UTEP Athletics

UTEP to Play at National Power no. 9 Oklahoma Saturday on FOX

9/2/2022 9:21:00 AM

UTEP Notes | OU Notes

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP will take the road to Norman to take on no. 9 Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 3 at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Miners and Sooners will kick off at 1:30 p.m. MT/2:30 CT on FOX.

The Miners are making their first trip back to Norman for the first time since 2017. Redshirt senior Walter Dawn Jr. was a sophomore and ran for a game-high 56 yards on seven carries, including a 17-yard rushing score. Redshirt senior running back Ronald Awatt also saw action in the contest.

For OU, it's the season opener under first-year head coach Brent Venables, while the Miners (0-1, 0-1 Conference USA) opened the new campaign with a 31-13 loss against North Texas on Aug. 27.

"You've got a game against a preseason top-10 football team (No. 9 Oklahoma) in a fun place to play. That's what it is for us, an opportunity to go out and enjoy why you play these games, why you want to play these types of opponents," UTEP Head Coach Dana Dimel said. "We want to go out and execute well our brand of football. We have quality enough caliber of players to play good in this atmosphere. So now we must have good preparation. They're a difficult preparation because of the things they do on both sides of the football. They have great schemes, and we're going to have to rise to the challenge. It'll be a great venue to play in at 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon at Oklahoma. It's a fun place for these guys to go into. We've worked on the crowd noise and have put on some things in spring ball and in camp to (help) handle that. I think we'll be prepared for that, it's not like we just started preparing for that."

Venables played linebacker at Kansas State during the 1991 and 1992 seasons while Dimel was coaching the offensive line from 1989-1992. Venables followed his playing days by starting his coaching career at K-State where he was a graduate assistant from 1993-1995 and then promoted to linebackers' coach from 1996-1998.

Fans can tune into KLAQ 95.5 to hear the action with "The Voice of the Miners" Jon Teicher calling the action with former UTEP WR Cole Freytag providing analysis and Mando Medina on the sideline. The game will be televised nationally on FOX with Jason Benetti with play by play and Brock Huard providing analysis.

UTEP (0-1, 0-1) at no. 9/9 Oklahoma (0-0, 0-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 3
Time: 1:30 p.m. MT/2:30 CT
Location: Norman, Okla.
Venue: Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (86,112)
Twitter Updates: @UTEPFB

TV: FOX
PxP: Jason Benetti
Analyst: Brock Huard

Radio: KLAQ 95.5 FM
PxP: Jon Teicher
Analyst: Cole Freytag
Sideline: Mando Medina

SERIES VS. OU
Oklahoma leads the all-time series 4-0. The Sooners won the last meeting, 56-7, on Sept. 2, 2017, in Norman. Walter Dawn Jr. tallied a game-high 56 yards and scored a touchdown. OU's Baker Mayfield finished 19-of-20 for 329 yards and four TDs, while Kyler Murray went 10-of-11 for 149 yards and a score. OU won the first ever meeting, 55-14, on Sept. 2, 2000.

SCOUTING OU
The Sooners' program saw changes during the off-season after finishing 11-2 (7-2 Big 12) in 2021 under then-head coach Lincoln Riley. Since then, former Clemson defensive coordinator, Brent Venables is at the helm in his FBS head coaching debut. Junior WR Marvin Mims returns for the Sooners after leading OU with 705 yards on 32 receptions (22.0 avg) and five touchdowns. UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel was named the starting quarterback. Gabriel played in 26 games, while starting 25 for the Knights. He completed over 60 percent of his passes and threw 70 touchdowns to only 14 interceptions. Senior transfer from Tennessee Eric Gray is unofficially first on the depth chart at the running back position. Gray ran for 1,723 yards in three seasons with the Volunteers and added 15 total touchdowns (10 rush, 5 rec.). His best season came in 2020 when he rushed for 772 yard in nine games. McKade Mettauer, a transfer from Cal, will make his OU debut at the left guard position. Mettauer played in 29 career games at Cal, while earning All-Pac-12 second team (PFF) honors and honorable mention (Pac-12 coaches). On defense, fifth-year senior NT Jeffery Johnson transferred from Tulane. Johnson played in 49 games and started 44. He tallied 136 tackles with 14.0 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks and three forced fumbles during his career. In 2021, Johnson posted a career-best 44 stops. Venables received another fifth-year senior transfer in defensive back Trey Morrison from North Carolina. Morrison played in 44 games at UNC, tallying 163 tackles with 11.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks and two interceptions.

UTEP VS. TOP 25 TEAMS
UTEP is 4-56 against teams in the Associated Press Top 25. Its last win versus a top 25 opponent came against no. 12 Houston on Oct. 3, 2009, in the Sun Bowl. The Miners are 1-37 on the road with their lone victory coming Nov. 2, 1974, at no. 14 Arizona State.

SUN BOWL SELLOUT
A sellout crowd of 45,971 fans was in attendance, marking UTEP's first sellout since filling the Sun Bowl against Texas on Sept. 6, 2008.

400 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE
UTEP hit 400 yards of total offense against North Texas. It was the second game in a row that the Miners went for 400 or more dating back to Dec. 18, 2021, against Fresno State in New Mexico Bowl (401 yards). It was the 12^th time the Miners tallied 400+ yards of total offense during theDana Dimel era.

300+ YARDS TOTAL OFFENSE IN 15 STRAIGHT GAMES
UTEP, dating back to Dec. 11, 2020, has hit 300+ yards of total offense in 15 straight games. UTEP tallied 400 yards against North Texas in Saturday's season opener. The streak started on Dec. 11, 2020, against North Texas. It's the longest streak since the Miners did so in 17 straight games from Oct. 9, 1999, to Nov. 11, 2000.

WALTER'S RETURN TO NORMAN
Redshirt WR Walter Dawn Jr. will play at OU for the second time in his career. Dawn Jr. first faced the Sooners on Sept. 2, 2017. Dawn Jr. was the starting running back and scored on a 17-yard scamper to the end zone that tied the game 7-7 at the 8:22 mark of the first quarter. Dawn Jr. tallied a game-high 56 yards on seven attempts. He added a two-yard reception.

GAME NO. 50 FOR WALTER
Walter Dawn Jr. returned to the gridiron and played in his 50^th game, the most by any Miner in program history. After missing the final 10 games of 2021, Dawn Jr. returned the starting lineup against North Texas on Aug. 27. Dawn Jr. caught a pass for six yards and ran back a 22-yard kickoff return.

REY SHINES ON '915 NIGHT'
Redshirt senior WR Reynaldo Flores recorded his first career 100-yard game in his third career start. The 915 product set career highs in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (122) against North Texas on Aug. 27. Flores added a 38-yard reception in the first quarter against the Mean Green. His previous highs were four receptions (at Southern Miss in 2021) and 53 receiving yards (vs. Fresno State in 2021).

BIG GAME FROM TYRIN
Redshirt sophomore WR Tyrin Smith recorded his second career 100-yard game against North Texas on Aug. 27. Smith, a 5-7 speedster, tallied a career-high 127 yards on a career-best seven receptions against the Mean Green. He added his fifth-career TD on a 32-yard score in the second quarter. Smith also hauled in a 49-yard catch during the first quarter.

TYRIN RUNNING THE BALL
Tyrin Smith registered his first career rush, taking the ball 14 yards on a reverse to the right during the third quarter. Smith finished with a career-high 141 all-purpose yards.

A PAIR HITTING THE CENTURY MARK
UTEP had a pair of 100-yard receivers (Reynaldo Flores – 122 yards, Tyrin Smith – 127 yards) against North Texas on Aug. 27. The Miners last accomplished that at FAU on Oct. 30, 2021, when Smith (114 yards) joined Justin Garrett (109 yards).

MOVING UP THE TD LIST
Redshirt QB Gavin Hardison threw his 25^th career touchdown in the second quarter, a 32-yard toss to Tyrin Smith against North Texas on Aug. 27. Hardison ranks 10^th on the program's all-time touchdown passing list. Ryan Metz (26 TD) ranks ninth, while Pat Hegarty (26 TD) ranks eighth.

RACKING UP PASSING YARDS
Gavin Hardison threw for 293 yards in the season opener against UNT on Aug. 27. Hardison now has 5,264 yards passing in his career. Hardison surpassed Rocky Perez (5,108 yards) to fifth on the program's all-time passing yards list. Sammy Garza (6,130 yards) ranks fourth.

GAVIN RANKS SIXTH IN ATTEMPS
Gavin Hardison had 48 passing attempts on Aug. 27 versus UNT, giving him 665 in his career. He moved up four spots to sixth on the program's all-time attempts list, sliding past John Rayborn(661). Rocky Perez (716 attempts) ranks fifth, while Sammy Garza (817) ranks fourth.

GAVIN RANKS SIXTH IN COMPLETIONS
Gavin Hardison tallied 21 completions against the Mean Green, giving him 354 in his career. Hardison moved past John Rayborn (342) to sixth on the program's all-time list. Rocky Perez(400) ranks fifth.

MORE ON HARDISON'S NIGHT
Gavin Hardison attempted a career-high 48 pass attempts while matching his career best with 10 rushes. His 29 rushing yards set a personal high.

GOOD KNIGHT
Senior LB Tyrice Knight registered his eighth career double-digit tackle game on Aug. 27 against North Texas. Knight led the defensive efforts with 11 tackles, including seven solo stops. It was his third consecutive 10+ tackle game dating back to last season (10 at UAB, 15 vs. Fresno State). It was also his fifth double-digit performance in his last six games dating back to Nov. 6 (10 vs. UTSA, 11 at North Texas). Knight, in his last six games, has amassed 66 tackles (11.0 tackles per game).

PRAISE'S SECOND FUMBLE RECOVERY
Redshirt junior DE Praise Amaewhule recovered his second ever fumble against North Texas on Aug. 27. Amaewhule's first career fumble recovery came against the same program when he recovered one against the Mean Green on Dec. 11, 2020.

IMPRESSIVE DEBUT
Sophomore S Kobe Hylton, a transfer from Louisiana, nearly recorded double-digit stops (nine) in his Miner debut on Aug. 27 against UNT. Hylton ranked second on the defense with his nine tackles and added a team-best 2.5 tackles for loss against the Mean Green.

NEW CORNERS
Sophomore CB Josiah Allen (Sacramento City College) and sophomore CB Latrez Shelton made their UTEP debuts on Saturday night against UNT. Allen tallied six tackles, while Shelton recorded a pass breakup.

OTHER NOTABLE UTEP DEBUTS
Junior DE Bryton Thompson (Blinn College) registered a trio of tackles in his first appearance. Sophomore WR Kelly Akharaiyi (Tyler JC) recorded three catches for 29 yards on 11 targets. Sophomores DE Maurice Westmoreland (Kilgore College), PR Marcus Bellon (Santa Barbara CC), LB Daryl Minor (Tyler JC) and OL Aluma Nkele (Long Beach City College) each made their Miner debuts on Saturday night against UNT.

JUST KICKIN' IT
Senior K/P Gavin Baechle connected on two field goals (29, 26) to bring him to 38 career makes, moving him into a tie for fourth place all time at the school with Hugo Castellanos (38). Jay Mattox (40) ranks third, while Ricky Bishop (42) ranks second. Reagan Schneider (50) is the all-time leader.

GAVIN'S CAREER POINTS
Gavin Baechle tallied seven points (2 FG, XP) against UNT. Baechle now has 194 career points and ranks sixth on the program's all-time points list for kickers. Jose Martinez (200 points) ranks fifth and Marshall Young (202) ranks fourth.

Print Friendly Version