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Miners Return to C-USA Action at Charlotte Saturday on ESPN3

9/29/2022 4:28:00 PM


UTEP Notes | Charlotte Notes

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP, coming off its biggest win in the Dana Dimel era, will take the rainy road to Charlotte as Conference USA play resumes on Saturday. The Miners and 49ers will kick off at 4 p.m. MT/6 ET in Jerry Richardson Stadium. 
 
Due to Hurricane Ian making its way to the East Coast, heavy rain conditions are in the forecast on game day.  
 
The contest will be streamed on ESPN3. The action returns to 600 ESPN El Paso with "The Voice of the Miners" Jon Teicher calling play-by-play in his 42nd season. 'Teich' is joined by former UTEP WR Cole Freytag (2012, 2014-16) providing analysis in his first season in the booth and Mando Medina reporting from the sidelines. The action can also be heard on the UTEP Miners app. 
 
The Miners are playing in Charlotte for only the second time in program history and first time since 2020. UTEP, after defeating heavily-favored Boise State for the first time ever, will look for its first win against Charlotte. The Miners, who are 0-2 versus the 49ers, first met in 2019 in El Paso. 
 
UTEP (2-3, 0-1 Conference USA) controlled the time of possession 40:35 to 19:25 and mashed Boise State for 199 yards on 54 carries during its 27-10 upset victory on Sept. 23 in the Sun Bowl. The Miners broke the Broncos when Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week Marcus Bellon took back a punt 47 yards to pay dirt that gave UTEP a 20-10 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Deion Hankins rushed for a team-high 86 yards, while Gavin Hardison was efficient on 10-of-11 passing for 123 yards, including a 42-yard TD to Jeremiah Ballard in his first ever start. The defense only allowed 177 yards, the least given up since Oct. 25, 2014, at UTSA. Though the D didn't post a sack, they had Hank Bachmeier running as it recorded 12 QB hurries (most since the 2009 season). The Miners allowed only 93 yards passing, ranking 11th nationally and first in C-USA in passing yards allowed per game (156.8).  
 
Charlotte (1-4, 0-1 C-USA) is coming off a 56-20 loss at SEC's South Carolina on Sept. 24. Starting Charlotte QB Chris Reynolds threw for 143 yards (16-28), two TD's and two INT's. The 49ers are 0-2 at home this season. Reynolds has tossed seven touchdowns during his last two starts.
 
"I think Charlotte's a great setting. I love that stadium; I love the set up they got there. So, it's a good place to play against. We just have to manage the trip and manage the time difference," UTEP Head Coach Dana Dimel said. "Charlotte, like always, is a really athletic team got a lot of team speed on both sides of the football. They have a new defensive coordinator this year and he's establishing his system there and they're getting better all the time within the system and how they're playing. They've had a tough schedule. Their record is probably not anywhere indicative of the type of team that they are because they've had again, they haven't had any 1-AA opponents or anything. Well, they did have one, a good one, William and Mary, who's a good football team. Charlotte's starting quarterback was out for that game. But the rest of their slate's been a pretty difficult slate with some tough team, and they had a big win over Georgia State in one of their games. So, again, it'll be trying to handle Reynolds, their quarterback's always a handful. He's very athletic and very much of a really good creator. The receivers have got great speed at their receiver position. So that definitely will be a challenge. One of their games this year against Georgia State, they passed for 401 yards in that game. So, they can throw the ball and move the ball on and have an effective offense. And as I said defensively, they got tons of team speed and lots of athleticism on the defense and so that'll be a challenge for us as well. And like I said, a road conference game, as we go through this whole schedule, every game is going to be, the rest of the way, every game is going to be a battle. I mean, that's just what they are. And so, we're looking forward to going to Charlotte and our big quest is to go down there and play really good, fundamentally sound football and do what we do best and execute our schemes and play good in all three segments again."
 
UTEP (2-3, 0-1) at Charlotte (1-4, 0-1)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 1
Time: 4:00 p.m. MT/6 ET 
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Venue: Jerry Richardson Stadium (15,314)
Twitter Updates: @UTEPFB
 
TV: ESPN3
PxP: Bobby Rosinski
Analyst: Reginald Walker Jr.
Sideline: Hannah Bradey
 
Radio: ESPN 600 El Paso
PxP: Jon Teicher
Analyst: Cole Freytag
Sideline: Mando Medina
 
SERIES VS. CHARLOTTE
Charlotte has won both meetings against UTEP. The 49ers defeated the Miners 28-21 in their first meeting on Nov. 9, 2019, in the Sun Bowl. Deion Hankins rushed for 22 yards, including a long rush for 14 yards. Justin Garrett tallied 40 yards on six catches with a TD. DE Praise Amaewhule tallied a tackle in limited action. The two programs met for a second on Oct. 24, 2020, as Charlotte game up with a 38-28 victory at Jerry Richardson Stadium. The game was tied 14-14 at the half, but Charlotte outscored UTEP 24-14 in the second half. Gavin Hardison threw for 204 yards (19-35) with two TD's and two INT's, while Hankins rushed for a career-high 119 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. Ronald Awatt added a score, while Garrett tallied 107 yards on nine receptions with a career-high two touchdowns. 
 
SCOUTING CHARLOTTE
Charlotte is coming off a 56-20 loss at South Carolina on Sept. 24. The week prior, the 49ers' won their lone game of 2022, upsetting Georgia State 42-41 in Atlanta on Sept. 17. QB Reynolds threw for 401 yards and five scores. WR Elijah Spencer reeled in five receptions for 96 yards and a TD, RB Henry Rutledge tallied five catches for 88 yards and a score and WR Grant DuBose hauled in receptions for 85 yards and two TD's. ChaVon McEachern gained a team-high 76 yards. LB Prince Bemah and DL Amir Siddiq both posted sacks. The 49ers opened their season on zero week, losing at Florida Atlantic 43-13 on Aug. 27. Charlotte followed with losses to William & Mary, 41-24, and Maryland, 56-21. Both games were in Charlotte. Reynolds has thrown for 740 yards (61-90, 67.8 percent) in three games played. He's thrown nine touchdowns to only two interceptions. Spencer (378) and DuBose (374) rank five and sixth, respectively, in C-USA in receiving yards. DuBose's five TD's rank tied third in conference. Siddiq leads with 2.0 sacks, while DB Wayne Jones leads the team with 38 tackles (7.6 tackles per game). The defense has picked off three passes, one each by Wayne, LB BJ Burner and DB Comanche Francisco.
 
EAST COAST CURSE
Not that we like talking about it… but UTEP is 0-26-1 in games played in the Eastern Time Zone. 
 
CONTROLLING THE TEMPO
UTEP won a lopsided time of possession 40:35 to 19:25 during a 27-10 win over Boise State on Sept. 23. It was the most time of possession since Sept. 22, 2018, against NM State (40:48). 
 
REY'S FIRST TD
Redshirt senior WR/RB Reynaldo Flores scored his first career touchdown when he bullied his way into the end zone on a three-yard rush in the fourth quarter against Boise State on Sept. 23. It was his first TD in 47 games played. Flores found the end zone last season at UAB, reeling in a two-point conversion. 
 
CAREER NIGHT FOR REY
Reynaldo Flores rushed for a career-high 41 yards, while tying his career best with nine rushing attempts. Flores added his first career touchdown against the Broncos. He surpassed his previous high of 38 yards vs. Boise State last season.
 
REY'S NUMBERS INCREASING
Reynaldo Flores entered the 2022 season with 277 career receiving yards on 19 receptions, including 204 on 13 catches in 2021. Currently in 2002, Flores ranks second on the team in receptions (24) and receiving yards (289). 
 
THE JACK OF ALL TRADES
Reynaldo Flores has tallied 330 yards of all-purpose yards thus far in 2022. Flores ranks second on the team with 289 receiving yards and has gained 41 yards on the ground. 
 
REY SHINES ON '915 NIGHT'
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).  
 
EFFICIENT NIGHT PASSING
Redshirt junior QB Gavin Hardison completed 90.9 percent of his passes (10-11) against Boise State on Sept. 23. Hardison was the first UTEP QB to have only one incompletion (min. 10 attempts) since Jay Stuckey (12-13) versus SMU on Oct. 9, 1999.  
 
MOVING UP THE TD LIST
Gavin Hardison threw his 27th career touchdown in the second quarter, a 42-yard toss to Jeremiah Ballard against Boise State on Sept. 23. Hardison ranks ninth on the program's all-time list. Pat Hegarty (30 TD) ranks eighth. 
 
RACKING UP PASSING YARDS
Gavin Hardison has thrown for 1,093 yards in 2022. Hardison now has 6,064 yards passing in his career. Hardison ranks fifth on the program's all-time passing yards list. Sammy Garza (6,130 yards) ranks fourth, while Billy Stevens (6,485) is third.
 
GAVIN MOVING UP ATTEMPS LIST
Gavin Hardison has 172 passing attempts in 2022, giving him 789 in his career. He ranks fifth on the program's all-time attempts list. Sammy Garza (817) ranks fourth, while Billy Stevens (943) ranks third.
 
GAVIN RANKS SIXTH IN COMPLETIONS
Gavin Hardison has tallied 88 completions in 2022. Hardison has 421 in his career and ranks fifth on the program's all-time list. Billy Stevens (426) is fourth and Sammy Garza (483) ranks third.
 
BACK GRINDING
Redshirt sophomore RB Deion Hankins bullied and bruised Boise State for a season-high 86 yards on 21 carries (4.1 avg.). It was also the most yards gained since the 2020 season at Charlotte. Hankins added his first TD of the season at New Mexico on Sept. 17. 
 
HANKINS'S FIRST TD OF 2022
Redshirt sophomore RB Deion Hankins scored his first touchdown of the season, a one-yard plunge into the end zone at UNM. It's Hankins 16th career rushing touchdown. Hankins is three TD's away from breaking into the program's top 10 list.
 
TYRIN'S RECEIVING RANKINGS
Redshirt sophomore WR Tyrin Smith leads Conference USA with 462 yards. Smith ranks tied second in C-USA with 29 receptions and ranks fourth in yards per game (92.4). Nationally, Smith ranks fifth in receiving yards and 24th in yards per game.
 
TYRIN'S PERFORMANCE AT UNM
Tyrin Smith recorded a career-high 183 yards and tallied a career-long 76-yard reception. Smith's previous high was 127 yards against North Texas on Aug. 27. Smith tied his career best with eight receptions. Smith also caught eight passes at no. 9 OU on Sept. 3. Smith's 188 all-purpose yards were also a career high. His previous best was 141 against the Mean Green. Smith's 183 receiving yards was the 12th-most in a game in school history and the most by a Miner player since Jordan Leslie had 218 at Tulsa in 2012.
 
TYRIN BREAKING THE CENTURY MARK
Tyrin Smith recorded his third career 100-yard game at UNM on Sept. 17. Smith, a 5-7 speedster, tallied a career-high 183 yards on eight receptions against the Lobos. Smith's first 100-yard game came at Florida Atlantic (122 yards) last season, while his second century mark came against North Texas (127 yards) to open the 2022 season. Smith ranks tied 17th on the program's all-time 100-yard receiving list. 
 
SOLID FIRST START
Redshirt freshman WR Jeremiah Ballard made his first career start on Sept. 23 against Boise State and responded with a career-high 64 yards and first career touchdown. Ballard hauled in a career-long 42-yard score in the second quarter against the Broncos. Ballard ranks third on the team with 118 receiving yards.
 
BREAKING THE CENTURY MARK
Ronald Awatt rushed for a season-high 115 yards on 22 carries. Awatt now has four 100-yard games in his career. Last season he rushed for a career-high 159 at Southern Miss, 126 against Bethune-Cookman, and 119 yards against Rice. UTEP is 4-0 when Awatt rushes for 100+ yards.
 
UTEP FIRST IN TOTAL DEFENSE
The UTEP defense ranks first in Conference USA, giving up 333.0 yards per game. It ranks fourth in yards per play (5.32).
 
BEST EFFORT IN EIGHT SEASONS
The UTEP defense allowed only 177 yards of total offense during its upset win over heavily-favored Boise State. It was the least yards allowed since Oct. 25, 2014, at UTSA (70 yards). 
 
NINTH BEST START SINCE 1970
The 2022 version of the UTEP defense is yielding 333.0 yards per game in the first five contests. The 1991 Miners have had the best start, giving up only 283.8 yards per game. Recently during the Dana Dimel era, the Miners in 2021 were giving up 309.4 yards per game (third best effort thru five contests), while the 2020 defense (326.0 ypg) ranks sixth on the list. 
 
NO FLY ZONE
The Miners only allowed 93 yards passing during their win against Boise State. UTEP ranks 11th nationally and first in Conference USA in passing yards allowed per game (156.8). The Miners rank first in C-USA with 20 pass breakups and tied third in passes defended. 
 
GETTING AFTER IT!
Teammates LB Cal Wallerstedt and S Kobe Hylton are tied for the Conference USA lead with 6.0 tackles for loss each. The pair ranks tied 17th nationally. 
 
TACKLING BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE
Redshirt junior LB Cal Wallerstedt came into the 2022 season as the fourth-string linebacker. He's now coming off his third consecutive start and is tied for the lead in Conference USA with 6.0 tackles for loss. Wallerstedt tallied a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss at New Mexico on Sept. 17.
 
MORE ON CAL'S SEASON
Cal Wallerstedt ranks third on the team with 32 tackles and tied ninth in C-USA. His 6.4 tackles per game rank 18th. Wallerstedt tied his career best with nine tackles. He registered nine against NM State a few weeks back. Wallerstedt registered his first career pass breakup and QB hurry. He's added a fumble recovery (vs. NM State) to his stat line. 
 
SACK MAN
Cal Wallerstedt, in his second career start, tallied a career-high 2.0 sacks at New Mexico on Sept. 17. Wallerstedt leads UTEP with 3.0 sacks, while ranking tied third in Conference USA. Wallerstedt's first career sack came at no. 9 OU on Sept. 3. 
 
IMPRESSIVE FIRST SEASON
Kobe Hylton, a transfer from Louisiana, ranks second on the team with 37 tackles, while he tallied his first career sack (0.5) against NM State. He ranks tied first in C-USA with 6.0 tackles for loss and has added a pass breakup, QB hurry and forced fumble. He chalked up his first double-digit tackle performance, tallying a career-high 10 tackles at New Mexico on Sept. 17. His previous high was nine in his UTEP debut on Aug. 27.
 
GOOD KNIGHT
Tyrice Knight is averaging 8.8 tackles per game, ranking fifth in Conference USA. Knight's 44 total tackles rank ninth nationally and second in C-USA. Overall, in 2022, Knight has tallied 5.0 tackles for loss, an interception, a pass breakup and QB hurry and a forced fumble. Knight has recorded nine double-digit tackle games in his career after tallying 11 tackles against North Texas to open the season and 14 stops at New Mexico. 
 
TWO CAREER INT'S FOR TYRICE
Tyrice Knight recorded his second career interception on a tipped pass by Blake Thompson against rival NM State on Sept. 10. For Knight, it was his second career interception. His first career pick came against LA Tech last season. 
 
TY'REKE'S FIRST INT
Redshirt senior S Ty'reke James intercepted his career pass at New Mexico on Sept. 17. James intercepted the pass during the third quarter against the Lobos. He added a career-high five tackles. 
 
THE BREAKUP
Redshirt freshman CB Ilijah Johnson tallied his first career pass breakups – three of them versus rival NM State and matched that number in an upset victory against Boise State on Sept. 23 in his third consecutive start. He broke up a pass on a third-and-19 that forced the Broncos to punt in the third quarter. That breakup led to PR/WR Marcus Bellon's 47-yard punt return for a TD. Against NM State, Johnson came up with back-to-back breakups late in the second quarter on a second-and-6 and third-and-6 to force a punt. 
 
SHELTON'S CAREER HIGH
Sophomore CB Latrez Shelton tied a career-high with six tackles in UTEP's upset victory over Boise State. He recorded six at New Mexico. His previous best was four against NM State. 
 
MOST HURRIES SINCE 2009
UTEP was credited with 12 QB hurries in its upset win against Boise State in the Sun Bowl. It was the most since Oct. 3, 2009, against no. 12 Houston (17 hurries). The Broncos passed for 93 yards (13-34). 
 
HURRY UP!
DL Keenan Stewart recorded a career-high three QB hurries, DL Kelton Moss set his career best with two hurries and DE Praise Amaewhule tallied a season-high three hurries. LB Cal Wallerstedt, DE Maurice Westmoreland, and DE Deylon Williams recorded their first career hurries against Boise State. S Kobe Hylton added his second hurry of the season. 
 
MOST TFL'S SINCE 2020
UTEP tallied 13.0 tackles for loss at New Mexico on Sept. 17. It's the most since recording 13.0 at LA Tech on Oct. 10, 2020. 
 
BAECHLE LEADING THE WAY
Senior K/P Gavin Baechle is first in Conference USA with nine made field goals and ranks tied second nationally. Baechle is 9-for-10 on the season. Baechle leads C-USA in field goals made per game (1.8). His 90 percent (9-10) ranks second in C-USA.
 
9 IN A ROW
Gavin Baechle has hit nine consecutive field goals after missing his very first attempt of 2022. It's the longest streak of his career. It is the longest streak by a Miner player since Jay Mattox made 13 consecutive over the course of the 2014 and 2015 seasons. 
 
MORE ON GAVIN
Gavin Baechle also ranks eighth in C-USA with 35 total points (9 FG, 8 XP). North Texas's. Baechle's 7.0 points per game ranks tied 10th in C-USA. 
 
NO. 2 ON FGM LIST
Gavin Baechle connected on a pair of field goals (35, 25) against Boise state. He now has 45 career FGM and ranks second behind all-time leader Reagan Schneider (50).
 
GAVIN'S CAREER POINTS
Gavin Baechle tallied nine points (2 FG, 3 XP) in UTEP's upset win over Boise State. Baechle now has 222 career points and ranks tied third on the program's all-time points list for kickers with Ricky Bishop (222). Jay Mattox (257) is second and Reagan Schneider leads the all-time list (287). 
 
BAECHLE'S PATS
Gavin Baechle has made eight extra points in 2022, giving him 87 in his career. Baechle ranks sixth on the program's all-time PATs list. Jose Martinez (89) ranks fifth. Reagan Schneider leads the all-time list with 137 career PATs. 
 
IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Gavin Baechle became the first UTEP kicker since 2010, to make two field goals of at least 48 yards or more in the same game. Baechle hit a 48-yard attempt in the second quarter at no. 9 OU, while making a career-long 54-yard FG against the Sooners. The previous Miner to do so was Dakota Warren, who connected on FGs of 55 and 50 yards against Memphis on Sept. 25, 2010.
 
BAECHLE'S CAREER LONG
Senior K/P Gavin Baechle nailed a career-long 54-yard field at no. 9 OU in the fourth quarter on Sept. 3. Baechle's previous long was a 50-yard make on Nov. 30, 2019, against Rice. 
 
THE PUNTER FROM DOWN UNDER
Sophomore P Joshua Sloan is averaging 44.9 yards per punt, ranking second in Conference USA He's booted 19 punts (854 yards) this season. It's a great improvement from his previous two seasons. Sloan averaged 39.1 yards per game in 2020 and improved that to a 39.5 average. Against NM State, Sloan averaged 49.7 yards per game on six punts (career-high 298 yards). On the season, Sloan has placed three inside the 20-yard line and has booted a trio of 50+ yard punts. His long this season is 64 yards against NM State. 
 
SLOAN'S CAREER MOST
Joshua Sloan tallied a career-high 298 yards on a six punt attempts versus rival NM State. His previous high was 291 yards on eight punts at Texas in 2020. 
 
C-USA SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore PR/WR Marcus Bellon, after returning a punt 47 yards for a touchdown during UTEP's 27-10 upset victory over heavily-favored Boise State, was honored as the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 26. Bellon is the lone player in C-USA to score a touchdown on a punt return, while he ranks second in C-USA in punt return average (9.3 avg.). His 93 yards also rank second and he's tied for first with 10 total punt returns. Bellon is one of 17 players at the national level who's returned at least one punt for a score.
 
ELECTRIC RETURN
Marcus Bellon changed the complexity during UTEP's upset win over heavily-favored Boise State on Sept. 23. The Miners harassed the Broncos' offense all night and forced it to punt late in the third quarter. Bellon responded with a 47-yard punt return for his first touchdown in a UTEP uniform. The big return gave UTEP a 20-10 lead at that point. 
 
MORE ON THE PUNT RETURN HEARD AROUND THE 915
Marcus Bellon took back a punt to pay dirt against Boise State, making it UTEP's first punt return for a touchdown since Sept. 19, 2015, at NM State when Jaquan White took one back 64 yards to the end zone. Prior to White, 2022 UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Johnnie Lee Higgin's returned a pair of punts for TD's in 2006. 
 
UP NEXT
UTEP will play at LA Tech on Oct. 8. The Miners and Bulldogs are set to kick off at 5 p.m. MT/6 CT in Ruston. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard on 600 ESPN El Paso. The Miners' bye week follows before hosting two consecutive home games (FAU on Oct. 22, Middle Tennessee on Oct. 29).  
 
 
For complete coverage of UTEP Football, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPFB (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.

 
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