Aug. 8, 2008

• Watch the CBS College Sports Preview of UTEP's Season

Can the UTEP defense catch up with the offense in 2008? That's the most pressing concern as the Miners embark on year five of the Mike Price era.

UTEP was explosive once again last season, tying the school record with five 40-point games while racking up a program-best 5,074 yards. Unfortunately the Miners found themselves in shootouts pretty much every week while allowing an average of 37.1 points per outing.

Price brought in five new assistant coaches at season's end, including three on the defensive side of the ball. Osia Lewis was hired away from regional rival New Mexico as defensive coordinator, bringing his vaunted 3-3-5 scheme with him. It is an alignment that gave the Miners fits over the last few years. The Lobos finished the '07 campaign ranked 13th nationally in total defense and blanked Nevada 23-0 in the New Mexico Bowl - the first shutout of the Wolf Pack in 27 years.

Other additions to the Miner staff include defensive line coach DeChon Burns, cornerbacks coach Allen Johnson, co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bob Connelly and wide receivers coach Guy Holliday.

Eric Price left UTEP following four years as offensive coordinator to join the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs as an assistant. Aaron Price and Connelly take over as joint offensive coordinators in 2008, with Price in charge of the passing game and Connelly overseeing the running game. Connelly was offensive line coach at UCLA a year ago. Despite the change in leadership, the Miner offense is expected to look a lot like it has the last four years under Mike Price, and that is a good thing. UTEP has hit the 30-point mark 30 times under Price and the 40-point barrier on 14 occasions.

The Miners return three starters in the offensive line, quarterback Trevor Vittatoe and his top target in wideout Jeff Moturi. UTEP loses workhorse running back Marcus Thomas and a trio of receivers (Fred Rouse, Lorne Sam, Joe West) who were responsible for a large chunk of the team's yards (1,702) a year ago.

UTEP has seven starters back on defense, but will have to recover from the loss of leading tackler Braxton Amy to a torn ACL in the spring.

The schedule ranks among the most challenging in school history. UTEP opens the season by traveling 1,920 miles to Buffalo, N.Y. for a date with the Bulls. A week later, the Miners will host perennial national power UT-Austin for the first time. UTEP will also take on Interstate 10 rival New Mexico State and defending Conference USA champion UCF in the Sun Bowl, as well as state adversaries Rice and SMU. The Miners' C-USA road docket includes matchups with four teams (East Carolina, Houston, Southern Miss, Tulsa) that played in bowls a year ago.

Running Backs Look for UTEP to utilize more of a running-back-by-committee approach this fall after Thomas pounded out 1,166 yards on 227 carries last season. The leading returnee statistically is senior Terrell Jackson, who battled injuries last season while running for 202 yards in nine games. His first season as a Miner featured a fast start (130 yards in the first two games) and a strong finish (6.9 yards per carry in the last two contests). In his lone starting assignment of the year - in place of the suspended Thomas - Jackson rambled for 70 yards on 11 attempts to spur the Miners' season-opening 10-6 triumph over New Mexico.

Sophomore Donald Buckram redshirted last season after appearing in seven games in 2006. The highlight of his rookie campaign was reeling in an 80-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Palmer at UAB.

Like Buckram, redshirt freshman Vernon Frazier possesses breakaway speed. He ran for 1,368 yards his final year at Duncanville (Texas) High School to earn a spot on Dave Campbell's annual list of the top-300 players in the Lone Star State.

True freshman Daniel Palmer could also get a look after averaging 6.6 yards per attempt at A&M Consolidated High School in 2006.

Someone will need to emerge as a short yardage back after an ankle injury in the spring sidelined junior Jason Williams, who owns 48 career carries for 154 yards.

Quarterbacks A year ago, UTEP had a major question mark at quarterback. Five players entered the fall battling for the starting nod after Jordan Palmer took his record-breaking numbers to the NFL.

The only question this year is, "How good can Trevor Vittatoe be?"

Vittatoe put up spectacular numbers last season, ranking second nationally among NCAA Bowl Subdivision (FBS) freshmen in passing yardage behind Oklahoma's Sam Bradford (who played two more games and had 20 more yards). Vittatoe threw for 3,101 yards and 25 touchdowns -- both school freshman records -- with only seven interceptions.

The Miners have a veteran backup in junior Kyle Wright, who doubles as the team's holder. Wright has completed 11 of 22 passes for 135 yards over the last two seasons.

Sophomore James Thomas, who redshirted in 2007, is shifty and quick and could be utilized in a similar fashion as Lorne Sam the last two years - giving the offense an added wrinkle. Waiting in the wings is redshirt freshman Jeremy Springer, who passed for 3,489 yards in his lone year as the starting signal-caller at Los Fresnos (Texas) High School.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends After catching one pass as a freshman in 2006, Moturi had a coming out party last season, earning first team All-Conference USA honors in the process. He tied the school record by making a touchdown reception in 10 consecutive games, and ended the year with 65 catches for 891 yards and 13 scores. Moturi had four 100-yard performances, including a season-high 174 yards against Tulsa.

After Moturi, UTEP's wideouts are talented but largely untested. The returnees combined to make only 11 receptions last season led by sophomores Kris Adams (5-49-0) and Pierce Hunter (4-23-1). Sophomore Evan Davis and junior Tufick Shadrawy each recorded one catch in 2007. Chris Day has played in 16 games as a Miner and will be looking to play a larger role in the offense as a senior.

Redshirt freshmen Russell Carr, Jack Freeman and Donavon Kemp also cracked the post-spring depth chart. Carr and Freeman came out of high school rated top-100 players in California and Texas, respectively. Kemp was tabbed a top-100 player in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex following his senior year at DeSoto High School.

Two of the three tight ends who played extensively last season are back in senior Jamar Hunt and sophomore Jonny Moore. Hunt has produced 60 catches for 611 yards in a Miner uniform. Moore's next reception will be his first at the collegiate level, although he did see extensive action last year. Sophomore Elijah Goldtrap returned to his natural tight end position in the spring after dabbling in the defensive line in 2007.

A key loss at tight end is Jake Sears, the regular starter in 2007 who compiled 13 catches for 108 yards and a pair of scores

Offensive Line No unit improved more last season, as the Miners raised their rushing totals from 57.6 yards per game in 2006 to 147.7. UTEP also averaged over 50 more yards per game than it did in 2006.

The loss of right tackle Oniel Cousins hurts some - he was selected by Baltimore in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft - but the Miners figure to be strong up front once again this fall.

Senior Robby Felix has started every game at center for UTEP over the last three years and could be the team's top pro prospect. He is on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy for the third year in a row. Juniors Mike Aguayo (left tackle) and Cameron Raschke (left guard) were also regular starters last year.

The primary backup to James Riley at right guard last season, junior Colby Meek, becomes the starter at right tackle in 2008. Sophomore Rod Huntley, a physical specimen at 6-3, 310 pounds, is penciled in as Riley's replacement at right guard.

Sophomores Will Osolinsky and Alex Solot are the top backups at left and right tackle, respectively. Sophomore Anthony McNac, who redshirted last season, will spell Raschke at left guard. McNac made four starts as a freshman in 2006. Sophomore Tanner Cullumber and junior Ty Stout ended the spring neck and neck in the battle for the no. 2 spot at right guard. Redshirt freshman Nathan McCage will serve as Felix's understudy at center. He was rated one of the top 100 players in the Houston area as a senior at Klein Collins High School.

Linebackers The Miners are expecting big things from Adam Vincent his senior year. Vincent accumulated 75 tackles, including 4.5 for losses, in his inaugural season at UTEP after transferring from Arizona State. He had double-digit stops in four games, including a career-best 13 at Tulane. Vincent will start at middle linebacker, where he will be flanked by sophomore Isaiah Carter. Carter played in all 12 games as a true freshman last season, and was impressive in spring drills.

Senior Nuuese Punimata was listed atop the two-deep at left side linebacker as spring drills came to a close, and redshirt freshman Royzell Smith was the projected starter on the right side. Punimata started a couple of games early last season before coming off the bench for the remaining 10. He compiled 23 tackles and a pair of interceptions. Smith was regarded as one of the top defensive back prospects in the Midlands region by PrepStar as a senior at Thurgood Marshall High School in Missouri City, Texas.

Redshirt freshman Greg Holleman will relieve Punimata and junior Brian Wilkins will back up Smith. Holleman was a Texas top-300 prospect by Dave Campbell's magazine at Mount Pleasant High School. Wilkins made two starts in 2007 and ended the year with nine tackles.

Losing Braxton Amy to a torn ACL was big because he filled the crucial linebacker/safety hybrid Miner position in UTEP's new 3-3-5 scheme. The injury occurred midway through spring drills, enabling the Miners to groom sophomore Anthony Morrow as his successor for a couple of weeks. Morrow was named to the media's Conference USA All-Freshman Team after recording 31 tackles, 3.5 tackles for losses and two sacks last season. Senior George Kelly was listed as Morrow's top backup at Miner following spring workouts.

A notable loss is Jeremy Jones, a second team All-Conference USA pick who led the team with 11 tackles for losses last season.

Defensive Line The Miners are hoping their new defensive scheme will put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. UTEP had only 16 sacks last season.

Three starters return in senior James Olalekan, junior Steve Riddick and sophomore Robert Soleyjacks. Olalekan heads up the depth chart at left end after garnering 11 starts in 2007. He had 24 tackles a year ago. Riddick is expected to start at nose tackle. He tallied 29 tackles last season and earned seven starting assignments. Soleyjacks is the projected starter at right end. He was credited with 16 stops while starting all 12 games there as a freshman.

UTEP also has experienced backups in junior Brandis Dew, senior Ja-Boy Leomiti and sophomore Craig Wood. Dew picked up 13 tackles in his first year on the defensive side of the ball after moving from quarterback. Leomiti made six starts and recorded 17 tackles. Wood was one of two true freshmen to see action for the Miners in 2007 and responded by registering 13 takedowns. He made his first collegiate start against Houston.

Defensive Backs UTEP will certainly miss safety Quintin Demps, who was picked by Philadelphia in the 2008 NFL Draft and had 17 career interceptions. The Miners do have three returning starters in the secondary in junior right corner Cornelius Brown, junior left safety Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith and senior left corner Josh Ferguson.

Brown earned honorable mention All-Conference USA recognition by league coaches in 2007 after totaling 49 stops and four picks, while tying Demps for the team lead with nine pass break-ups.

Cromartie-Smith was also an honorable mention All-League pick. He was second on the team in tackles with 93 and had a pair of interceptions with seven pass break-ups.

Ferguson is hoping for a healthy senior year after injuring his shoulder three games into the 2007 season and taking a medical redshirt. He has started 21 games for the Miners, posting a career-high 58 tackles in 2006.

Senior Roddray Walker is the projected starter at right safety. He filled a reserve role last season after transferring from New Mexico Military Institute.

The most experienced backup is junior Melvin Stephenson II, who is charted behind Brown at right corner. He made 26 tackles a year ago, including eight solo stops versus C-USA Western Division champion Tulsa. Sophomore Martel Strange, the second-string left corner, saw limited action last season. Freshman Austin Contreras and sophomore Jo Jo Ortiz enter the fall listed second on the depth chart at left and right safety, respectively.

Special Teams Few could have anticipated that Jose Martinez would be as good as he was in his first season as the Miners' kicker. The transfer from Bakersfield College nailed 17-of-20 field goals and 44-of-46 PATs and was named one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award. Perhaps most remarkable, he successfully converted 4-of-5 onside kick attempts. There's no telling what he'll do for an encore in 2008, although UTEP certainly has to feel good about its chances in close games.

Sophomore Kyle Petersen got off to a great start punting the football a year ago before struggling down the stretch and finding himself in a position battle with junior Greg Hiett. Petersen averaged 40.7 yards per punt. Hiett took over the punting chores for the last two games in 2007 and had a banner game versus Southern Miss, averaging 48.2 yards on four kicks.

UTEP also returns its holder (Wright) and long snapper (Hunt)

The primary kick returners entering the fall are Buckram and Ferguson, with Ferguson and Moturi slated to return punts. Ferguson is the most experienced of the group with 15 kickoff returns and seven punt returns on his collegiate resume.