One of the members of Boise State’s 2007 Fiesta Bowl Championship team, Andrew Browning completed his sixth season as UTEP’s defensive line coach.
The Miners’ defensive linemen combined for 144 tackles on the season, along with 11.5 tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries.
True freshman nose tackle Trace Mascorro registered a 26-yard touchdown at rival NM State. Mascorro started in 11 games and chipped in with 29 tackles (11 solo) and 4.0 tackles for loss. Mascorro’s score was one of three for the UTEP defense in 2017.
Senior Sky Logan led all UTEP defensive linemen in tackles (42) and fumble recoveries (two). Logan’s pair of recoveries also ranked tied for 21st in FBS and tied for fourth in Conference USA.
The Miners allowed only 208 passing yards against WKU, who led C-USA and ranked sixth in FBS with 333.7 yards per game. The Miners also held the Hilltoppers to a C-USA only season-low 15 points as they averaged 28.2 points in eight league contests. WKU also tallied a season-low 287 yards of total offense as it averaged 399.8 yards per game. Prolific WKU quarterback Mike White, who led the league and ranked third in FBS with 3,826 passing yards, threw for a season-low 208 on 24 completions against the Miners’ defense. UTEP allowed 213 passing yards against North Texas, which ranked second in C-USA in passing yards per game (284.9). The UTEP defense was one of three C-USA schools not to allow a long play of 70-plus yards.
UTEP’s starting defensive lineman combined for 172 tackles in 2016. Under Browning’s direction, Mike Sota emerged during his sophomore season with 47 tackles to lead all UTEP defensive linemen. Then-redshirt freshman Gene Hopkins too produced a solid first year, tallying 13 tackles, 1.0 sack and 3.0 tackles for loss.
UTEP’s defense ranked third in C-USA in opponent first downs (22.1 per game) and ranked fifth in total defense (419.3 yards per game allowed).
In 2015, the Miners starting line combined for 154 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, nine sacksand 17 quarterback hurries. The fearsome foursome helped UTEP finish the season ranked first in Conference USA in fewest first downs allowed on run plays (84) and ranked fourth in fewest first downs allowed via penalties (17). The Miners led Conference USA and were tied for fifth nationally, allowing only 55 third down conversions.
Under Browning’s aid, junior Nick Usher notched a season-best 46 tackles (27 solo) and ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (10), sacks (3.5) and quarterback hurries (5). The defensive end also posted a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Usher received All-Conference USA honorable mention. Senior Roy Robertson-Harris capped off his collegiate career by notching a team-best nine quarterback hurries and added 51 tackles (27 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and 2.5 sacks. He is currently with the Chicago Bears.
In 2014, Browning played a major role in the Miners increasing their tackle for loss, sack and quarterback hurry totals from the previous season. Under his leadership Robertson-Harris developed into one of the most impressive pass rushers in C-USA with a team-leading 9.5 tackles for losses and 3.5 sacks. The defensive lineman also garnered All-C-USA honorable mention recognition. Usher came into his own as well, racking in 41 stops (most among defensive linemen), 5.5 tackles for losses and three sacks. Browning was also able to coax solid senior years out of Maurice Chavis (four tackles for losses) and Cooper Brock (five tackles for losses/three sacks).
Browning’s first year in El Paso resulted in his top two linemen (James Davidson and Horace Miller) signing NFL free agent contracts. Davidson, who paced the team in tackles for losses (seven) and sacks (four), landed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was one of a select group of players to sack Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel at the collegiate level. Miller, who tallied 12 sacks in only three seasons with the Miners (tied for 10th in school history), signed with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Browning served as a member of the Boise State staff for three years prior to making the move to El Paso. He was in charge of defensive quality control in 2010 before working as a defensive graduate assistant from 2011-2012.
Over three years the Broncos compiled a 35-4 record with two conference championships and three bowl wins. Boise State held national top-15 rankings in scoring defense in 2010 (second, 12.8 ppg), 2011 (12th, 18.7 ppg) and 2012 (eighth, 15.8 ppg). The Broncos rated in the top-20 in total defense in 2010 (second, 254.7 ypg), 2011 (16th, 320.9 ypg) and 2012 (13th, 315.6 ypg).
The Bronco defense produced 12 first team All-Conference selections during that span - DL Mike Atkinson (2012), DL Tyrone Crawford (2011), DB Jeron Johnson (2010), DL Demarcus Lawrence (2012), DL Shea McClellin (2010 & 2011), DB George Iloka (2010 & 2011), LB J.C. Percy (2012), DB Jamar Taylor (2012), LB Winston Venable (2010) and DL Ryan Winterswyk (2010). A four-year letterwinner at Boise State (2003-06), Browning concluded his career with 143 tackles (57 solo), 21.5 tackles for losses and 12.5 sacks.
After initially walking on to the team, he was named honorable mention All-WAC as a sophomore, second team as a junior and first team as a senior. He was also recognized as a second team Academic All-American by ESPN The Magazine in 2006. In the historic 43-42 win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Browning was credited with six tackles, a tackle for loss and a half-sack. He established career-highs for tackles (46), tackles for losses (11) and sacks (8.5) his senior year.
He graduated from Boise State with a bachelor’s degree in communication in 2007. His wife’s name is Leah.
