UTEP had its first practice of the spring in full pads on Thursday afternoon at Baltimore Field.
"We had a lot of fun," said head coach Mike Price. "It's great to be out and hitting. Our tempo needs to be a little better. We started out with spirit. We kind of tailed off in the middle, but we finished strong."
The Miners will work out on Saturday at 10 AM in the Sun Bowl. Price characterized Saturday's practice as "teamwork live with some tackling involved." Officials will be on hand, but it won't be a full-length scrimmage.
Senior linebacker Robert Rodriguez, who has led the WAC in tackles two of the last three years, made his presence known on Thursday. "He's a football player," Price said. "When you get the pads on, those are the guys who really stand out."
Price said he's trying to change the mindset of a program which has suffered through three consecutive two-win seasons. "Any time you don't win, football can be drudgery," he said. "Some people can get discouraged."
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