UTEP Miners

UTEP NOTES | C-USA NOTES

THE KICKOFF

UTEP (1-9, 1-5 C-USA) plays its final road game of the 2018 season at WKU (1-9, 0-6 C-USA) on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. MT. The game will be nationally televised on beIN Sports. The Miners won their last road game, 34-26, at Rice on Nov. 3. That ended a 13-game road losing streak dating back to the 2016 season. UTEP is seeking back-to-back road wins for the first time since October of 2005 (won 45-21 at Tulane, won 38-31 at Rice). The Miners are in their 15th year as a member of Conference USA and only once have posted two league road wins in a season, in 2005. UTEP is shooting for only its fourth C-USA road victory in the month of November. The Miners won at UAB on Nov. 10, 2006 (36-17), at Southern Miss on Nov. 17, 2012 (34-33), and at North Texas on Nov. 28, 2015 (20-17).

SATURDAY'S OPPONENT

After posting six wins and reaching the Cure Bowl in 2017, the Hilltoppers have struggled in year two under the direction of coach Mike Sanford Jr. WKU is 1-9 overall and 0-6 in C-USA and has dropped six consecutive games after winning at Ball State, 28-20, to complete its nonconference schedule on Sept. 22. The Hilltoppers' C-USA losing streak stands at seven games. WKU is 0-4 at Houchens-Smith Stadium this season and will complete its home slate against UTEP this weekend. The Hilltoppers are trying to avoid going winless in the venue for only the third time since it opened in 1968; they were 0-6 there in 2009 and 0-5 in 2010. WKU has lost four games by three points to Maine (31-28), Louisville (20-17), Marshall (20-17) and Old Dominion (37-34). Three of those games -- Maine, Marshall, ODU -- were played at home. Aiding the Hilltoppers' struggles in close games has been a .533 (8-for-15) field goal percentage, worst in C-USA. WKU is also last in the league in red zone offense (71.9 percent). WKU has scored less than 20 points in seven of 10 games, and five of six C-USA contests. The Hilltoppers average 365.4 yards per game (123.8 rushing/241.6 passing). Three quarterbacks have seen extensive action for WKU in 2018 -- redshirt-freshman Davis Shanley (942 yards passing), sophomore Steven Duncan (765) and senior Drew Eckels (709). Duncan started at Florida Atlantic last week and completed 25-of-42 passes for 228 yards in a 34-15 loss. The leading receivers are sophomore Jacquez Sloan (55.0 ypg) and junior Lucky Jackson (48.6 ypg). Redshirt-freshman Joshua Samuel is averaging a team-high 53.2 rushing yards per game, while freshman Gino Appleberry, Jr. has accounted for three rushing TDs. Samuel rushed for 101 yards at FAU, while senior TE Mik'Quan Deane recorded 10 receptions for 112 yards. Junior LB Ben Holt is having a banner year for the Hilltoppers, tallying 104 tackles (third in C-USA), 10.5 tackles for losses and seven quarterback hurries. He tallied 16 stops and three tackles for losses at FAU. Junior nickelback Ta'Corian Darden is third on the team in tackles (63) and has a squad-high nine pass break-ups.        

      

THE SERIES

The Miners are 0-2 versus WKU. The Hilltoppers knocked off the Miners in Bowling Green in 2014 (35-27) and in the Sun Bowl a year ago (15-14).

THE LAST MEETING

UTEP came oh, so close to upsetting two-time defending Conference USA champion WKU. But the Miners missed three field goals, and the Hilltoppers escaped with a 15-14 victory on Oct. 7, 2017 in the Sun Bowl. The game was Mike Price's first as interim head coach of the Miners. UTEP turned in its best defensive effort of the season, holding high-powered WKU to 282 yards of offense, including 208 passing. UTEP actually gained five more yards (287) than the Hilltoppers despite playing the last three quarters without running back Quardraiz Wadley, who suffered a knee injury. Wadley finished with 39 yards on seven carries. WKU scored the game's first touchdown early in the second quarter on a five-yard run by Mike White. The Hilltoppers went for the two-point conversion and got it, as Drew Eckels connected with Deon Yelder in the end zone. That ended up looming large in a one-point game. UTEP cut it to 8-7 on a 15-yard TD pass from Zack Greenlee to Kavika Johnson, and the Miners took the lead when Greenlee scampered five yards into the end zone shortly before halftime. UTEP couldn't capitalize on getting the ball to start the third quarter and the Hilltoppers took advantage, moving 80 yards on 13 plays and surging ahead 15-14 on a one-yard run by White. That turned out to be the final score of the game, although the Miners had their chances. They moved deep into Hilltopper territory twice in the second half, but Brady Viles missed a 47-yard field goal late in the third quarter, and a 41-yard field goal with 2:01 to go. Earlier in the game, he misfired on a 34-yard attempt. UTEP still had three timeouts, but on third and five at the WKU 28-yard line, White found Yelder for an 11-yard completion and a first down that ended the Miners' comeback chances. White completed 24-of-37 passes for 208 yards. Greenlee completed 12-of-22 passes for 124 yards for the Miners, but did more damage with his legs. He rushed eight times for 46 yards. In Wadley's absence, the Miners got rushing production from Greenlee and Kevin Dove, who gained 69 yards on 15 attempts. Neither team committed a turnover. Alvin Jones tallied 12 tackles, a sack and 2.5 tackles for losses for UTEP, while Michael Lewis chipped in with a pass break-up and quarterback hurry. The Miners were credited with eight tackles for losses in all. UTEP controlled the clock for 33:02 and had over nine minutes of possession time in both the second and third quarters.

LAST GAME

Brent Stockstill threw for 352 yards and four touchdowns, and Conference USA East Division leader Middle Tennessee won for the sixth time in seven games with a 48-32 victory at UTEP on Nov. 10. Ty Lee recorded 10 catches for a career-high 158 yards for Middle Tennessee, which jumped out to a 14-0 lead and scored 27 of the game's first 34 points. The tone was set early as Middle Tennessee drove 75 yards on nine plays for a touchdown on its opening possession, then capitalized on a UTEP fumble to score again less than three minutes later. The game got away from the Miners after they pulled within a touchdown (14-7) on a seven-yard rushing score by Quardraiz Wadley early in the second quarter. Middle Tennessee tacked on a couple more touchdowns in the quarter, and UTEP couldn't get closer than 16 points in the second half. The Miners did get the ball back down a couple of scores with 3:25 to go, but Kai Locksley was sacked twice on the series and UTEP was unable to pick up a first down. A late flurry gave the Miners 30 points for the second straight week. UTEP scored 22 points in the fourth quarter. Wadley had a big day for UTEP, rushing 15 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Stockstill was precision-sharp for Middle Tennessee, completing 31-of-40 passes with no interceptions. The Blue Raiders gained 491 yards to the Miners' 333. Locksley and Brandon Jones both saw action for the Miners at quarterback, combining to complete 18-of-39 passes for 218 yards. The tight ends had a huge afternoon for UTEP, as Josh Weeks (4-71) and David Lucero (4-62) were the top two receivers. UTEP had a pair of double-figure tacklers in A.J. Hotchkins (14) and Nik Needham (10), while Reed Blankenship led Middle Tennessee with nine tackles and two pass breakups. The special teams standout for the Miners was Terry Juniel with 95 kickoff return yards and 21 punt return yards. 

30 BACK-TO-BACK

UTEP has produced its top-two point totals of the season in the last two weeks against Rice (34 points) and Middle Tennessee (32 points). The Miners have scored 30 points in back-to-back games for the first time since November, 2016 versus Houston Baptist (42 points) and Florida Atlantic (31). The last time UTEP scored 30+ points in consecutive C-USA contests was in 2014 against UTSA (34 points) and Southern Miss (35). UTEP is now 25-17 all-time versus C-USA foes when scoring 30 points or more, with wins in eight of the last 10 games.  

BIG FOURTH

After being held in check offensively for the first three quarters, the Miners busted out in the fourth period versus Middle Tennessee. UTEP's 22 points in the final frame marked its most in a quarter this season (previous high 20 points in the second quarter at Rice on Nov. 3). It was also more points than the Miners scored in a game all of last season. Overall it was the most points in a quarter for the Miners since Sept. 29, 2015, at NM State (28 points in the fourth quarter), and their most in a quarter in a C-USA game since Nov. 28, 2009, versus Marshall (22 points in the third quarter).  

32 POINTS, 333 YARDS

The Miners scored 32 points against Middle Tennessee despite being limited to 333 yards. It marked the fewest yards for UTEP in a 30-point game since Nov. 1, 2014, when they scored 35 points with 234 yards versus Southern Miss. However, in that game the Miners converted five Golden Eagle turnovers into 21 points. In the Middle Tennessee game, UTEP scored eight points off turnovers with a touchdown and two-point conversion.

SPEAKING OF POINTS OFF TURNOVERS

UTEP has been outscored 80-22 in points off turnovers this season. The Miners scored eight of their 22 points against Middle Tennessee. Of the 80 points off turnovers scored by opponents this season, 52 have come in the first half. The Miners have committed 12 of their 19 turnovers in the first half this season.

WADLEY GETS A GRAND

After leading the Miners in rushing for the fifth time this season (99 yards) versus Middle Tennessee, Quardraiz Wadley went over 1,000 yards in his UTEP career. He now has 210 rushes for 1,019 yards (4.85 avg.) in the Orange and Blue. Wadley has as many rushing attempts this season (105) as in his first two years at UTEP combined. His 99 yards versus Middle Tennessee were his most versus a C-USA opponent. Over the last two games, Wadley has averaged 95 yards rushing. He has led UTEP in rushing in consecutive games for the second time this season (also happened against Tennessee and NM State). Wadley hasn't led the Miners in rushing in three straight games in his career. Wadley has rushed for two touchdowns in back-to-back games for the first time. The last Miner with multiple rushing scores in consecutive contests was Aaron Jones versus Houston Baptist and Florida Atlantic in November, 2016.     

TIGHT ENDS HAVE A FIELD DAY

UTEP's tight ends -- David Lucero and Josh Weeks -- entered the Middle Tennessee game with a combined 16 catches for 175 yards. But against the Blue Raiders, they teamed for eight receptions totaling 133 yards, as Weeks led the team in receiving (71 yards) and Lucero was second (62). Weeks's 71 yards eclipsed his previous career best of 43 yards at UAB on Nov. 25, 2017. Lucero's 62 yards were also a career high, as he had 31 versus Rice on Sept. 9, 2017. Weeks led the Miners in receiving for the first time. His 71 yards were the most by a Miner tight end since Hayden Plinke had 84 yards on Nov. 26, 2016, versus North Texas. 

QUARTERBACK RUSHING

UTEP quarterbacks have been responsible for 417 of the team's 1,361 rushing yards (30.6 percent) in 2018. Quarterbacks have accounted for nine of the Miners' 17 rushing scores this season; the nine rushing TD's by signal-callers are a modern era (post 1965) school record. This is the first time since 2006 that three UTEP quarterbacks (Brandon Jones, Kai Locksley, Ryan Metz) have rushed for a touchdown in a season. Twelve years ago, Lorne Sam, Palmer and James Thomas II all turned the trick. Locksley and Jones both have games with multiple rushing touchdowns this season. Overall, a quarterback has led the Miners in rushing in five of 10 contests this season.

LOCKSLEY CLOSING IN ON RECORD

With his sixth rushing touchdown of the season at Rice, Kai Locksley tied for the second-most rushing scores by a UTEP quarterback in the modern era (post 1965). Gary Keithley also had six in 1971, Kevin Ward had six in 1983 and Rocky Perez had six in 2000.  The record is seven rushing TD's by Bobby McKinley in 1974. Locksley leads C-USA in rushing TD's by a quarterback; UAB's A.J. Erdely is second with five.

LOCKSLEY'S 100-YARD GAMES

With 106 rushing yards at UTSA (Sept. 29), Kai Locksley became 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.

OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS VERSUS MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Erik Brown scored the first touchdown of his UTEP career on a four-yard pass from Kai Locksley in the fourth quarter. Quardraiz Wadley had a career-long rush of 46 yards in the fourth quarter. It was the longest rushing play by a Miner since Aaron Jones had an 83-yard run against North Texas on Nov. 26, 2016. David Lucero had a career-long catch (37 yards) in the fourth quarter against the Blue Raiders. Terry Juniel scored his second touchdown as a Miner in the fourth quarter on a nine-yard pass from Brandon Jones, and he's now tied with Keynan Foster for the team lead with two touchdown receptions this season.    

TRUST THE PROCESS

This chart illustrates UTEP's overall improvement from 2017 to 2018.

Category 2017* 2018

Scoring offense 11.8 18.9

Scoring defense 36.8 31.4

Rushing offense 95.6 136.1

Passing offense 134.9 175.2

Total offense 230.5 311.3

Rushing defense 234.3 188.9

Passing defense 212.2 204.7

Total defense 446.6 393.6

Sacks 11 15

Punt return avg. 3.9 6.0

* Final stats for 12 games

DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT 

The Miners rank 63rd nationally in total defense (393.6 ypg); a year ago they were 107th (446.6 ypg). In C-USA play, UTEP has trimmed its points allowed per game from 32.0 in 2017 to 30.2, and its yards allowed per contest from 410.9 in 2017 to 377.0.  

  

DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS VERSUS MIDDLE TENNESSEE

DB Michael Lewis tallied a career-high two pass break-ups. DB Justin Rogers was credited with a career-high eight tackles. The Miners had two players with double-digit tackles (A.J. Hotchkins 14, Nik Needham 10) for the third time this season, all in Conference USA play (versus North Texas, UAB & Middle Tennessee). Needham registered a career-best 10 stops. LB Jamar Smith had a solid all-around outing with eight tackles, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. DT Chris Richardson blocked a Blue Raider extra point attempt in the fourth quarter. 

THIRD DOWN "D"

Over the last four games, UTEP opponents are 14-for-51 on third down conversions (27.5 percent). During that stretch the Miners have risen from 101st in the nation in third down conversion defense to 43rd (.366). UTEP's third-down conversion defense for C-USA games only (.325) ranks fourth in the league. No UTEP opponent has converted more than 50 percent of its third downs in 2018 after eight of 12 achieved the feat last season.

DEFLECTING DUO

Senior DBs Nik Needham and Kalon Beverly have combined for 53 pass break-ups in their careers. Needham set the school record with his 26th career pass break-up in the second quarter against NM State and now has 32 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 eight pass break-ups in 2018 leads the team. Beverly tallied his third PBU of the season versus UAB and now has 21 in his career, tied for the 10th-top total in the Miner record book. 

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 seven of 10 games, including six double-digit performances against Northern Arizona (13), Tennessee (10), North Texas (14), LA Tech (11), UAB (career-high 15) and Middle Tennessee (14). Hotchkins ranks 17th nationally and second in C-USA, averaging 10.5 tackles per game (FIU's Sage Lewis is first with 10.6 tackles per game). Hotchkins is averaging 11.0 tackles in C-USA games, second in the league behind WKU's Ben Holt (11.3). Hotchkins has 105 tackles and is on pace to tally 126 in 2018, which would be the most by a Miner player since Jeremy Jones had 130 in 2005.

  

SPECIAL TEAMS STAR

Terry Juniel now has 2,030 all-purpose yards (five rushing, 548 receiving, 374 punt returns, 1,103 kickoff returns) in his UTEP career. Juniel tallied 95 kickoff return yards against Middle Tennessee last week, moving him into ninth place on UTEP's all-time list with 1,103 yards. Jahmal Fenner is in eighth place on the list with 1,147 yards. Juniel has gone over 100 all-purpose yards four times this season, and leads the Miners with 771 in 2018. Juniel is 19th in the nation in combined kick return yards (526) and ranks second in Conference USA behind Old Dominion's Isaiah Harper (693).

SPECIAL TEAMS BITS

The Miners rank 39th nationally in punt return defense (6.0 avg.). They are third in C-USA in kickoff coverage (44.3 net avg.). Terry Juniel is second in C-USA in punt return average (6.0) and third in kickoff return average (19.3). Jason Filley is 20-for-21 on extra point attempts this season, and he made a career-long 50-yard field goal the last time out against Middle Tennessee. Gavin Baechle has converted 27 of his 40 kickoffs for touchbacks.

SEEING RED

In six C-USA games, UTEP is 17-for-20 in the red zone with 15 TD's. The Miners have the third-most prolific red zone offense in C-USA for league games only, converting at an 85 percent clip. Middle Tennessee leads the league (89.3 percent), and LA Tech is second (87.0 percent). 

ONE PENALTY

The Miners had one penalty for 15 yards in last week's game against Middle Tennessee. The last time UTEP had one or fewer penalties in a game was on Nov. 5, 2016, versus Houston Baptist (one). The last time UTEP had one or fewer penalties against a conference opponent was on Oct. 12, 2013, against Tulsa (one). UTEP now ranks 53rd nationally in penalties per game (5.9), and 32nd in penalty yards per game (47.3).

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

UTEP will close out the season by hosting Southern Miss on Nov. 24 at 1 p.m. MT. The Miners' senior class will be honored, and local educators will be recognized on "Teacher Appreciation Day."