002), Reagan
Schneider (debut in 2003) and Jimmy Smith (debut in 2001).
Striving For Perfection
Sophomore Reagan Schneider has scored 39 points this season, with
eight field goals and 15 PATs. Schneider is 8-for-8 on field goals
this season, including a long of 52 yards. He is also 15-for-16
(93.8 percent) in PAT tries.
Schneider booted four field goals -- including a 52-yarder before
halftime -- to tie the school record against Weber State. His four
field goals tied Scott Wedell (1983 vs. Weber State), Chris Jacke
(1988 vs. Colorado State) and Jason Gillespie (1990 vs. Hawaii and
1990 at Colorado State) for the top figure in school annals.
Schneider also set a personal high with 14 points (four field
goals, four PATs) versus Weber, which was the highest total by a
kicker since Jacke had 16 points (three field goals, seven PATs) in a
58-7 win over San Diego State on Nov. 12, 1988. Schneider is
currently 15th in the NCAA with 1.60 field goals made per game.
He is also on pace to crack UTEP's top 10 for points in a season.
If he maintains his pace he would finish with 86 points, which would
rank sixth best in school annals.
Putting More Points Up
UTEP didn't exactly light up the scoreboard over the last three
seasons. However, times are changing under first-year head coach
Mike Price. The Miners scored 32 points against Weber State,
followed it up by totaling 31 points against #23 Boise State, chalked
up 45 points against New Mexico State and 24 more at Fresno
State.
The Miners have averaged 33.0 points in their last four games,
while giving up an average of 17.0.
UTEP currently ranks 43rd in the NCAA with 28.2 points per
game.
Senior RB Howard Jackson ranks 34th in the country with 8.4 points
per game this season. He has scored seven touchdowns (five rushing,
one receiving, one kick return) overall.
Hang On To That Ball!
The Miners have made tremendous strides holding onto the
football. UTEP has had only four turnovers via the fumble this
year.
Through five games last year, UTEP had given up 10 fumbles. The
two fumble giveaways this season marks the best start for the Miners
since they only had one fumble lost through five games in 1988.
The Miners have had six turnovers via the interception. Jordan
Palmer had four of those interceptions in the first game at Arizona
State.
UTEP has not had an interception in its three wins this
season.
No Flaws At All
After the Miners turned the ball over five times (four
interceptions and a fumble) in the opener at Arizona State, UTEP did
not give up the ball once in the 32-0 victory over Weber State. It
was the first time the Miners did not have a turnover in a game since
defeating SMU on Oct. 4, 2003. During the past three seasons
(2001-03) the Miners had only two games with no turnovers, while
committing a whopping 108 miscues during that span.
Games without turnovers are rare for UTEP teams. Since the 1965
season the Miners have played 433 games and have had only 29 games
(6.7 percent) with no turnovers. The school record for most games
without a turnover in a season is four, set in 1988.
Turnovers haven't been a problem for the Miners in 2004. They
have had 10 giveaways and 12 takeaways this season. Their turnover
margin of 0.4 ranks 39th in the NCAA.
UTEP has not finished the season with a plus turnover margin since
2000 (+0.4 tm). Last year the Miners finished with 40 turnovers
(-1.2 tm). In 2002 UTEP had 37 miscues (-1.6 tm), and in 2001 the
Miners had 31 (-0.9 tm).
They Call Them Takeaways
UTEP has forced a turnover in each of its last 24 games. Chris
Mineo and Robert Rodriguez each had interceptions at Fresno State to
keep the streak alive.
The Miners have also had an interception in their last eight games
dating back to 2003.
This season the Miners have had four fumble takeaways and eight
interceptions.
Very Special, Twice Over
Earlier this season, the Miners had back-to-back WAC Special
Teams Players of the Week for the first time in school history.
Sophomore Reagan Schneider earned honors on Sept. 13 after scoring 14
points (four FGs, four PATs) against Weber State. On Sept. 20,
senior Bryce Benekos gained accolades after averaging 47.3 yards on
seven punts versus #23 Boise State.
Since the WAC started naming a Special Teams Player of the Week in
1995, a school has had back-to-back winners 16 times.
Past WAC Special Teamers of the Week for the Miners have included
Glen Beard (Oct. 23, 2000; Oct. 11, 1999; Sept. 6, 1999), Ricky
Bishop (Oct. 18, 1999), Jahmal Fenner (Oct. 1, 2001), Matthew Finley
(Oct. 5, 1998), Jon Olsen (Sept. 30, 1996) and Keith Robinson (Oct.
21, 2002).
Turning Defensive
The Miners have six defensive players who began their careers on
the other side of the ball, including starting linebackers Robert
Rodriguez (running back) and Godwin Akinduro (tight end). Mark Dowdy
(wide receiver), Matt Elwood (wide receiver), Justin Gissendanner
(offensive line) and Phillip Moss (quarterback) also came to UTEP as
offensive players.
Moss played one game at quarterback against Boise State in 2002.
He went three of 13 for 25 yards in that contest. He was redshirted
last year to make the transition to defense.
Senior Jimmy Smith began his Miner career on the defensive side of
the ball before switching to running back. He notched 14 tackles in
eight games in 2001.
O-Line Is Youngest Unit
UTEP's biggest graduation losses from 2003 are in the offensive
line. Three starters have departed -- RG Robert Clayton, LT Trey
Darilek and C Chris Kerr. Darilek was chosen by Philadelphia in the
fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft.
Two of this year's starters -- junior LG Jose Garcia and senior RT
Robert Espinosa -- have started 15 and 23 career games, respectively.
Senior RG Ben Graniello has started on 10 occasions. Senior Bo
Morris and junior Josh House -- who start at center and left tackle,
respectively -- made the first starts of their careers in the season
opener at Arizona State.
Also seeing action on the offensive line this season have been
Anthony Casey, Alex Dimatteo, Luis Espinosa, Tim Ford, Dustin Gersch,
James Riley, Clay Salima, Andy Smith and Jordan Tubig.
UTEP Picked Eighth
The Miners were picked to finish eighth in the Western Athletic
Conference this season by league media. Boise State is picked first
(434 points), followed by Fresno State (427), Hawaii (384), Tulsa
(312), Nevada (256), Rice (212), Louisiana Tech (199), UTEP (179),
SMU (95) and San Jose State (87).
Media Takes Notice
The hiring of Mike Price has brought a great deal of national
attention to the UTEP football program. Since the beginning of
August, television crews from ESPN, Fox Sports Net Southwest and
College Sports Television (CSTV) have made visits to Miner practices.
Also in attendance have been writers from the Associated Press
Dallas bureau, Albuquerque Journal, Arizona Republic, Denver Post and
ESPN The Magazine. USA Today also ran a piece on Price via the Reno
Gazette Journal in late July.
All In The Family
When it comes to the UTEP football coaching staff, the Price is
right -- times three. Father Mike is the head coach, and sons Aaron
and Eric are the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator,
respectively. Although the Prices bring a combined 56 years of
coaching experience to the gridiron, 2004 marks the first time that
they have worked together on the same staff. Eric played for his
father at Weber State in 1988, and Aaron was Mike Price's kicker at
Washington State from 1991-93.
Gone Bowling
The Miners know what it takes to win. Fifteen players are still
around from the 2000 Humanitarian Bowl team which finished the season
8-4. Seniors Mark Dowdy and Justin Hunt each saw action in the bowl
game. The other Miners redshirted that season. Among those players
are Godwin Akinduro, Jonas Crafts, Dirk Dillard, Omar Duarte, Matt
Elwood, Robert Espinosa, Jahmal Fenner, Brian Givens, Ben Graniello,
Ibok Ibok, Bo Morris, Aaron Osborn and Robert Rodriguez.
Back Again
When he was hired as UTEP's head coach in December 2003, Mike
Price opted to retain three members of the previous coaching staff.
Returning in 2004 are linebackers coach Tim Duffie, offensive
graduate assistant/tight ends coach Brian Natkin and Director of
Football Operations Nate Poss. Poss is the elder member of the Miner
staff. He is beginning his eighth tour of duty in the Sun City.
Breaking Down the 2004 Miners
The 2004 UTEP roster features 97 players -- 21 seniors, 30
juniors, 23 sophomores and 23 freshmen. The Miners have a large
senior class for the first time since 1998, when they had 25 seniors
(UTEP had 13 seniors in 2000 and 2001, 16 in 2002 and seven in
2003).
C-USA in '05
UTEP will join the realigned Conference USA in July, 2005. The
Miners will be grouped in the league's Western Division with Houston,
Rice, SMU, Tulane and Tulsa. UTEP has been a member of the Western
Athletic Conference since September 1967, and has won 20 team
national titles as WAC members. The most famous was the 1966 men's
basketball national championship, in which legendary coach Don
Haskins made history by starting five black players.
Oh Brother
UTEP has four brother combinations on its 2004 roster: the
Espinosas (OL Luis and OL Robert), the Givens (WR Aaron and RB
Johan), the Hunts (TE Jamar and TE Justin) and the Jones (LB Jeremy
and DB Victor).
3.0 Club
Thirteen Miners had grade point averages of 3.0 or better at the
conclusion of the spring 2004 semester. They are sophomore DL Jake
Belshe, senior P Bryce Benekos, freshman QB Joe Castro, senior DB
Matt Elwood, junior DL Tevita Fifita, senior DL Brian Givens, senior
OL Ben Graniello, freshman TE Jamar Hunt, senior DB Victor Jones,
senior OL Bo Morris, senior DB Mike Perez, freshman DL James Riley
and sophomore PK Reagan Schneider.
Four Miners are playing the 2004 season as graduate students --
Givens, Graniello, senior TE Justin Hunt and Morris.
From The Weight Room
Some noteworthy numbers from the Miner strength and conditioning
program ... senior RB Howard Jackson has been timed at 4.26 in the
40, while sophomore WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr. has been timed at
4.28 and freshman DB Quintin Demps at 4.31. UTEP's team average in
the 40 is 4.79 seconds, down from 4.95 in 2003. Junior LB Thomas
Howard, at 230 pounds, has posted a 4.38 time in the 40.
Nine Miners have registered vertical jumps of 40 inches or better,
compared to two in 2003. Twenty-six players have vertical jumps of
over 35 inches.
Senior DLs Ibok Ibok and Aaron Osborn can both bench press 429
pounds. Twenty-five players bench pressed 350+ pounds over the
summer, compared to 17 in the summer of 2003.
Junior WR Jayson Boyd has achieved a standing long jump of 10 feet
seven inches. Junior DB Cedric Click has the top vertical jump on
the team at 42.5 inches.
Miner Nuggets
Sophomore K Reagan Schneider has made all four of his field goal
attempts from 40+ yards this season. Last year, Schneider was 0 for
3 on field goal tries of 40 yards or more...UTEP allowed a 100-yard
rusher for the first time all season against Fresno State. The
Bulldogs' Bryson Sumlin carried 26 times for 160 yards, including 101
in the first quarter...Howard Jackson led UTEP with five receptions
at Fresno State. It was the first time this year that he has had the
highest reception total on the team...since coming back from injury,
Mark Dowdy has averaged 8.0 tackles per game in two contests...Jahmal
Fenner posted the first sack of his career at Fresno State. It was
the 36th game of his career...Jordan Palmer's 91-yard pass to Johnnie
Lee Higgins, Jr. was the second-longest pass in Bulldog Stadium
history...UTEP's win at Fresno State was its first in Fresno since
1938...UTEP's quarterbacks completed 75.0 percent (15-of-20) of their
passes against New Mexico State, which was the best since Miner
signal-callers completed 26-of-33 passes (78.8 percent) at Colorado
State on Oct. 3, 1998...UTEP is 14 for 17 in red zone opportunities
this season. The Miners have scored 10 touchdowns and kicked four
field goals. UTEP's opponents are 11 for 13 in red zone
opportunities, with nine touchdowns and two field goals...the Miners
are 2-0 when Howard Jackson rushes for over 100 yards...Jackson was
the last Miner to return a kickoff for a TD (Nevada, 2001) before he
took the second-half kickoff 91 yards to the end zone versus New
Mexico State...UTEP limited both Weber State and New Mexico State to
less than 10 first downs, the first time this has happened twice in a
season since 1997...DL Justin Hanel made his first collegiate start
at left defensive end at Fresno State...Jordan Palmer, Omar Duarte,
Orlando Cruz and Joe Castro each saw action at quarterback against
New Mexico State... WR Jayson Boyd has attempted two passes on wide
receiver throwbacks. Both passes were incomplete and intended for
Chris Francies...three receivers -- junior Chris Francies and
sophomores Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr. and Chris Marrow -- have had
100-yard games at UTEP. Junior RB Matt Austin has gone over the
century mark in rushing twice.
WAC Player of the Week Nominees
(Fresno State game)
OFFENSE &emdash; JOHNNIE LEE HIGGINS, JR.
(WR, SO, 6-0, 175, Sweeny, Texas/Sweeny HS)
Had one catch for 91 yards and a touchdown in UTEP's 24-21 win at
Fresno State...it was the second-longest play in the history of
Bulldog Stadium by one yard...with UTEP's lead cut to 17-14,
quarterback Jordan Palmer hit Higgins for the 91-yard touchdown on
the first play of the fourth quarter...it was a career-long pass for
Palmer and a career-long reception for Higgins...Higgins has now
scored a touchdown in each of the Miners' last three games...he also
had one kickoff return for 25 yards at Fresno State.
DEFENSE &emdash; ROBERT RODRIGUEZ
(LB, SR, 6-1, 230, El Paso, Texas/Montwood HS)
Registered a game-high 11 tackles (five solos), one tackle for loss
(-3 yards) and an interception at Fresno State...his 18-yard
interception with 1:58 remaining in the game helped seal UTEP's 24-21
win.
SPECIAL TEAMS &emdash; REAGAN SCHNEIDER
(K, SO, 6-0, 165, Canyon Lake, Texas/
Smithson Valley HS)
Scored six points (33-yard field goal, three PATs) at Fresno
State...also had five kickoffs totaling 291 yards (58.2 avg.).
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