Sept. 26, 2015
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery by Michael Patrick Reese 
Final Stats
Post Game Notes
EL PASO, TEXAS – Freshman quarterback Ryan Metz rallied UTEP from a second-half deficit for the second straight week, as the Miners scored the game’s final 17 points in a 27-17 victory over Incarnate Word on Saturday in the Sun Bowl.
The Miners (2-2) won their home opener for the first time in four years following three straight road games to open the season.
Metz completed 20-of-28 passes for 275 yards, the second-most by a UTEP quarterback under coach Sean Kugler. Jameill Showers threw for 365 yards at Colorado State on Sept. 28, 2013.
Incarnate Word (2-2) put a scare into the Miners, taking a 17-10 lead midway through the third quarter after Trent Brittain threw a 90-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Gilbert. Brittain completed 18-of-38 passes for 285 yards and Gilbert caught four balls for 154 yards.
“I didn’t think we played real well, in particular the first half,” UTEP coach Sean Kugler said. “We really got in disarray in our run game. We lost Darrin Laufasa on the second play of the game. Darrin is our starting fullback. He is also our one-back. We had to shuffle guys into positions they hadn’t practiced, those type things. We’re really thin at that position. I think the coaches did a good job of regrouping in the second half and getting a good plan for the second half. I told the team at halftime, I felt that team was outplaying us at that point. We were in a dogfight and I wanted to see how they responded. I was very pleased with how they responded in the second half on offense and defense.”
The Miners drew even with a 12-play, 75-yard drive, punctuated by a 10-yard TD pass from Metz to Autrey Golden. The key plays on the drive were a 16-yard pass from Metz to Golden that moved the Miners into Cardinal territory, and an eight-yard scramble by Metz on third and two from the UIW 21-yard line.
UTEP went ahead for good, 20-17, on a 32-yard field goal by Jay Mattox with 10:01 to play. Mattox had a career-long 50-yard field goal earlier in the game.
With the Cardinals approaching midfield on the next series, the UTEP defense tightened the screws. Junior Sessions banged out rushes of four and two yards and, on third and four from the 50, Brittain’s deep pass fell incomplete.
The Miners took over at their own 20. Following a loss of two on first down, Metz threw long passes to Tyler Batson (36 yards) and Jaquan White (46 yards) as UTEP surged to a 27-17 lead.
Incarnate Word was limited to one first down on its final possession before the Miners ran out the clock.
The Cardinals outgained the Miners, 414 yards to 356. But UTEP won the turnover battle for the first time this season, with three takeaways and no giveaways, and received a 24-yard pick six from freshman Kalon Beverly in the first quarter. The Miners scored 10 points off turnovers, all in the first half, to secure a 10-10 tie at the break.
Hayden Plinke had four catches for 80 yards and was big on the fourth-quarter drive that put the Miners ahead with two receptions for 70 yards.
White chipped in with seven catches for 73 yards, Batson added four catches for 69 yards and Golden had four grabs for 45 yards.
The Miners had difficulty getting the ground game going, finishing with 81 yards on 31 carries behind Metz (eight rushes for 46 yards).
Alvin Jones led the defense once again with nine tackles, a sack and tackle for loss.
It wasn’t always pretty, but it was a much-needed win for a depleted squad.
“We’re a banged up team right now and I told the players, get used to it. That’s probably how it’s going to look all year,” Kugler said. “We’re going to have to scratch and claw and fight to win every game because right now we’re not a full strength team. But we are a team. I was proud of how they responded in the second half.
“I thought Ryan Metz did an outstanding job in the second half moving the offense. What a competitor. And it may be a different look for our team because with the ball in his hands, he makes good decisions and he’s got that will to move the team. I thought the receivers stepped up in the second half. We weren’t generating a good run game in the first half but I thought Jeremiah Laufasa did a nice job in the second half. We needed to make the necessary adjustments. I think the coaches did. The defense, minus a few plays tonight, really played hard, really played with great effort. We’ve got to get the quarterback down a couple of times. That guy was a really good player, good with his legs. I think we had him bottled up a few times. He escaped and made some plays. But I thought the pressure and intensity from the defense was good all night.
“That’s a good football team we played. They’ve got a very good defense. They’ve got as good of a defense or a better defense than a lot of teams in our league. We knew that going into it. I did not expect an easy game or a cakewalk whatsoever. Our season is going to be like that. We’re going to have to fight to even have an attempt to win every game.”
The Miners will go for three in a row when they open Conference USA play at home next weekend. UTEP will take on UTSA in its 84th Homecoming game on Saturday (Oct. 3) at 6 p.m. The Miners are 6-1 in their last seven Homecoming affairs. Call 747-5234 for tickets.
