Softball: Rocky Road, but Team Still Fighting 6

Contreras: Golf Team Needs TLC 8

Football: Miners Look to Key JUCO Players for Support 10

Football: Breaking Down the Football Team 13

The Final Word 16

VOL 1 ISSUE 12 MARCH 31, 2011

MINERILLUSTRATED

MINERILLUSTRATED

VOL I ISSUE 12 MARCH 31, 2011

Spring is in the air.

This has been quite evident around the UTEP campus. On the Helen of Troy field, bats have been heard clanging several times a week as softball season progresses.

And today, on the football field, Spring will be in full effect as Spring Football begins.

For us football fanatics, there is nothing like the first day of practice. This year should be extra exciting as the arrival of Spring Football will provide eager Miner fans their first glimpse of what awaits us next season. With the departure of so many talented players last season, Miner fans have been waiting to see what Head Coach Mike Price and his staff have up their sleeve for this season.

UTEP66 discusses this very topic as he introduces us to several JC recruits that are sure to stir things up on the field come the Fall. To further quench our desire for football, Angel and UTEP66 have dissected the Spring Football roster and present what they feel are this year’s strengths and weakness. Josh adds to the football discussion by explaining why Miner fans will be pleased with this year’s team.

For our softball fans, Alex discusses the team’s progress up to now and what they will have overcome to improve on their season. Gus enlightens us all with what he feels is the golf team’s weakness. Finally, there are softball scores from Around the League, some very impressive NoteWorthy track tidbits and phenomenal photography provided by Jeff.

As always, we hope you enjoy this week’s magazine, and we at MI thank you for your continued support.

I hope to see you all out on the football field. I guarantee I will be there, enjoying the arrival of Spring.

Rebecca Frazier Burch

a publication of Shamrock Media LLC

CHRIS AVILAPRESIDENT

REBECCA FRAZIER BURCHEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

JEFF TAYLORCHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

GUS CONTRERASANGEL LUNA

ALEX MORALESJOSH PUGA“UTEP66”

STAFF WRITERS

DANNY LEVARIODIRECTOR OF BUSINESS

OPERATIONS

ADAM DIAZSALES DIRECTOR

SUZETTE THOMPSONMAGAZINE DESIGN

Letters to the editor, general feedback and advertising

inquiries:show@minerillustrated.com

Cover photo: Football head coach

Mike Price kicks off the 2011

football season with spring drills

Thursday. Jeff Taylor

From The EDITOR

Freshman Camille Herrera watches after sending the pitch deep to right center for a two-run home run. The Miners lost the game to Memphis and dropped the weekend series to the Tigers. Jeff Taylor

THE BIG PICK

M I N E R I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M

SOFTBALL FACINGDIFFICULT CHALLENGES

6

the injuries that this team has had to endure so far this season. In all her years of involvement with the game, Rodriguez has never seen so many injuries hamper one team. “I’ve been coaching for 15 years, and I have played for a whole lot of time before that and never ever have I seen this,” Rodriguez said. “God puts you in a position that you can handle, and I’ve told these guys over and over that as long as we continue coming out here and do everything that we can, things are going to work out the way they should.” Despite those injuries, Rodriguez knows that there is no excuse for the team not to go out there and perform to their capabilities. Rodriguez hates the feeling of losing and knows this team could be playing better. “You are talking to somebody that hates to lose,” Rodriguez said. “We are doing just enough to be able to take care of what we need to, but at the same time, I think we are a little bit on the underachieving side.” On the offensive side of the ball, the Miners are one of the most dangerous teams in the conference. They are one of the top teams in conference in several offensive categories and are a dangerous team on the base paths. Currently, the Miners are tied for first in batting average with a .284 mark. They are first in team slugging percentage with .452, first in runs scored with 160, first in hits with 221, first in runs batted in with 139, and first in doubles with 50. In addition, the Miners are second in home runs with 23 and third in stolen bases with 41. On the other hand, UTEP’s defense and pitching have been sore spots for this ball club. The youth in key positions and the inexperience inside the circle has cost this team games this season.

The Miners are last in earned run average with a 4.88 mark. They have given up a league worst 226 hits and have allowed 173 runs. The Miners have also allowed the most doubles with 46 and hit the most batters with 26. UTEP also has the second worst fielding percentage at .944 and the third most errors with 44. Many of these stats can be attributed to the pitchers, who have lacked consistency throughout the season. The pitchers, like freshman Megan Atchinson, believe that the team, especially the pitchers, has to stay motivated throughout the game to have any chance at winning. “We just have to come out fired up and not wait until the end of the game to come out and do our best,” Atchinson said. “If we start from the beginning, then nobody is going to be able to stay with us.” Due to injuries, UTEP has freshman in key positions, which has undoubtedly contributed to the errors. Sophomore Kayleigh Walts thinks that the team needs to be able to forget about past errors and just go out and play the game. “We just have to stay up,” Walts said. “A lot of our girls have had to be put in different positions than they thought they would play. A lot of our girls are adapting really well like Kayla Black coming in at third base and Camille [Herrera] switching back between short and third. We are adapting really well with all the injuries we have had.” In spite of being such a young team, the Miners are just a few games out of righting the ship. If they can string together a couple of winning games and gain the confidence they need to win on a consistence basis, the Miners will not only get themselves out of this losing rut but they may end this season on a positive note.

ALEX MORALES

The UTEP softball team is in their biggest rut of the season as they have dropped their last five games. They are now three games under .500 as their season continues to head in the wrong direction. In their defense, the Miners’ (16-19, 1-5 C-USA) last seven games have been against tough ball clubs. Nebraska was ranked 14 in the nation and Memphis is one game out of being in first place in Conference USA. UTEP was swept by Memphis in its last three-game series. The sweep hurt the team tremendously as it put them further behind in the C-USA standings. UTEP is now in seventh place out of nine teams and is one game out of being the cellar dweller of the conference. In their meeting with Nebraska, the Cornhuskers easily dealt with UTEP as they beat the Miners handily in games, 8-0 and 16-0. The singular positive might come from the last doubleheader against New Mexico Tuesday. The Miners split the day’s games, losing the early game 10-4 and winning the nightcap 10-3. Chelsea Troupe has been a shining star as had been a consistent force all season, in particular Tuesday as she broke the single-season homerun record with a blast into deep center against the Lobos. Her offense and steady defensive hand have been a tremendous help. The root of UTEP’s problems centers on the injuries the team has had this year. The injuries have forced head coach Kathleen Rodriguez to play her freshmen sooner than she would have wanted to. The youth in this team has shown their inexperienced throughout the entire seasons in mistakes they have made. Coach Rodriguez is amazed with all

Senior Courtney Auger has tried to do her best while in the circle. She has accumu-lated a record of 8-9 thusfard and leads the pitching staff in innings pitched (92.1) and strikeouts (83). Jeff Taylor

M I N E R I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M 8

CONTRERAS: GOLF TEAM NEEDS TO RETURN TO FORM

GUS CONTRERAS

The UTEP men’s golf program has had it share of ups and downs over the past couple of years, but it seems like they are no longer progressing. It’s true that they have a very young team and need time to acclimatize themselves to the collegiate game, but is finishing last in tournaments good enough for a once proud organization? UTEP has had some terrific players in the past couple years including Chris Baryla who during his senior year won two back-to-back tournaments, and now plays on the PGA Tour. You can add J.P. Hayes, Paul Stankowski, and Ryan Hietela to the list of successful players that have come from the UTEP golf program, and not to mention the list of PGA professionals that run the local golf courses in El Paso. Unfortunately, UTEP golf in recent times has been subpar. UTEP has not finished inside the top ten in a tournament since February 2008. That is three years of not even coming remotely close to being relevant in any golf tournament they have played. I have had the fortune of hanging around these players for quite some time. It seems to me that once some players make the team, that’s all matters. Over

the past few years, I have witnessed that do not practice or work on their game, and yet they still expect to play well in tournaments. Well, that’s just not the way the game of golf is played, especially not at the collegiate level. I can’t say if it has anything to do with Head Coach Rick Todd’s relaxed approach, but something needs to be said to the incoming players about the importance of taking their game seriously. El Paso is full of golf courses and some very wonderful ones at that. The university should build some kind of practice facility at one of the golf courses to have a place the players can call home. UTEP built a fine high-tech practice facility inside the Don Haskins Center filled with multiple cameras and a golf simulator, but that does not compensate for having an actual practice area on an actual golf course. Recently, UTEP has begun recruiting locally. There is some very good talent here, but it is important to have players from outside the area come here to play. UTEP needs to take advantage of the “Sun City” to attract talent from other places, and what better way to attract players than use the city’s slogan? I know I’m making it sound easy, but imagine telling a future prospect that you

can work on your game and play golf year round here. Hungry prospects would jump at the thought of being able to play year round and get an education out of it. Every year, just as in any sport, there are players that fall through the coaches’ spotlights and end up playing at a junior college, but what if they were able come here and play with UTEP instead? Most of the players that are in these situations are very raw players, but they could be molded into terrific players that work hard to improve their game. But just as the players need to be hungry, so do the coaches and university need to be. At what point will the university look at the situation and see that something needs to change in their mentality and the golf program? The drive needs to come from within. Everybody—coaches, players and the university—needs to get on board and want to do something about the golf program’s current subpar situation. Unless, of course, UTEP is content in sending a group of players to tournaments without any desire to actually compete? I’m hoping this is not the case, but until something actually gets done, I’m going to assume it is.

M I N E R I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M 9

SOFTBALL: AROUND THE LEAGUE

MINER ILLUSTRATED STAFF REPORTS

UAB Defeats UCF to Claim Weekend SeriesORLANDO -- UCF jumped out to an early lead Sunday, but the UAB softball team came through with a five-run third inning to eventually defeat the Knights 5-3 and claim the weekend series in Orlando, Fla. This weekend’s series marks the third straight league series UAB has won. The Blazers are now 24-9 overall and 8-1 in Conference USA, while UCF falls to 12-22 overall and a 3-6 league mark. Just like Saturday’s games, both teams came out swinging Sunday with UAB eventually out-hitting UCF, 10-8. Left fielder Catherine Douglass went 2-for-3 with one run and two RBI to lead the Blazers offensively. Douglass was one of four Blazers to post a pair of hits in the series finale. Third baseman Allie Jest, center fielder Vanessa Perez and shortstop Tiffany Lane registered two hits apiece to account for the majority of UCF’s production at the plate. Sophomore pitcher Lauren Webster made the start for UAB, then Senior Alisha Smith (6-1) stepped in and held UCF to two hits in two innings to pick up the win. UCF utilized a trio of pitchers in Diana Rojas, Lacey Dinney and Ashley Schmitt. Rojas was charged with the loss after allowing three earned runs on three hits in the opening 2 frames.

Tulsa Falls at East CarolinaGREENVILLE, N.C. - The Tulsa softball team fell to Conference USA foe East Carolina, 10-1, Sunday morning at ECU Softball Stadium. The Golden Hurricane, which fell to 24-9 overall and 7-2 in C-USA play, dropped its first series of the season, but stayed within one game of first place in the league standings. East Carolina improved to 25-10 overall and 5-4 in league play. On Sunday, the Pirates scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning and three more in the second inning. Tulsa got one run in the top of the fourth but was unable to rally together any more runs. The Pirates went on to score three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, ending the game after five innings. Sophomore center fielder Caitlin Everett and sophomore catcher Cassidy Bowen each had two hits, while Bowen drove in the TU run. Bowen singled up the middle to score freshman designated player Aimee Creger, who had reached on a base hit to left field. Sophomore Lacey Middlebrooks (7-4) took the loss for Tulsa after allowing three runs. Senior Jordan Kinard relieved and allowed five earned runs on five hits. Creger pitched the final two outs of the fourth inning.

Houston Completes Sweep at Southern MissHATTIESBURG, Miss. - The University of Houston softball team earned its first Conference USA series sweep in Hattiesburg, Miss., as the Cougars defeated Southern Miss at the USM Softball Complex on Sunday.Houston moved to 21-12 and 5-4 in Conference USA after completing its first sweep in league play with heavy doses of offense all weekend. The Cougars outscored the Golden Eagles, 26-2 Senior Donna Bourgeois (7-6) made the start in the series finale. Making her second relief appearance of the weekend, senior Amanda Crabtree took over in the fifth to keep Bourgeois’ shutout intact. She struck out seven in her 2.2 innings of work.The Cougar freshmen used the team’s first C-USA sweep as an opportunity for a few firsts of their own. Haley Outon crushed her first career homer in the seventh for three RBI, while fellow rookie Erin Martin drilled her first hit to collect the first RBI of her career on Sunday. After a scoreless first inning on Sunday, Houston put six runs on the board in the top of the second when USM starter Beth Dietrich issued a leadoff. Freshman Kelly Smith came in relief of starter Dietrich, who took the loss for the Eagles.Southern Miss used all four pitchers as Smith pitched 1.2 innings, followed by Courtney Ramos working 2.1 innings and Gabby Luciani lasting just 0.2 innings.

M I N E R I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M

MINERS LOOK TO JUCOTRANSFERS TO ADDRESS NEEDS AND FILL LOSSES

1 0

Lamaison is articulate and professional.” Choy adds, “The one thing I really like about Nick is that when he has a goal in mind, he is all-business on the field. Off the field, he’s just one of the guys.’’ This is something Choy, a Miner fan, feels has been missing in UTEP football. As a dedicated student of the game, Lamaison will fill this void should he nab the starting quarterback position. Joining Lamaison on the field this Spring is James Robinson (6-feet 4-inches, 325 pounds). Robinson is a Richmond, California native, who spent the first two years of his career playing defensive tackle at City College of San Francisco. Last year, Robinson was moved to the offensive side of the ball and he blossomed, accumulating sixty pancake blocks last season. His week-to-week improvement was dramatic and helped pave the way for the Rams to attain an 11-1 season. Robinson’s team was undefeated until they played Mt. Sac in the JC Championship Game, which they lost 34-7. Robinson, despite his size, has excellent speed for a big man and is projected to be a guard for the Miners. The loss of five offensive line starters makes this a position of need. Robinson has the odds in his favor to earn a starting role. What I like about Robinson is that he is still in the developmental process as an offensive lineman and will only get better under the tutelage of Coach Connelly. So, have the Miners struck gold with Lamaison and Robinson? This can only objectively be answered in time. Subjectively, the Miners have found two quality starters in positions that need immediate help. Their leadership, winning attitude and work ethic will go a long way in helping the Miners rebuild their offensive fortunes for the 2011 season. Add in the August additions of James Martin and Mike Edwards, and I say Coach Price hit pay dirt, maybe not the “Lost Dutchman,” but gold nonetheless.

UTEP66

The Miners face a pivotal Spring with the heavy graduation losses on the offensive side of the ball. With the need for immediate help, Head Coach Mike Price decided to mine the JC ranks. This Spring two of our four offensive signees will participate in Spring practice. Quarterback Nick Lamaison and offensive lineman James Robinson begin Spring training as projected starters. Offensive lineman James Martin and wide receiver Mike Edwards will join the Miners this fall when they will immediately vie for starting positions. Nick Lamaison (6-feet 1-inch, 205 pounds), the highly-touted JC All-American from the National Championship winner Mount San Antonio, is the recruit who is receiving the most focus and will play a huge role in the success of the Miners this fall. The expectations are high, but if anyone can handle them, this young man can. He is expected to emerge this Spring as the starting quarterback, but he will face spirited competition from Javia Hall, Tate Smith and Carson Meger. Many are asking what he will bring to the table. Let’s start with the obvious. The two-time JC All-American had a record of 26-1 at Mt. San Antonio, passed for over 7400 yards and threw for 66 touchdowns. Impressive numbers, yes. However, what sets Lamaison apart from others is his desire to win, his clutch play and the confidence he brings to the field; something the Miners have lacked in recent years. It’s not unusual for fan to send e-mails regarding a recruit we signed. To my surprise, I have received numerous e-mails talking about Lamaison, not only for his on field exploits, but for his strong character and work ethic off the field as well. James Choy wrote, “He is clutch in pressure situations and shows no fear. He thrives in those moments. Any Mt. SAC fan will tell you Lamaison performed miracles many, many times.

theNOTEBOOKIn a departure from recent years, the Miners are relatively set on defense (nine returning starters) but have their share of question marks on offense, most notably who will be under center for the season opener versus Stony Brook on Sept. 3.

The candidates to take the reins of the UTEP offense are senior Tate Smith, sophomore Carson Meger, redshirt freshman Javia Hall and junior college transfer Nick Lamaison.

One of the challenges the UTEP coaching staff faces this spring will be integrating five junior college transfers into the mix – Lamaison, offensive lineman James Robinson, defensive back Darren Woodard and linebackers Josh Fely and A.J. Ropati.

Fely and Ropati should get plenty of reps with all three of the Miners’ starting linebackers from last season – Isaiah Carter (ankle), Jamie Irving (shoulder) and Royzell Smith (shoulder) – sidelined

for spring drills while recovering from surgeries.

Other players expected to miss spring workouts due to injury are freshman DL Brandon Forge, senior LB Greg Holleman, freshman DB Traun Roberson, junior OL Paul Santillan, junior DB Richard Spencer and junior DL Isaac Tauaefa. Senior WR Donavon Kemp will be limited after undergoing knee surgery. In addition, Coach Price announced on Tuesday that junior WR Marlon McClure is suspended .

Trevor Vittatoe graduated in the fall and left the Miners an important void to fill at the quarterback position and UTEP coaches will look to Nick La-maison and current players this spring. Jeff Taylor

Running back Joe Banyard had a good seasonand made a large impact on the team during the 2010 season as he rushed for over 600 yards with eight touch-downs. Jeff Taylor

M I N E R I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M

GRADING THE MINERS:BREAKING DOWN THE TEAM AS SPRING DRILLS BEGIN

1 3

Robinson (6-feet 4-inches, 325 pounds) are leading candidates for four of the five slots. Nelson and Santillan will be in a spirited competition for the remaining slot. Breakout Candidates: Atkinson and McGage have the talent, desire and ability to anchor the young offensive line this year and may prove to be All-Conference USA caliber talent. Newcomers to Watch: JC transfer Robinson, a former defensive lineman, was converted to offense last year where he shone. Robinson has excellent speed and will be the leading candidate for a starting guard position. Blake Snider (6-feet 6-inches, 300 pounds) is a talented freshman, who will vie for a back-up role and could surprise everyone down the road.

Tight End: Strength: Talent. Without a veteran tight end returning, the Miners strength lies in a group of young hungry talent. While lacking bulk, the tight ends have good size and decent speed. Weaknesses: Inexperience and Blocking Ability. Bulk, proven blocking skills and inexperience is the theme. Key Returnees: Kevin Perry (6-feet 5-inches, 225 pounds), Katrae Ford (6-feet 5-inches, 240 pounds), Eric Tomlinson (6-feet 6-inches, 250 pounds) and Craig Wenrick (6-feet 5-inches, 250 pounds). Key Position Battle: This will be one of the most-contested positions with four young tight ends in the mix. Perry’s experience and speed give him a slight edge over Ford. Breakout Candidates: Perry is a physically-gifted athlete with excellent speed and untapped potential. With added playing time, he will prove to be an excellent receiving tight end. Ford has excellent blocking skills, nice size, good hands and runs exceptionally well after the catch so he can’t be overlooked. Newcomers to Watch: Wenrick, if recovered from injury, has the size and is an excellent blocker while Tomlinson’s blocking skills will lead to significant playing time this fall.

Running backs: Strengths: Depth and Experience. The backs are a deeply talented group of experienced backs with good speed, power and receiving skills. Joe Banyard rushed for over 600 yards (5.7 average) with eight touchdowns, Vernon Frazier averaged six yards per carry and the powerful Leilyon Myers chipped in with six scores to give the Miners a strong running game. Weakness: Breakaway Speed. Key Returnees: Joe Banyard (6-feet, 205 pounds), Leilyon Myers (6-feet 1-inch, 225 pounds), Vernon Frazier (5-feet 6-inches, 175 pounds) and Nathan Jeffery (5-feet 11-inches, 195 pounds).

ANGEL LUNA AND UTEP66

No matter what time of year, football always lingers in the minds of fans everywhere. Springtime is not only the change of the season, but also it marks the beginning of the football season for college programs everywhere. UTEP is no different as the Miners begin their spring today and there are a number of questions that need to be addressed before the team breaks for the summer. Mike Price and his staff will need to look a a number of players, evaluate the progress of their talent, and decide, for example, who will lead the team as they embark on the 2011 schedule. Miner Illustrated staff writers Angel Luna and UTEP66 have broken down the offense, defense and special teams by postition so that Miner Maniacs have a jump start on the key battles this spring. We begin with UTEP66’s analysis of the offense.

UTEP66: This year’s spring football offensive practices will be unlike any other in recent memory. Almost every position is up for grabs, and it will be an opportunity for players to step forward and seize the day. Fortunately, the Miners have some young talent in the wings, but they are woefully inexperienced in several positions. Two incoming JC’s, Nick Lamison and James Robinson, will be in this Spring to stake their claims on starting positions. Undoubtedly, there will be some surprises, disappointments and breakout players, and I guarantee it will all be exciting.

Offensive Line: Strength: Enthusiasm. While the Miners lack an abundance of players with starting experience, they make up for it with a group of hungry players eager to earn their way into a starting position. Weaknesses: Experience and Consistency. The loss of five starters leaves the Miners with limited experience and a serious depth issue. With the exception of James Nelson and Wayne Frazier, the returning Miners are a tad on the small size. Chemistry and consistency will plague the Miners this Spring while they develop their two deep roster. Key Returnees: Eloy Atkinson (6-feet 3-inches, 300 pounds), Nathan McGage (6-feet 4-inches, 290 pound), Wayne Frazier (6-feet 3-inches, 300 pounds), James Nelson (6-feet 7-inches, 330 pounds), Brandon Craighead (6-feet 6-inches, 300 pounds), Paul Santillan (6-feet 4-inches, 305 pounds), Nick Martin (6-feet 5-inches, 275 pounds) and Jerel Watkins (6-feet 2-inches, 275 pounds). Key Position Battle: Atkinson, McGage, Martin and James

continued on page 12

M I N E R I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M 1 4

Grades continued:

Key Position Battle: Jeffery, Frazier and Myers will stage a battle for the number two back. Breakout Candidates: Last season Banyard flashed his talent, and this year as the clear number one and a team more committed to the run, he will have a big year. With an inexperienced line, the Miners will emphasize screens and draw plays more than in the past, which bodes well for Banyard. Newcomer to Watch: As a high school running back, Jeffery put up some astonishing career numbers. At Camp Socorro and last Fall during practice, Jeffery showed his combination of power and speed on a regular basis. He will be hard to keep off the field.

Wide receivers: Strength: Experience. The receivers boast experience, good size and good speed. Weaknesses: Route Running and Separation. They will need to work on route running and separation, along with ball-handling. Key Returnees: Marlon McClure (5-feet 8-inches, 145 pounds), Donovan Kemp (6-feet 1-inches, 195 pounds), Russell Carr (6-feet 2-inches, 200 pounds), Lavorick Williams (6-feet 1-inch, 185 pounds), Julio Lopez (5-feet 11-inches, 175 pounds), Jordan Leslie (6-feet 2-inches, 200 pounds) and Devin Patterson (6-feet, 205 pounds). Key Position Battle: There is talent here, but the winners will be the players who demonstrate that they can consistently catch the ball and run their routes. Kemp and McClure will be starters going in. Williams has the size and speed to provide QB Nick Lamaison a deep threat. Breakout Candidate: A healthy Kemp’s speed and experience is All-Conference calliber. Newcomers to Watch: Leslie and Patterson bring needed help to the receiving corps. Leslie is a big receiver with good hands. The gifted Patterson is an excellent route runner with good

hands and speed.

Quarterbacks: Strength: Potential Weaknesses: Experience and Mobility. At the collegiate level, the Miners’ returnees have very limited playing time. Last year, the returnees attempted five passes amongst them all. With an inexperienced line, their lack of mobility will be an issue. Key Returnees: Carson Meger (5-feet 11-inches, 200 pounds), Tate Smith (6-feet 1-inch, 220 pounds) and Javia Hall (6-feet 1-inch, 190 pounds). Key Position Battle: Hall, Meger and Smith will battle for the backup quarterback role. Breakout Candidate: Last year’s multi-talented Hall spent his freshman year redshirted and learning the Miner system. With his arm and added maturity, he has an excellent opportunity to see the field this fall. Newcomer to Watch: Nick Lamison (6-feet 2-inches, 210 pounds), the JC Player of the Year and a JC All-American, will make his first appearance as a Miner this Spring. Lamison has a strong arm, makes all the throws, possesses good decision-making skills, has excellent leadership ability and has proven to be a clutch performer throughout his career. I expect a big year from Lamison and the Miners to play better in the fourth quarter with him under center.

Place Kicking Dakota Warren (5-feet 10-inches, 190 pounds) has a strong leg but lacks consistency. In 2010, he was 12 of 20 with a long of 57 yards.

Kickoff Returners The Miners have three excellent returners in McClure (31.0 average), Vernon Frazier (26.5), and Kemp (24.4).

Luna: UTEP defense was not good in 2010 and has not been so for several years. Still, the Miners did show some improvement, despite a lot of injuries that forced Coach Paterson to use his personal wisely, last

season. I’m not sure if Coach Price’s offense will produce 40 points every game this upcoming season, so the Miners must establish a defensive consistency if they want to win some games. Defensive Line: Strengths: Depth and Size. Coach Andre Paterson has a good core of young players in Bernard Obi (6-feet 2-inches, 255 pounds), Greg Watkins (6-feet 5-inches, 225 pounds), Germard Reed (6-feet, 280 pounds), Adam Ayala (6-feet 5-inches, 275 pounds), Jamie Fehoko (6-feet 2-inches, 300 pounds), Isaac Tauaefa (6-feet, 290 pounds) and Marcus Bagley (6-feet 1-inch, 330 pounds). All of them played a lot of minutes last year. In addition, Quentin Jones (6-feet, 310 pounds) is a defensive tackle, who was highly recruited coming out of high school before suffering a knee injury his senior season. He didn’t practice last fall as he was still recovering from knee surgery. If healthy, Jones is another Marcus Bagley-type lineman, though a tad quicker. Overall, the Miners’ defensive line is getting bigger and stronger this year with good depth in the front. Weakness: Pass Rush. The Miners were ranked last in the C-USA in sacks (14) and tackles for loss (50). However, they showed a lot of improvement on defense as they switched to Coach Paterson’s 4-3 scheme. They couldn’t create many turnovers; the opposition’s quarterbacks received little, if any, pressure (49 QB hurries). Key Returnees: Obi, Watkins, Fehoko, and Bagley are all key returnees with experience on their side. Key Position Battle: Defensive Tackler and Defensive End. Obi and Reed are the only returning starters, so Watkins, Tauaefa, Ayala, Bagley and Brandon Forge (6-feet 4-inches, 265 pounds) will be the main candidates to fill the rest of the line. Breakout Candidate: Freshman Forge has great size along with the potential to step right into the line-up and create a big impact this season. Newcomer to Watch: The Louisville transfer Horace Miller bears watching this spring. At 6-feet 1-inch and 225

M I N E R I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M 1 5

pounds, he is a little small for a defensive end but has played both defensive end and linebacker. He played eleven games as a true freshman at Louisville. As a sophomore to be, Miller, who has year under his belt, may be able to find the field and be a key contributor.

Linebackers: Strengths: Experience, Leadership and Depth. This is the most experienced defensive unit on the team. Coach Paterson will be able to use a deep rotation. Linebacker Royzell Smith (6-feet 1 inch, 230 pounds) had 72 tackles, Jamie Irving (6-feet, 235 pounds) had 79 tackles and Isaiah Carter (6-feet 2-inches, 220 pounds) had 75 tackles last season. The addition of JUCO’s A.J. Ropati (6 feet, 235 pounds) and Josh Fely (5-feet 11-inches, 225 pounds) will add more depth and talent to an already talent-filled unit. Weakness: Durability and Tackling Skills. The Miners had so many injuries at the linebacker position that at one point they considered playing true freshman DeAndre Little, perhaps the best prospect in 2010 recruiting class. UTEP has a lot of speed, but they missed too many tackles last season. Key Returnees: Seniors Smith, Carter, and Irving along with junior Aubrey Alexius (5-feet 11-inches, 215 pounds) all have the experience needed to lead this unit. Key Position Battle: Last year starters are back; JUCO’s Ropati and Fely are going to get a chance to battle for one of the starting position. They will add depth to an already deep unit. Breakout Candidate: DeAndre Little (6-feet 1-inch, 225 pounds) has the perfect combination of speed and aggressiveness that UTEP needs at the linebacker position. There is a lot of competition ahead of him, but if anybody gets hurt, he will be ready to fill in. Newcomer to Watch: If you are looking for big hitter, let me introduce you to A.J. Ropati. He has great size and speed to play on Coach’s Patterson defense. He’s an aggressive player with the ability to make big plays.

Defensive backs: Strengths: Depth and Speed. Corner Travaun Nixon (6-feet, 195 pounds) had a breakout season with 75 tackles (21 solo), 4 interceptions, 4 tackles for loss and 12 passes deflected. He will continue his big play making, and don’t be surprised, if the opposing quarterbacks try to avoid him on passing plays. Weakness: Big Play Ability. The Miners were hurt by the lack of pass rush and gave up quite a few big plays. Only defensive back Nixon had more than one interception. UTEP allowed their opponents to convert on 91 of 185 of 3rd down plays (49%). Key Returnees: Nixon, Antwon Blake (5-feet 10-inches, 195 pounds), Richard Spencer (6-feet 2-inches, 205 pounds), and DeShawn Grayson (6-feet, 205 pounds) are experienced upperclassmen. Key Position Battle: Assuming that Grayson will be one of the starting safeties, I’m looking for Chad Moncure (6-feet, 195 pounds) and Richard Spencer (6-feet 2-inches, 205 pounds) to battle for the other position. Breakout Candidates: Spencer played in all thirteen games last year, starting in two of them. He finished with 29 tackles (11 solo), 1 tackle for lost, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovered. He is a very active safety on running and passing plays. Spencer can also get up in the air and always goes hard to the ball. Roberson (5-feet 11-inches, 180

pounds) runs a 4.40 forty, and he is all over the field when he is given a shot to play. Unfortunately, Roberson blew out his knee and may not be ready for spring ball, but if he is healthy, he will be hard to keep off the field. Newcomer to Watch: JUCO cornerback Darren Woodard (5-feet 11-inches, 165 pounds) is a speedy corner with good size and average cover skills. He knows how to use his long arms and good timing to break passes. If he can develop like Nixon has, UTEP might have the best two corners in C-USA next year.

Punter Ian Campbell (5-feet 11-inches, 170 pounds) was a late addition to the team, but he had an outstanding performance. He has a strong leg and proof of that was in his 45.1 yards average, including a 72-yard boomer. Campbell also had 17 punts over 50 yards long, 12 punts inside the twenty yard line and 8 touchbacks last season.

Punts Returns: The Miners have a couple of speedy returners in Marlon McClure (5-feet 8-inches, 145 pounds) and Nixon. McClure is a real threat and can take it to the end zone every time he gets the ball. He averaged 13.1 yards in 14 opportunities, including a 58-yard punt return. Nixon can create big plays. He averaged 15.8 yards in 5 tries.

Travaun Nixon will move from cornerback to saftey for the 2011 sea-son. Jeff Taylor

M I N E R I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M 1 6

THE FINAL WORD:Miner Fans Pick Up Pieces With Spring BallJOSH PUGA

Following the Miners’ uninspiring loss to the New Mexico Lobos in the opening round of the NIT, the UTEP faithful were left wondering just how special this past year in UTEP athletics could have been for both the men’s basketball and football teams. Ironically, Albuquerque was the scene of both post-season losses for the Miners, the aforementioned loss to the Lobos and the football team’s blowout loss to BYU in the New Mexico Bowl. There is nothing enchanting about ending the football and basketball seasons in this fashion. And so, Miner Maniacs in El Paso and around the country will look to turn the page and move forward with Spring Ball on the horizon. Head Football Coach Mike Price will have his work cut out for him this upcoming season as the Miners get ready for Spring practices starting on March 31st. As most fans know, Price has done an admirable job here at UTEP, and in my opinion, they are better off with him than they would have been without him. Price spoiled the fans right away with two straight bowl wins, and unfortunately, the fans got greedy and were expecting more of the same this past season. After five straight losing-seasons, the writing may be on the wall with an unusually high number of JUCO signees. Yet make no bones about it, Price wants to win before riding off into the sunset as many think he will do so in the next year or two. First things first, Price and his coaching staff will get a sneak peak of some of the JUCO transfers, including quarterback Nick Lamaison, who many think is the front runner to take over in the QB position. It has been written that the starting quarterback position is up for grabs, and you don’t bring in a highly-touted junior college quarterback to be a back-up with

two years left, especially following the exit of a four-year starter Trevor Vitattoe. Sure, the Miners have options with New Mexico transfer senior Tate Smith, sophomore Carson Merger and the extremely athletic redshirt freshman Javia Hall. Any other year, all three would be viable replacements to take over the reins as the leader of the offense. But with expectations high after the New Mexico bowl, the success of next season, whether fair or unfair, rests on the shoulders of Lamaison. I understand there are many other factors that can affect the season on both sides of the ball, and it would be naive to think Lamaison can do it all on his own. He will need the offensive line to gel quickly and a strong running game will help his transition as he learns the offense. With that said, Lamaison seems like the type of player that relishes that

sort of pressure, and he has the tools to carry the team on his back. Lamaison is definitely a winner after going 26-1 in two years at Mt. San Antonio Community College (CA), including 14-0 this past season, which ended with a JC National Championship and numerous personal accolades. Price and the offensive staff are betting on Lamaison to continue his winning ways here at UTEP. The coaches may say there is an open competition at quarterback. I am pretty sure the coaching staff plans on evaluating every option available, but honestly, it is Lamaison’s job if he wants it, and I have a feeling he will not turn it down. Miner fans can get an early preview as Spring Football kicks off tomorrow, leading up to the Spring Game on April 30th. It should be an interesting Spring to say the least.

Miner fans will have an opportu-nity to put the basketball season to rest as football gets going with their spring drills as they prepare for the 2011 season. Jeff Taylor

signing OFF

Jeff Taylor