UTEP Opens CUSA Action at [RV] Liberty Saturday Night

9/12/2024 12:13:00 PM

NOTES: UTEP | LIBERTY | CUSA

EL PASO – UTEP will begin Conference USA play when the Miners travel to Lynchburg, Va., to take on the defending conference champions [RV] Liberty in its 50^th Homecoming game on Saturday, Sept. 14. The Miners and Flames are set to kick off at 4 p.m. MT/6 ET in Williams Stadium. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+ while fans can tune into 95.5 FM KLAQ.

The Miners (0-2, 0-0 CUSA) are coming off a 27-24 overtime setback against Southern Utah on Sept. 7. UTEP starting quarterback Skyler Locklear settled in with a stellar performance in his Sun Bowl debut. The redshirt sophomore set career highs in passing yards (295), completions (22), attempts (29), passing percentage (75.9) and rushing yards (47). He also threw a four-yard touchdown pass, found the end zone on a five-yard scramble, and caught a four-yard score. Locklear pulled off the trifecta in one game, which hadn't been done by an FBS player in nine seasons. Defensively, spur Kory Chapman tied his collegiate career best with 13 tackles as he's racked up 23 in his first two games as a Miner. Linebacker Dorian Hopkins leads the team with 25 stops after amassing 16 in his UTEP debut at Nebraska and tallying nine last week.

The Flames (2-0, 1-0 CUSA) kept their undefeated mark intact while chalking up a CUSA win at NM State on Sept. 7 in Las Cruces. Liberty rallied back for a 30-24 win after being down 17-3 and 24-15, respectively in the contest. Liberty held the Aggies to 84 second-half yards and outscored NM State 21-7 in the fourth quarter. CUSA leading rusher running back Quinton Cooley ran for 111 yards on 12 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 27 (5:12 mark in 4Q) and 44 yards (1:05, 4Q) to outscore NM State 15-0 down the stretch. Cooley leads the league with 221 yards on 28 carries (7.9 avg.) and three touchdowns. The Flames' overall rushing attack leads CUSA at 248.0 yards per game. LU also leads in points per game (35.5 ppg) and total offense (503.0 ypg).

"We know we're playing a great opponent and Liberty is the standard in this conference – they're the reigning conference champs," UTEP Head Coach Scotty Walden said. "Coach [Jamey] Chadwell is an amazing coach and has an amazing staff. They do a great job and are extremely talented. They deserve our full effort and preparation."

Walden is looking to clean up the miscues from last week heading into Saturday's league opener.

"The number one this thing week for us is us," Walden added. "We watched every penalty as an offense and have talked about every penalty. How can we be better? For me and us, it's all about intentionality at practice and going back and making sure we are detail-oriented with everything that we do."

The Miners hosted no. 22 Liberty in 2023 as the two programs met for the first time on Nov. 25, 2023, in Sun Bowl Stadium. The Flames won 42-28.

UTEP (0-2, 0-0) at [RV] Liberty (2-0, 1-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 4 p.m. MT/6 ET
Location: Lynchburg, Va.
Venue: Williams Stadium (25,000)
X Updated: @UTEPFB

TV: ESPN+
PxP: - -
Analyst: - -

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

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The Miners and Flames will be streamed on ESPN+. The action will be on 95.5 FM KLAQ with "The Voice of the UTEP Miners" Jon Teicher calling play-by-play in his 44^th season. 'Teich', who called his 500^th game on Oct. 11, 2023, is joined by former UTEP WR Cole Freytag (2012, 2014-16) in the booth providing analysis in his third season. El Paso native and long-running member of the local media Mando Medina will be reporting from the sidelines. The contest can also be heard on the UTEP Miners app.

SERIES VS. LIBERTY
UTEP and Liberty are facing each other for the second time and first time in Lynchburg, Va. The no. 22-ranked Flames defeated the Miners 42-28 on Nov. 25, 2023 in the Sun Bowl. The Flames rushed for 441 yards on 62 attempts (7.1 avg.) and five touchdowns. Quinton Cooley racked up three rushing scores and 83 yards on the ground. WR Javoni Gardere hauled in two passes for 22 yards, while DT KD Johnson recorded a career-high eight tackles. Bandit Maurice Westmoreland added a sack and QB hurry.

ABOUT LIBERTY
The Flames improved to 2-0 overall coming off their first Conference USA game of 2024 by rallying past NM State 30-24 on Sept. 7 in Las Cruces. Liberty found itself down 17-3 at the 13:15 mark of the second quarter following an NM State touchdown. The lead was cut to 17-15 after CJ Bazile Jr. recovered a fumble and returned 22 yard to the end zone. NM State's Parker Awad's two-yard TD built the lead for the Aggies to 24-15, but a pair of Quinton Cooley rushing scores of 27 and 44 yards put the game away. Kaidon Salter finished with 256 yards passing (16-29) and 23 yards rushing. Cooley ran by defenders on his way to 111 yards on 12 carries (9.3 avg.). The Flames rushed for 217 yards. Treon Sibley led the way with 155 yards on five receptions (31.0 avg.) with a long reception of 63 yards. TJ Bush led the defense with eight tackles and 2.0 sacks, while Bazile Jr. recorded six stops and 0.5 a sack to go along with his scoop-and-score. Overall, Liberty leads CUSA in total offense (503.0 yards per game) and scoring (35.5 ppg).

TRIPLE CROWN
QB Skyler Locklear did something unique on Sept. 7 against Southern Utah in his first appearance at Sun Bowl Stadium in front of over 41,000 fans. Locklear completed a trifecta as he threw for a touchdown, rushed for another and caught a game-tying score against the Thunderbirds.

FIRST IN THE MODERN ERA
Skyler Locklear is the first Miner player in the modern era (post 1965) to throw a touchdown, rush for a touchdown and catch a touchdown in the same game.

RARE ACHIEVEMENT
The last Miner to rush, pass and catch a touchdown in the same season was RB Aaron Jones in 2016. Jones threw a TD pass on Oct. 29 against Old Dominion. He also rushed for a touchdown against ODU that night. RB Marcus Thomas did so in 2006, and QB Mike McCall achieved it in 1977.

SKYLER ON A NATIONAL LEVEL
Skyler Locklear is the first FBS player since Stanford's QB Kevin Hogan on Dec. 5, 2015, versus USC to pass for a touchdown, rush for a touchdown and catch a touchdown in the same game. Coincidentally, Stanford's RB Christian McCaffery did the same thing in the same contest. Rice's James Casey did it twice during the 2008 season.

SKYLER'S SCORING DRIVES
Skyler Locklear found RB Jevon Jackson on a five-yard pass to put UTEP ahead 7-0 early in the ball game versus SUU. Locklear converted a third-and-18 on a career-long 65-yard pass play to MB Kam Thomas, who helped set up the score. He followed that with a five-yard scramble into the end zone, putting the Orange and Blue up 14-6. Of the 75 yards on UTEP's second scoring drive, 29 of them were Locklear's rushing yards. Locklear then hauled in a four-yard touchdown reception from WR Jaden Smith followed by the PAT to tie the game at 24 all with no time remaining in regulation.

CAREER NIGHT FOR LOCKLEAR
Skyler Locklear racked up a career-high 342 yards of total offense. He threw for a career 295 yards on 22-of-29 passing (75.9 percent), 47 rushing yards and a four-yard touchdown reception. Locklear's passing yards and rushing yards were also career highs. Locklear completed a career-long 65-yard pass during the first quarter. He also completed passes of 44 and 41 yards.

WHERE SKYLER RANKS
Skyler Locklear is the Conference USA leader in QB rating (156.6) and completion percentage (71.7). Locklear ranks third in completions (33) and fifth in attempts (46). He ranks fifth with 205.0 passing yards per game, and third in CUSA in total offensive yards per game (236.0 ypg).

KAM'S ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE
Miner Back Kam Thomas racked up another triple-digit effort with 119 all-purpose yards (99 receiving, 23 kickoff return, -3 rushing) against Southern Miss. He's tallied back-to-back triple-digit performances to start the season after putting up 132 all-purpose yards at Nebraska last week. Thomas ranks second in Conference USA in all-purpose yards per game (125.5).

KAM CATCHING PASSES
Kam Thomas leads Conference USA with 12 receptions early in the season. Thomas has tallied 170 receiving yards in his first two games as a Miner, ranking second in the league in that department. Thomas ranks tied for first with a touchdown reception and second in receiving yards per game (85.0).

KAM RUNNING ROUTES
Kam Thomas opened the season with 71 yards on seven receptions and a 38-yard touchdown at national power Nebraska to open 2024. He followed with 99 yards on five receptions against Southern Utah in his Sun Bowl debut.

FIRST CAREER TD PASS
WR Jaden Smith, a senior transfer from EKU, threw his first collegiate touchdown pass against Southern Utah. It was a four-yard pass into the end zone to QB Skyler Locklear during the fourth quarter that helped tie the contest with no time remaining.

A LITTLE MORE ON JADEN'S TD PASS
Jaden Smith is the first UTEP wide receiver to complete a pass play since WR Tyrin Smith did so in 2022. Smith is the first non-UTEP quarterback to throw a touchdown pass since RB Aaron Jones did so in 2016.

OVER 2K
Jaden Smith hit over 2,000 yards receiving after tallying 56 on Sept. 7. Smith now has 2,011 receiving yards in his career. Smith recorded 1,922 while playing at EKU the previous three seasons.

MOST YARDS DURING CAREER
WR Kenny Odom recorded a collegiate career-high 97 yards on five receptions against Southern Utah. Odom added a season-long 44-yard reception.

CHAPMAN THE HITMAN
Spur Kory Chapman continued to impress in his first and only season with UTEP. The senior transfer racked up 13 tackles against Southern Utah on Saturday night in Sun Bowl Stadium. His 13 stops tied his collegiate career best while it's the first time in his career Chapman recorded back-to-back double-digit tackle performances after opening the season with 10 at Nebraska.

WHERE KORY RANKS
Kory Chapman is tied for 12th in FBS with 23 total tackles. The senior is tied for 11th in FBS and third in Conference USA with 11.5 tackles per game.

FIRST CAREER SACKS
DT KD Johnson, who was picked as one of UTEP's CUSA Preseason Players to Watch, registered his first career sack in the third quarter during the Southern Utah contest. Johnson got to the QB again, recording his second sack during the overtime period. It was Johnson's first multi-sack game since getting 2.0 at Blinn College on Sept. 11, 2021, while playing at Kilgore College. Johnson recorded 9.0 sacks in 22 career games at Kilgore.

KD'S SECOND SEASON SO FAR
KD Johnson ranks tied first in Conference USA with three other players with his 2.0 sacks. He's added eight total tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.

FIRST CAREER FULL SACK
Spur Josiah Allen recorded his first career full sack during the second quarter against Southern Utah. He previously had recorded a 0.5 sack at Northwestern last season.

MORE SACKS
UTEP recorded four sacks against Southern Utah. DT KD Johnson led the way with 2.0 sacks, while Spur Josiah Allen picked up 1.0. DE Devin Goree and Bandit Ekow Taylor assisted with a sack. Allen's and Goree-Taylor's came on back-to-back plays during the second quarter.

MORE ON THE GOREE & TAYLOR SACK
Devin Goree, a transfer from Missouri State, picked up his first as a Miner. He had 15.0 in his career while at MSU. Ekow Taylor, a true freshman, tallied his first collegiate sack.

D-HOP SWARMING
LB Dorian Hopkins tallied nine tackles against Southern Utah. He added a forced fumble against the T-Birds. The graduate transfer from Tulsa leads Conference USA with 25 total tackles and ranks first with 12.5 stops per game. Hopkins ranks tied for fifth in FBS in tackles per game and tied for seventh in total tackles.

X MARKS THE STOP
S Xavier Smith ranked second with nine tackles against Southern Utah. Smith, an Austin Peay transfer, has tallied 15 tackles and a pass breakup in his first two games as a Miner.

NOTABLE DEFENSIVE EFFORTS
LB Nate Dyman and DE Bryon Thompson made their first career starts on Sept. 7. Dyman totaled three tackles and recorded his first career tackles for loss (1.5) and pass breakup. Thompson registered two tackles and 0.5 TFL.

UP NEXT
UTEP will hit the road to take on Colorado State on Sept. 21. The Miners are returning to Fort Collins for the first time since the 2013 season. The Rams and Miners are set for a 3 p.m. MT start in Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium (36,500). The contest will be nationally televised on truTV.

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