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UTEP Miners

Ten Miners Earn All-Conference Honors

Ten Miners Earn All-Conference Honors

Ten UTEP football players were tabbed to the All-Conference USA Team on Tuesday, as voted on by league head coaches.

Seven Miners were named second team All-Conference, and three earned third team honors. UTEP tied Tulsa for the conference lead with 10 players recognized.

Junior Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr. was a multiple second team selection as a wide receiver and punt returner. Higgins has 47 catches for 807 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He ranks fourth among Conference USA players in both punt returns (9.4 avg.) and kickoff returns (22.4 avg.).

Joining Higgins on the second team were quarterback Jordan Palmer, offensive linemen Jose Garcia and Josh House, defensive lineman Alex Obomese and linebackers Thomas Howard and Jeremy Jones.

Palmer ranks ninth nationally in total offense (301.6 ypg) and 19th in passing efficiency (144.88). He is UTEP’s all-time leader for passing yardage (7,326), touchdown passes (61), completions (555), attempts (965), total offense (7,397 yards) and touchdowns responsible for (67). Palmer is only the third quarterback in school history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season, totaling 3,340 yards and 28 touchdowns through the air in 2005.

Garcia, a left guard, and House, a left tackle, have started 33 and 23 games respectively in the UTEP offensive line. They have been instrumental in the Miners leading C-USA in passing offense (310.5 ypg) and scoring offense (33.6) this season. UTEP rates sixth in the country in passing offense, and 20th in passing efficiency and total offense.

Obomese, a left end, leads the Miners with 6.5 sacks totaling 50 yards. He has also been credited with 56 tackles, including 10.5 for losses.

Howard is third on the squad with 79 tackles. He has also posted seven tackles for losses and three sacks in 2005.

Jones is first on the team and ranks 12th nationally with 11 tackles per game. Besides his 121 stops, Jones has tallied 13.5 tackles for losses and four forced fumbles this season.

UTEP’s third team honorees included running back Tyler Ebell, wide receiver Chris Francies and linebacker Troy Collavo.

Ebell rushed for 536 yards and five touchdowns despite missing the last four games due to injury. Francies has registered 42 catches for 751 yards and five touchdowns, with four 100-yard games. Collavo is second on the team in tackles (98) and tackles for losses (11).

UTEP center Robby Felix and defensive lineman James Olalekan were appointed to the league’s All-Freshman Team. Felix has started every game and Olalekan is one of two true freshmen to see action for the Miners this fall.

The conference offensive, defensive and special teams players of the year will be announced on Wednesday, as well as freshman of the year and coach of the year.

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