UTEP Miners

UTEP Notes | LA Tech Notes | C-USA Notes

THE KICKOFF

Coming off a bye week, UTEP (0-6, 0-2 C-USA) returns to action at LA Tech (4-2, 2-1 C-USA) on Saturday. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. MT. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. The Miners are 7-8 when coming off their bye week since joining Conference USA in 2005 (3-5 home, 4-3 away), including 7-5 versus league opponents (3-4 home, 4-1 away). UTEP has won three of its last four C-USA games dating back to the 2014 season when following a bye week. The Miners haven't faced LA Tech when coming off a bye as a member of Conference USA. However, on Nov. 10, 2001, UTEP lost to the Bulldogs at home, 53-30, following its off week. Both programs were members of the Western Athletic Conference at the time.      

SATURDAY'S OPPONENT

The Bulldogs won for the second time in three C-USA games with a 31-3 triumph at UTSA on Oct. 13. LA Tech is tied for second place in C-USA West with North Texas and UTSA, a game back of front-running UAB. LA Tech has split its two home games, defeating Southern on Sept. 8 (54-17) and falling to UAB on Oct. 6 (28-7). LA Tech averages 28.7 points and 411.8 yards per game (142.8 rushing, 269.0 passing). The Bulldogs allow 23.2 ppg and 346.8 ypg (158.3 rushing, 188.5 passing). They have recovered seven fumbles, a figure which rates 10th in the FBS. LA Tech gave up 286 yards to UTSA last Saturday (Oct. 13) and received 309 yards passing from junior QB J'Mar Smith. He completed 25-of-36 attempts. Sophomore George Scott (2-88-TD), sophomore Adrian Hardy (5-87) and senior Teddy Veal (7-75) all had big receiving games for the Bulldogs. LA Tech is second in C-USA in pass defense (188.5 ypg) and third in passing efficiency defense (114.7). LA Tech is 26th in the country in passing efficiency defense. The Bulldogs lead C-USA and rate fifth nationally in fewest penalty yards per game (34.0). They average 3.8 penalties per outing, also fifth in the country. They also top C-USA and are tied for first in the FBS in red zone offense (21-fo-21, 15 TDs). Smith has completed 125-of-215 passes for 1,567 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He rates 27th in the FBS in total offense (279.5 ypg) and 28th in passing yards per game (261.2). Junior Jaqwis Dancy (69.0 ypg, five TDs) and sophomore Israel Tucker (45.8 ypg) are the Bulldogs' rushing leaders, while Hardy (93.3 ypg), Veal (58.0) and junior Rhashid Bonnette (47.8 ypg) are the standout receivers. Hardy is 15th nationally in receiving. Senior DE Jaylon Ferguson rates among the national leaders in sacks (6/10th) and tackles for losses (8/40th) and added three more quarterback hurries in the runaway victory over UTSA (he has seven total in 2018). The Bulldogs are 30th in the FBS, averaging 2.8 sacks per contest.    

      

THE SERIES

LA Tech holds an 11-2-1 edge in the series ledger, having won nine of the last 10 meetings since 1991. UTEP is 0-5 versus the Bulldogs since they joined C-USA. The Miners have never beaten a team coached by Skip Holtz. They are 0-8 since 2007 (0-2 when he was at East Carolina, 0-1 at USF, 0-5 at LA Tech). UTEP last defeated LA Tech on Oct. 23, 2004, in Ruston by the score of 44-27. The Miners are 1-5 all-time when playing in Ruston.

THE LAST MEETING

UTEP gained over 400 yards of offense, true freshman Joshua Fields rushed for a career-high 137 yards with a touchdown and Alvin Jones racked up 15 tackles, but LA Tech used a 28-0 first half to get past UTEP, 42-21, on Nov. 18, 2017, in the Sun Bowl. The Miners registered a season-high 424 yards and 19 first downs and threw for 261 yards - also a season best. The Miners crept to within two touchdowns (28-14) late in the third quarter on an 11-yard TD run by Fields and an 83-yard TD pass from Ryan Metz to Tyler Batson. LA Tech answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive, ending with a nine-yard touchdown toss from J'Mar Smith to Teddy Veal that made it 35-14. The Miners pulled within 14 points again when Metz threw for his second score of the contest – a 33-yard pass to Kavika Johnson. But LA Tech chewed up over six minutes of the clock on a 69-yard scoring drive that resulted in a Smith nine-yard scoring dash to push the lead to 42-21. Batson led the Miner receivers with 94 yards on a pair of catches, while Eddie Sinegal added five receptions for 69 yards. Metz, who replaced the starter Zack Greenlee, threw for a season-high 202 yards on 9-of-17 passing and two touchdowns. Jones added half a sack with a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. The Bulldogs rushed for 343 yards and three scores led by Jaqwis Dancy's 135 yards. Veal led the way in receptions (six) and yards (66), while Boston Scott added a receiving score. Smith threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Dae'Von Washington led the LA Tech defense with eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

CONNECTIONS

UTEP special teams coordinator Joe Robinson was the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisiana Tech in 2001. The Miners have one Louisiana native on their roster in senior DB Kalon Beverly, who attended Edna Karr High School in New Orleans. UTEP freshman WR Jonathan Patrick, UTEP sophomore DL Blake Thompson, UTEP freshman TE Trent Thompson and LA Tech junior LB Trey Baldwin all both attended Cypress Falls High School in Houston. UTEP sophomore OL Gamaliel Barboza and LA Tech sophomore OL Willie Allen both played at Tyler Junior College previously.      

LAST GAME

UTEP went toe-to-toe with defending Conference USA West Division champion North Texas on Oct. 6 in the Sun Bowl, but the Mean Green escaped with a 27-24 victory. Down 27-24, the Miners got the ball back with 2:45 to go. Following a roughing the passer call on the Mean Green, UTEP had a first down at its own 31-yard line and a chance to win. But the drive stalled after that, as David Lucero couldn't corral Ryan Metz's long pass on fourth and 17. The Mean Green ran out the clock and averted a major upset. The game was tied at 10 after the teams traded blows in the first half. North Texas appeared to take control in the third quarter, as a 29-yard field goal by Cole Hedlund and an 11-yard TD pass from Mason Fine to Rico Bussey instituted a 20-10 lead. But the Miners kept on coming. Metz's one-yard TD run ended a 12-play, 90-yard drive, and the Miners were within three (20-17) with 10:43 to go. A 75-yard drive by the Mean Green, capped by a 20-yard rushing score by Nic Smith, pushed the UNT lead back to 10 (27-17) with 5:46 left. But UTEP wasn't done. It took the Miners only 41 seconds to get right back into it, as Metz found Keynan Foster for a 67-yard touchdown reception. The defense forced a three-and-out, giving the offense one final opportunity. Metz threw for 313 yards – the most by a UTEP quarterback since 2013 – and Warren Redix also had a career day with seven receptions for 131 yards. A.J. Hotchkins was the star on defense with 14 tackles. Fine finished 23-of-34 passing for 294 yards for North Texas. Bussey snared eight catches for 117 yards. 

MAKING PROGRESS

Since sustaining a 52-24 defeat at UNLV on Sept. 8, the Miners have made dramatic strides on both sides of the ball. They allowed their fewest points to a Power Five team on the road since 1996 when they fell, 24-0, at Tennessee on Sept. 15. They were in position to win each of the last three games in the fourth quarter, ultimately succumbing to NM State 27-20 (Sept. 22), UTSA 30-21 (Sept. 29) and North Texas 27-24 (Oct. 6). They compiled their most first downs (24) and total yards (429) since 2016 versus the Aggies. UTEP enjoyed an edge in total offense against NM State (429-311) and UTSA (297-278). Against North Texas, the Miners registered their most passing yards (313) versus a Conference USA opponent since 2012.

METZ'S BIG NIGHT

Thrust into the starting lineup due to an injury to Kai Locksley, QB Ryan Metz responded with a career game against North Texas. The senior from El Paso completed 16-of-33 passes for 313 yards with two touchdowns, while rushing for an additional score. Metz is the first Miner to throw for 300 yards in a game since Jameill Showers passed for 365 at Colorado State on Sept. 28, 2013. It's the most passing yards by a Miner signal-caller against a C-USA opponent since Trevor Vittatoe put 327 on the board versus Rice on Oct. 9, 2010. Metz passed and rushed for a touchdown in the same game for the third time in his UTEP career.  This also happened at NM State in 2015 and against Rice in 2017. 

CHECKING METZ ON THE CAREER CHARTS

Following his career performance against North Texas, Ryan Metz has now completed 299-of-523 passes for 3,324 yards in his UTEP career with 25 touchdowns. His .572 career completion percentage would rank third in school history behind Jordan Palmer (.596) and Sammy Garza (.591). Metz is now ninth in school history in touchdown passes; Pat Hegarty ranks eighth with 30 TDs. Metz is also ninth in career completions, with Mike Perez in eighth place (315).

GETTING THE PASSING GAME GOING

The insertion of Ryan Metz into the starting lineup jump-started UTEP's passing attack. The 313 passing yards were the Miners' most versus a C-USA opponent since compiling 376 at Tulsa on Oct. 11, 2012.  After opening the season with three consecutive games without a passing touchdown, UTEP has picked up four passing scores over the last three outings. 

STARS IN THE PASSING GAME

Warren Redix (131 yards) and Keynan Foster (76 yards) accounted for 207 of the Miners' 313 passing yards against North Texas. Redix had a career night with seven catches for 131 yards. His previous career bests were five receptions versus Florida Atlantic (Oct. 24, 2015) and 75 yards at Old Dominion (Nov. 14, 2015). Redix posted the first 100-yard receiving game by a Miner in over two years. The last was a 102-yard effort by Eddie Sinegal at LA Tech on Oct. 1, 2016. The 67-yard TD catch by Foster in the fourth quarter gave him a career-high 76 receiving yards (previous high 56 yards versus NM State on Sept. 22).  Foster's previous long catch was 43 yards in the aforementioned NM State game.   

DEFENSE LEADING THE WAY

UTEP's defense has been more than solid this season. UTEP has allowed 190 points (31.7 per game), but subtract the 52 off turnovers and it becomes a much more manageable 138 in six games (23.0 ppg). The Miners have been outscored 52-7 in points off turnovers in 2018. UTEP allowed 278 yards to UTSA, the fewest surrendered to a C-USA opponent since North Texas had 205 on Nov. 28, 2015, and has given up 318 or fewer in half of its games. The Miners held North Texas to 27 points, tying a season low. Overall the Miners have allowed 30 points or fewer in each of the last four games, marking the first time they've done so versus four consecutive FBS opponents since the 2010 season.  

MORE ON UTEP'S DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT

The Miners are giving up 396.7 yards per game, significant because it marks only the second time in the last 12 years that they've allowed fewer than 400 per contest. In 2014, UTEP yielded 368.1 yards per game. The Miners have shaved their scoring defense down by over five points per game from 36.8 ppg in 2017 to 31.7 ppg in 2018. They've cut their yards per game allowed from 446.6 (2017) to 396.7, and their rushing defense (234.3 ypg to 207.7) and pass defense (212.2 ypg to 189.0) numbers have also declined. The Miners have nine sacks in six games, just two shy of duplicating their total for the entire 2017 campaign (11). 

    

WOULD'VE, COULD'VE, SHOULD'VE

The Miners would like to get a few plays back in their last three games. NM State scored the game's first points (Sept. 22) on a blocked punt return, and the end of the first half was disastrous as the Aggies tacked on another TD with a fumble return. That accounted for 14 of NMSU's 27 points in a 27-20 Aggie win. Then on Sept. 29 at UTSA, the Roadrunners scored another 14 points off Miner turnovers -- all in the first half -- the difference maker in a 30-21 game. Against North Texas (Oct. 6), the Miners were driving for a score late in the first half before Ryan Metz threw an interception in the end zone, and Jason Filley missed a 53-yard field goal in the third quarter. Of the 52 points off turnovers scored by the opposition in 2018, 38 have come in the first half, and the Miners have committed nine of their 13 turnovers in the opening 30 minutes.  

LOCKSLEY'S RUSHING 

Kai Locksley has ran for 363 yards this season and has a shot at eclipsing the UTEP modern-day record for rushing yards by a quarterback (813) set by Kevin Ward in 1982. Locksley picked up his fourth rushing TD of the season against UTSA (Sept. 29), the most by a UTEP signal-caller since Jameill Showers also had four during the 2014 season. The last Miner QB with five rushing TDs in a season was Orlando Cruz in 2003. 

LOCKSLEY & RUSHING QUARTERBACKS

Kai Locksley is 66th in the nation in rushing with 72.6 yards per game, but he rates 11th among quarterbacks behind UNLV's Armani Rogers (122.0 ypg), Navy's Malcolm Perry (116.8 ypg), Mississippi State's Nick Fitzgerald (102.6 ypg), Georgia Tech's Taquon Marshall (92.8 ypg), Georgia Tech's Tobias Oliver (84.2 ypg), Penn State's Trace McSorley (82.0 ypg), Army's Kelvin Hopkins Jr. (79.4 ypg), Georgia Southern's Shai Werts (78.7 ypg), Ohio's Nathan Rourke (78.2 ypg) and UConn's David Pindell (77.8 ypg). 

LOCKSLEY'S 100-YARD GAMES

With 106 rushing yards at UTSA (Sept. 29), Kai Locksley is the first UTEP quarterback to rush for 100 yards twice in a season in 35 years. Locksley ran for 119 yards at UNLV on Sept. 8. Kevin Ward rushed for 100 yards in the first and last game of the 1983 campaign, gaining 125 yards versus New Mexico State and 109 against Weber State. Locksley is the fifth UTEP quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game since 1980.

RUSHING & PASSING FOR 100

Kai Locksley rushed for 106 yards and passed for 117 at UTSA (Sept. 29). He is the first UTEP quarterback with 100 yards of each variety in a game since Shawn Gray rushed for 141 and passed for 208 versus Fresno State on Nov. 12, 1994.

DYNAMITE DUO

UTEP has gotten 75 percent (721 of 955 yards) of its rushing production out of two players -- Kai Locksley (363 yards) and Quardraiz Wadley (358 yards). Locksley is fifth in C-USA in rushing (72.6 ypg), and Wadley is eighth (59.7 ypg). UTEP has never had two 700-yard rushers in a season. Between their rushing and passing, Wadley and Locksley have accounted for 1,248 of the Miners' 1,894 yards of total offense in 2018 (65.9 percent). Wadley ranks 46th in the country in yards per carry (5.59), and second in C-USA behind Marshall's Tyler King (6.09). 

  

DEPLETED O-LINE

UTEP's offensive struggles in 2018 can be traced to the loss of three key starters in the line -- center Derron Gatewood (knee), tackle Greg Long (shoulder) and tackle Jerrod Brooks (knee). Junior Ruben Guerra has started at three positions (center, right guard, right tackle) this season. The Miners rolled out another new lineup against North Texas (Oct. 6) with sophomore Josiah Gray making his first career start at right tackle.

RECORD-HOLDER

Senior DB Nik Needham set the school record with his 26th career pass break-up in the second quarter against NM State. He now has 27 pass break-ups. The previous record of 25 pass break-ups was held by Jahmal Fenner, who played for the Miners from 2001-04. Needham's three pass break-ups in 2018 rank second on the team behind Kahami Smith's four.

HOTCHKINS'S SECOND CHANCE

LB A.J. Hotchkins has made the most of his move from Oregon to UTEP. The graduate transfer has led the Miners in tackles in four of the first six games, including a trio of double-digit performances against Northern Arizona (13), Tennessee (10) and North Texas (career-high 14). Hotchkins ranks 31st nationally and fourth in C-USA, averaging 9.7 tackles per game. His 58 tackles are the most by a Miner in six games to start a season since Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith had 73 in his first six contests of 2009. He is on pace to tally 116 stops in 2018. UTEP has had a 100-tackle player just twice in the last eight seasons following a 25-year run with at least one Miner hitting the century mark from 1985-2009.  

  

JUNIEL'S PURPOSE

Terry Juniel now has 1,757 all-purpose yards (one rushing, 445 receiving, 324 punt returns, 987 kickoff returns) in his UTEP career. He has gone over 100 all-purpose yards three times this season, and leads the Miners with 498 this season. Juniel is 19th in the nation in combined kick returns (360) and ranks third in C-USA behind Rice's Austin Walter (451) and Old Dominion's Isaiah Harper (411), who have both played in one more game.

UNSUNG HERO

Gavin Baechle has been one of the more valuable newcomers on the 2018 Miner roster. The true freshman has handled kickoffs and has been nothing short of sensational, converting 16 of 22 for touchbacks (Baechle is averaging 64.6 yards on his kickoffs). 

STELLAR SPECIAL TEAMS

The Miners are third in C-USA in kickoff coverage (44.0 net avg.) behind UAB (45.4) and Rice (44.9). They rank 30th nationally in punt return defense (5.2 avg.). Terry Juniel leads C-USA in punt return average (5.4) and he's fourth in kickoff return average (20.7). Jason Filley remains perfect on his extra point attempts this season (12-for-12), and he's 5-for-7 on field goals. Filley is 7-for-8 on field goal attempts from inside 40 yards during his Miner career and hit his career-long 37-yard field goal against North Texas on Oct. 6.   

CONTROLLING THE CLOCK

UTEP ranks 32nd nationally in time of possession and fifth in Conference USA, averaging 31:51 per game. Charlotte averages 36:52, Rice 34:20, North Texas 32:51 and Southern Miss 32:18. The Miners racked up a season-high 40:48 in possession time against NM State (Sept. 22), their top total since Oct. 11, 2014, versus Old Dominion (41:26).  

TRIMMING THE PENALTIES

The Miners averaged 8.5 penalties for 64.5 yards in the first four games of the season. But over the last two contests, they've averaged 4.5 for 33.5 yards, including season-lows for penalties (four) and penalty yards (26) versus North Texas on Oct. 6.  The 26 penalty yards were the least by UTEP since Sept. 9, 2017 against Rice (15).

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

There are nine programs in the FBS, including UTEP, that have sons playing for their fathers. UTEP first-year head coach Dana Dimel has his son, Winston, at fullback. The other eight programs include UAB (head coach Bill Clark and son Jacob), Colorado (head coach Mike Macintyre and son Jay), Tulsa (head coach Philip Montgomery and son Cannon), Navy (head coach Ken Niumatalolo and son Ali'i), TCU (head coach Gary Patterson and son Blake), Middle Tennessee (head coach Rick Stockstill and son Brent), Clemson (head coach Dabo Swinney and son Will) and Old Dominion (head coach Bobby Wilder and son Derek). Winston previously played at Kansas State (2015-17) where his father was the offensive coordinator. The younger Dimel earned a spot on the 2018-19 Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List after garnering All-Big 12 honors each of the last three years. 

THE GRADUATES

Eight players on the 2018 roster are graduate students. They are OL Jerrod Brooks, FB Winston Dimel, OL Derron Gatewood, LB A.J. Hotchkins, QB Ryan Metz, DL C.J. Reese, DL Michael Sota and TE Josh Weeks. 

GETTING IT DONE IN THE CLASSROOM

Twenty players on the 2018 roster were named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll this spring for sporting grade point averages of 3.0 or better. They are RB Ronald Awatt, DL Christian Buckingham, QB Alex Fernandes, K/P Jason Filley, RB Reynaldo Flores, LB Stephen Forester, WR Keynan Foster, OL Derron Gatewood, LB Kalaii Griffin, DL Christian Johnson, OL Robert Lazarin, FB Forest McKee, QB Ryan Metz, FB Jonathan Millan, DL Jimmy Quemado, LS Jake Sammut, DB Kahani Smith, LB Sione Tupou, LB Anthony Ulmer and K Brady Viles. Fernandes and Flores were recipients of C-USA Academic Medals for logging GPAs of 3.75 or higher. 

Next up

The Miners will return to the Sun Bowl to battle the UAB Blazers on "Military Night" Saturday, Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m.