Mike Price

Title

Interim Head Coach
Email

mgarrido@utep.edu
Phone

915-747-5224

The 1997 National Coach of the Year, Mike Price is stepping in as the Miners' interim head football coach for the remainder of the 2017 season. Overall Price is in his 32nd year as a collegiate head coach, including previous stops at Weber State and Washington State.

Price begins his second tenure as the fifth-winningest active head coach with 177 victories.

Price has coached eight teams to bowls, including Washington State to the "Granddaddy of them All," the Rose Bowl, in 1997 and 2002. Price has once again worked his magic at UTEP, resurrecting a program that had suffered through three straight two-win seasons and engineering bowl appearances in 2004, 2005 and 2010.

Price is only the second coach to lead UTEP to three bowl bids, joining Mike Brumbelow who directed the Miners to the Sun Bowl in 1954, 1955 and 1957.

Price has posted 48 wins at UTEP, second in school annals behind Mack Saxon (66). The Miners have had more 30-point games (53), 40-point games (23) and 50-point games (six) under Price than any other coach in
school history.

The Price era has produced UTEP's all-time leader for passing yards (Trevor Vittatoe), total offense yards (Vittatoe), receiving yards (Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr.), all-purpose yards (Howard Jackson) and the single-season rushing champion (Donald Buckram).

In his final season in 2012 with UTEP during his first stint, the Miners won three contests, defeating rival NM State (41-28), Tulane (24-20) and Southern Miss (34-33). Price improved to 7-2 overall against the Aggies. Under Price's direction, Jordan Leslie led the team with 973 yards on 51 receptions (ranked tied for first on team) and hauled in six scores. Leslie was also named to the Conference USA All-Academic team. Ian Campbell, UTEP's leading punter, garnered All-C-USA second team honors after booting 66 punts for 2,814 yards (42.6 avg.). Campbell finished in the top five in career punts (165) and career yards (7,328) at UTEP, while ranking third in career average (44.4). Nathan Jeffery led the rushing attack with 897 yards and seven scores, including a 177-yard effort against no. 4 Oklahoma to open the 2012 campaign.

Despite returning just two starters on offense for the 2011 season, UTEP strung together five wins and dropped close games to bowl-bound SMU (28-17) and C-USA West Division champ Houston (49-42). The Miners also fell by four points at Rice (41-37). UTEP had a pair of All-Conference USA players in long snapper Matt Camilli (first team) and punter Ian Campbell (second team). Campbell ranked fourth nationally in punting (46.1 avg.), and running back Vernon Frazier was seventh in the country in kickoff returns (30.5 avg.).

The 2010 Miners became bowl-eligible by knocking off eventual Conference USA runner-up SMU, 28-14, in the Sun Bowl. Battling through a rash of injuries to key offensive personnel, UTEP remained competitive throughout the season, with three of its losses coming by 10 points or less.

Defense was paramount in the Miners' drive to their first bowl game in five years. A year after allowing 33.5 points and 446.9 yards per game, the stop troops held four teams to less than 300 yards of offense and eight of 13
opponents to 24 points or less.

The UTEP offense persevered through all of its aches and pains to produce 26.0 points and 360.4 yards per game. The Miners averaged 137.1 yards rushing behind TCU transfer Joe Banyard, who pounded out a team-high 623 yards. Wide receiver Kris Adams reverted to his sophomore form, making 47 catches for 1,070 yards and 14 TDs.

UTEP's special teams received a major boost from Marlon McClure, who averaged 31.0 yards on kickoff returns (fourth in the nation) and 13.1 yards on punt returns. He became the first player in school history to return a kickoff for a score in back-to-back games against Arkansas and Tulsa. The Miners also received valuable contributions in the kicking game from Campbell (45.1-yard average) and Dakota Warren, who nearly single-handedly engineered a 16-13 win over Memphis by kicking three field goals, including two 50-yarders.

The 2009 Miners knocked off then-no. 12 Houston in El Paso, 58-41, for their first win over a ranked opponent in 12 years. Buckram rushed for 262 yards versus the Cougars, and added seven more 100-yard games over the course of the season en route to being named a Doak Walker Award semifinalist. Buckram's 1,594 yards broke a UTEP seasonal rushing record that had stood for over 60 years.

Buckram ranked third in the country in scoring (10.5 ppg), fourth in rushing yards per game (132.8) and 11th in all-purpose yards per game (170.6). He and Stanford's Toby Gerhart were the only players in the nation to rush for 200 yards in three separate games. Buckram also became one of only four players in NCAA history to post 200 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game, achieving the feat versus Tulane (234 rushing, 109 receiving).

Vittatoe threw for a career-high 3,308 yards in 2009, including a UTEP record 517 in the season finale versus Marshall. He is the only player in Miner annals to pass for 3,000 yards in three separate seasons. Wide receiver Jeff Moturi, meanwhile, put the finishing touches on a stellar UTEP career. He caught a pass in his last 36 collegiate games, tied for the ninth-longest streak in the country. He totaled 170 receptions for 2,527 yards and 26 TDs with ten 100-yard games.

When the ink was dry on the 2009 campaign, UTEP had three first team All-Conference USA players (OL Mike Aguayo, Buckram and DB Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith). The Miners established a school standard with 5,144 yards of offense, and once again rated among the national leaders in total offense (18th, 428.7 ypg), passing offense (20th, 277.6 ypg) and scoring offense (35th, 29.8 ppg). While the Miners finished 4-8, they lost five games by a touchdown or less, and were 28 points away from a nine win season.

UTEP also had three first team All-Conference USA picks following the 2008 season. Center Robby Felix, kicker Jose Martinez and linebacker Adam Vincent were all so honored, and Josh Ferguson was a second team All-Conference USA choice as a punt returner.

The Miners recovered from an 0-3 start to finish 5-7 and a win shy of bowl eligibility. UTEP was 4-4 in Conference USA play with two losses by five points. The Miners fell 49-44 to Rice and had a 19-point lead at Houston late in the third quarter before the Cougars rallied for a 42-37 victory.

UTEP also dropped a tough 34-33 decision to rival New Mexico State in the Sun Bowl, a game in which the Miners lost their starting quarterback (Vittatoe), leading rusher (Terrell Jackson) and no. 2 receiver (Moturi) due to injuries.

UTEP faced one of the most demanding schedules in school history in 2008, squaring off with seven teams that ended the season in bowls (Buffalo, Texas, Southern Miss, Tulsa, Rice, Houston, East Carolina). An eighth opponent, Louisiana-Lafayette, was bowl-eligible. UTEP took on seven teams that ended the year rated in the top-35 nationally in scoring offense. The Miners, meanwhile, rated 25th in the NCAA in scoring offense (32.9 ppg) and 31st in total offense (406.5 ypg).

Leading the charge for the Miners was Vittatoe, who set a school record by throwing 33 touchdown passes. UTEP had an explosive receiving tandem in Adams and Moturi, who teamed to make 101 catches for 1,613 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Martinez was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award for the second year in a row and nailed a 64-yard field goal against UCF, the second-longest without a tee in NCAA history. He was tied for sixth in the nation in field goals (1.7 avg.) and 16th in scoring (8.8 ppg) at season's end.

Price's young 2007 Miners finished 4-8, but were just eight points shy of being bowl-eligible as they dropped three games by a total of 11 points. Following a 4-2 start -- including a thrilling 48-47 win over eventual Conference USA West Division champion Tulsa – UTEP ended the season on a six-game losing streak. Four of the six losses came at the hands of teams that ended the year in bowls.

Other highlights from the 2007 campaign included UTEP knocking off New Mexico, which went on to post nine victories and shut out Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl. The Miners also set school records for total offense (5,074 yards) and kickoff return yards (1,327) while tying the school standard with five 40 point games. It was the most 40-point games for UTEP in 57 years.

The season was chock-full of individual achievements. Quintin Demps set an NCAA record by recording two 100-yard interception returns for touchdowns -- one at New Mexico State and another at UCF. Martinez was UTEP's first-ever Lou Groza Award finalist. Moturi tied the school record by making a touchdown catch in 10 consecutive games. Marcus Thomas became only the fourth player in school history to score 100 points in a season, and established a school standard with five straight 100-yard rushing games. His 16 rushing touchdowns tied the most by a UTEP player since 1948. He also tied the school record for most 100-yard rushing games in a season with seven. Vittatoe set school freshman records for passing yards (3,101) and passing touchdowns (25).

At year's end, UTEP joined Southern Miss and UCF as the only schools with at least four first team All-Conference USA players. The Miners' first team selections were Demps, Martinez, Moturi and offensive lineman Oniel Cousins.

The Miners ranked 15th nationally in punt returns (13.6 avg.), 17th in turnover margin (0.75), tied for 20th in turnovers gained (29), tied for 21st in interceptions (18), 26th in passing offense (275.2 ypg) and scoring offense (33.6 ppg), 31st in passing efficiency (134.95) and 36th in total offense (422.8 ypg). Individually, Braxton Amy was tied for 41st nationally in tackles (9.3 avg.). Demps was 15th in punt returns (13.3 avg.) and tied for 28th in interceptions (0.4 avg.). Martinez was tied for 31st in field goals (1.4 avg.). Moturi was 47th in receiving yards per game (74.3). Thomas was ninth in scoring (9.8 ppg) and 26th in rushing (106 ypg). And Vittatoe was 32nd in passing efficiency (135.87) and 43rd in total offense (247.4 ypg).

The 2006 Miners were fifth in the nation in passing offense (312.8 ypg), 18th in passing efficiency (149.25), 38th in scoring offense (27.3 ppg) and 39th in total offense (370.4 ypg). Leading the aerial assault were Palmer and Higgins Jr.

Palmer ended his senior year rated sixth in the country in total offense (292.4 ypg) and 15th in passing efficiency (149.60). He compiled 88 touchdown passes and 11,084 yards passing during his Miner career. Palmer joined Higgins in the 2007 Under Armour Senior Bowl, where he was the leading passer for the South team.

Higgins became UTEP's first All-American in six years in 2006, earning distinction by both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the Associated Press. He was second nationally in receiving yards (109.9 avg.) and third in all-purpose yards (156.1 avg.). Higgins was chosen the 2006 Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year after leading the circuit in punt returns (23.4 avg.).

With the electric Higgins leading the way, UTEP was second in the country in punt returns (20.0 avg.) in 2006. UTEP led Conference USA by having five first team all league selections in both the `06 media and coaches' voting. The media honorees were Higgins (as a wide receiver and punt returner), linebacker Troy Collavo, safety Demps and placekicker Reagan Schneider. The coaches' picks were Collavo, Demps, Higgins, Schneider and long snapper Aaron King.

In the first two seasons under Price, the Miners racked up 16 wins and appeared in back-to-back bowl games for the first time in 50 years, while earning rankings in both top-25 polls late in the season.

The 2005 Miners rated ninth nationally in passing offense (300.6 ypg), 31st in total offense (422.8 ypg), and 33rd in passing efficiency (136.82) and scoring offense (31.8 ppg). In its first year as a member of Conference USA, UTEP led the league in passing offense and ranked second in scoring offense.

Ten Miners earned all-conference accolades in both 2004 and 2005. In 2004, linebacker Robert Rodriguez was chosen the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Highlights from the 2005 season included UTEP setting a school record for consecutive home wins with nine. The Miners shattered school records for total home attendance (287,394) and average home attendance (47,899).

The Miners set the school season record for first downs (270) in 2005. Palmer was 16th in the country in total offense (287.8 ypg) and 25th in passing efficiency (140.54).

Several other Miners rated among the nation's best at their respective positions in 2005. Linebacker Thomas Howard was appointed the preseason defensive player of the year in the state of Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine. He was chosen in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. Wide receiver Chris Francies was 46th in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (77.4). Linebacker Jeremy Jones was 14th in tackles (10.8 per game), and tied for 15th in forced fumbles (0.3 per
game). Schneider was 21st in field goals per game (1.5) and tied for 36th in scoring (7.9 ppg), and Higgins was 43rd in punt returns (9.4 avg.).

In his first season with the Miners Price, the 1997 National Coach of the Year, engineered the nation's most amazing turnaround. UTEP posted an 8-4 record and earned a bid to the EV1.net Houston Bowl following three-consecutive two-win campaigns.

Price was a finalist for numerous national coach of the year awards in 2004, including the Eddie Robinson Award and Paul "Bear" Bryant Award. He was tabbed the Region 4 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), and was named the first-year coach of the year by Scripps and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

Not only did Price enjoy a great deal of success in his initial year at UTEP, but he also put the Miner football program on the national map. Writers from the Albuquerque Journal, Arizona Republic, Dallas Morning News, Denver Post, ESPN The Magazine, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News and USA Today paid visits to the UTEP campus during the season. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit and a GameDay crew led by Tom Rinaldi also checked in with the Miners.

The achievements on the field were extraordinary. UTEP earned rankings in both national polls (Associated Press, ESPN/USA Today) for the first time in school history. UTEP's highest ranking was 23rd by the Associated Press on Nov. 14. The Miners were also listed in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings for the first time in 87 years of football. UTEP won seven straight games late in the season, tying the longest streak in school annals. The Miners also tied the school record for Western Athletic Conference road wins with three, including a 24-21 triumph at Fresno State on Oct. 9. It was the only home defeat of the season for Fresno State, a nine-game winner that beat Virginia in the MPC Computers Bowl. The Miners also routed Hawaii, another 2004 bowl participant, 51-20 in the Sun Bowl.

The Miners rated 11th in the country in scoring offense (35.8 points per game), 14th in net punting (38.6 average), 20th in punt returns (13.4 average), 22nd in passing efficiency defense (108.7 rating), 26th in passing efficiency (138.0 rating) and 29th in passing (251.3 yards per game) in 2004.

Individually, Bryce Benekos was seventh nationally in punting (44.1 average), DB Jahmal Fenner was 10th in punt returns (15.4 average), DB Adrian Ward was 16th in interceptions (0.4 average), RB Howard Jackson was 14th in all-purpose yardage (149.3 average) and 25th in rushing (98.9 yards per game), Schneider was 24th in scoring (8.1 points per game) and Palmer was 28th in passing efficiency (136.5 rating).

First-team All-WAC selections included Benekos, Jackson, Ward, DL Chris Mineo and LB Robert Rodriguez. Second-team honorees were Schneider, TE Jonas Crafts, WR Jayson Boyd, Higgins and Howard. Rodriguez was tabbed the league defensive player of the year after leading the WAC in tackles for the third time in four seasons. Demps was named to the Scripps/FWAA Freshman All-America Team, and was a third team freshman All-American by The Sporting News.

The Miners also tied the school record with seven WAC Players of the Week during the season (four defense, two special teams, one offense). UTEP fans immediately embraced Price and his high-flying Miners. UTEP's average home attendance more than doubled from 20,009 in 2003 to 41,209 in 2004.

Price was the head coach at Washington State University from 1989-2002. During his stint with the Cougars he compiled an 83-78 record, with three 10-win seasons and five bowl appearances. His last two teams at Washington State combined for a 20-5 record (13-3 in the Pac-10 Conference). Price's 2002 unit was the Pac-10 co-champion with a 7-1 mark, and met Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl.

Price was the head coach at Weber State from 1981-88, registering a 46-44 record.

The 2002 Cougars finished 10-3 under Price, including a 30-27 overtime victory over USC. Washington State ranked eighth nationally in rushing defense (87.2 ypg), 13th in passing offense (292.7 ypg), 16th in total offense (421.9 ypg) and 17th in scoring offense (33.2 ppg) at year's end. The Cougars were second in the Pac-10 in total offense, third in total defense (342.5 ypg), and rated among the national leaders in sacks with 55. Quarterback Jason Gesser tallied a 146.44 passing efficiency rating, seventh-best in the country. He completed 236 of 402 passes for 3,408 yards with 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The Cougar defense was anchored by defensive tackle Rien Long, winner of the Outland Trophy and a first team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America. Long totaled 21.5 tackles for losses and 13 sacks in 2002.

Another standout for the Cougars was defensive back Jason David, who was second in the nation with 0.7 interceptions per game.

Washington State was 10-2 in 2001, tying for second place in the Pac-10. The Cougars beat Purdue 33-27 in the Sun Bowl in El Paso. Price was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year for the third time, and was one of three finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. Nineteen Cougars earned All-Pac 10 recognition, and 14 were selected Academic All-Pac 10. Senior free safety Lamont Thompson was chosen a first team All-American by the Associated Press after rating second nationally in interceptions (0.73
per game). Price's 2001 squad ranked 10th in the country in passing offense (300.9 ypg), 13th in scoring offense (35.2 ppg) and 17th in total offense (438.6 ypg).

The 1997 Cougars posted a 10-2 mark, the first 10-win season for Washington State in 68 years. Washington State tied for first place in the Pac-10 with a 7-1 record. Price was tabbed the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and The Sporting News Coach of the Year. The Cougars dropped a narrow 21-16 decision to eventual national champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Price guided Washington State to a 6-5 record in 1989, his first season at the helm of the program after taking over for Dennis Erickson. He was appointed the Pac-10 Coach of the Year by The Sporting News that year.

During his 14 years at Washington State, Price coached five players who were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft - running back Steve Broussard (20th pick by Atlanta in 1990), quarterback Drew Bledsoe (first pick by New England in 1993), linebacker Mark Fields (15th pick by New Orleans in 1995), quarterback Ryan Leaf (second pick by San Diego in 1998) and defensive back Marcus Trufant (11th pick by Seattle in 2003).

Price orchestrated four winning seasons at Weber State, including a 10-3 campaign in 1987. The Wildcats were Big Sky Conference co-champions that year, and reached the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs. Weber State fashioned a 7-4 ledger in 1981, Price's first year as a collegiate head coach. The Wildcats lost to eventual I-AA champion Idaho State in triple overtime.

Price has had extensive experience coaching in postseason All-Star games. He was the head coach of the West team in the 2003 East-West Shrine Game. He was also the West head coach in the 1998 Hula Bowl. He was the associate head coach for the West team in the 1995 East-West Shrine Game, and the offensive head coach for the North team in the 1993 Kelly Tires Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic.

He previously was an assistant coach at Washington State (graduate assistant, 1969-70 and running backs, 1974-77), Missouri (quarterbacks and receivers, 1978-80) and Puget Sound (offensive coordinator, 1971-73). He coached in three bowl games as an assistant (1978 Liberty, 1979 Hall of Fame, 1980 Liberty).

Price played collegiately at Washington State (1965-66) and Puget Sound (1967-68), seeing time at quarterback and defensive back. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from the Puget Sound in 1969. He added a master's degree in physical education from Washington State in 1970.

A native of Everett, Wash., Price was an all-conference quarterback and three-year varsity letterwinner at Everett High School.

Price is married to the former Joyce Taylor. They have three children - Eric, Aaron and Angie. Eric played football at Weber State and Aaron played at Washington State for two years. Eric is currently with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, overseeing offense-research, while Aaron is the head coach and athletic coordinator at Hanks High School in El Paso.