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UTEP Miners

UTEP Miners

2023 Football Roster

Jorge Salgado/UTEP Athletics
Ruben R. Ramirez
Ruben R. Ramirez
Tom Morris

23 Praise Amaewhule

  • Position Defensive End
  • Height 6-3
  • Weight 250
  • Class Redshirt Senior
  • Hometown Katy, Texas
  • Highschool Katy Taylor HS

Biography

All-Conference USA Second Team (2022)
All-Conference USA First Team (2021)
All-Conference USA Second Team (2020)
Conference USA All-Freshman Team (2019)
C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll (2019, 2021)
C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medalist (2019)

2022 (RS JUNIOR)
  • Named All-Conference USA second team.
  • Started all 12 games at defensive end. 
  • Recorded 24 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two breakups and forced fumble and fumble recovery.
  • Led team with eight quarterback hurries.
  • Has 17.5 career sacks, needing 3.0 to break the school’s record (20.0 sacks). 
  • Tallied a season-high seven tackles with 2.0 TFL’s and a sack against Middle Tennessee.
  • Recorded a sack at Rice.
  • Credited with six tackles and a tackle for loss in a win over rival NM State.
  • Recorded a fumble recovery against North Texas. 
  • Tallied a season-high three QB hurries in an upset win over Boise State. 
  • Had two QB hurries in a victory at Charlotte.

2021 (REDSHIRT JUNIOR)
  • First Team All-Conference USA.
  • Led the Miners with 13 tackles for losses, 10 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles.
  • Ranked second on the team in pass breakups (seven) and ranked second on the team in sacks (5.5).
  • Ranked 22nd nationally in forced fumbles (0.23 avg.).
  • Started all 13 games at defensive end.
  • Led the Miners in tackles (eight) along with a sack and 1.5 tackles for losses against ODU.
  • Recorded five tackles (all solo) at Southern Miss with two tackles for losses, a sack, a forced fumble and two pass breakup.
  • Credited with five stops (four solo) at North Texas.
  • Tallied two tackles for losses against NM State, Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss.
  • Registered single sacks versus NM State, New Mexico, Old Dominion, Southern Miss and Florida Atlantic.
  • Had a dominating performance versus New Mexico with 1.5 tackles for losses, a forced fumble, two pass breakups and  a career-high seven quarterback pressures.
  • Broke up two passes at Southern Miss. 

2020 (REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE)
  • Earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors.
  • Started all eight games for the Miners at defensive end.
  • Led the Miners with eight tackles for losses, seven sacks and nine pass breakups.
  • Added 19 tackles, four quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
  • Had two quarterback hurries in the season opener versus Stephen F. Austin.
  • Posted three tackles, 1.5 tackles for losses, 1.5 sacks, and two breakups against Abilene Christian.
  • Forced a fumble with a sack and tackle for loss at ULM.
  • Had a dominant performance at LA Tech with five tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four pass breakups.
  • Also sacked the quarterback at Charlotte.
  • Had two pass breakups, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry at UTSA.
  • Recovered a fumble versus North Texas.

2019 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN)
  • Earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team after playing in all 12 games and making eight starts at defensive end.
  • Led the Miners with 5.5 tackles for losses (-24 yards), and tied for the team lead with three sacks (-20 yards) and three quarterback pressures.
  • Also totaled 28 tackles, three pass breakups, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
  • Recorded a sack in week one versus Houston Baptist.
  • Tallied his season-high four stops, all solo, at Southern Miss while adding two tackles for losses and a sack.
  • Recorded three solo tackles and a tackle for loss against UTSA. Sacked the quarterback at North Texas.
  • Recovered a fumble for a touchdown versus Rice.

2018 (FRESHMAN)
  • Played in the final four games, seeing action at Rice, against Middle Tennessee, at WKU and versus Southern Miss.
  • Registered a pair of tackles against Middle Tennessee.
  • Earned a redshirt for the 2018 season.

PRIOR TO UTEP
  • Played two seasons of varsity football for Katy Taylor.
  • As a senior, registered 70 solo tackles, 23 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
  • Was a team captain as a senior.
  • During junior campaign, saw action in nine games, while registering 14 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, nine quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles.
  • Recorded a career-best five tackles and added a sack in a victory over Tompkins.
  • Notched a career-high three QB hurries in win against Magnolia.
  • Posted three solo stops, two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery versus Katy.

PERSONAL: Full name is Praise Chikemzi Amaewhule … son of Vincent and Joy Amaewhule … sas one brother and one sister … born in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria ... received accounting degree in December 2022. 

Statistics

Season:
2023

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 23

    2018Freshman

    Defensive End
    6'3" 225 lbs
    23
  • 23

    2019Redshirt Freshman

    Defensive End
    6'3" 245 lbs
    23
  • 23

    2020Redshirt Sophomore

    Defensive End
    6'3" 245 lbs
    23
  • 23

    2021Redshirt Sophomore

    Defensive End
    6'3" 245 lbs
    23
  • 23

    2022Redshirt Junior

    Defensive End
    6'3" 250 lbs
    23
  • 23

    2023Redshirt Senior

    Defensive End
    6'3" 250 lbs
    23