(Photo Credit: Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Gavin Hardison, RB Deion Hankins, WR Kelly Akharaiyi, WR Tyrin Smith, OC Andrew Meyer, OG Elijah Klein, OG Justin Mayers, OT Steven Hubbard, DE Praise Amaewhule, DT Keenan Stewart, LB Tyrice Knight, NB Ilijah Johnson, SS Kobe Hylton, KR/PR Marcus Bellon and PT Joshua Sloan.
Key Players Departing:
RB Ronald Awatt, RB Reynaldo Flores, OT Jeremiah Byers, DE Jadrian Taylor, DT Kelton Moss, LB Cal Wallerstedt, CB Latrez Shelton, NB Dennis Barnes, NB Ty’reke James, KR Walter Dawn and PK Gavin Baechle.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: OL Tyrone McDuffie (El Paso, Texas), RB Ezell Jolly (Missouri City, Texas), DS Oscar Moore (Kilgore, Texas), WR Dre Spriggs (UTSA transfer), RB Torrance Burgess Jr. (Tyler, Texas), RB Mike Franklin (San Pablo, California), CB Lantz Russell (Walnut, California), DS Josiah Dye (Gilbert, Arizona), DL RaQuan Thompson (Brenham, Texas) and TE Marcus Vinson (Kilgore, Texas).
2022 Results:
G01 NORTH TEXAS L 13-31
G02 @ #9 Oklahoma L 13-45
G03 NEW MEXICO STATE W 20-13
G04 @ New Mexico L 10-27
G05 BOISE STATE W 27-10
G06 @ Charlotte W 41-35
G07 @ Louisiana Tech L 31-41
G08 FAU W 24-21
G09 MIDDLE TENNESSEE L 13-24
G10 @ Rice L 30-37
G11 FIU W 40-6
G12 @ UTSA L 31-34
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 5-7 (8th in CUSA West)
Home: 4-2
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 3-5
Non-CUSA: 2-2
Head Coach: Dana Dimel
UTEP: 10-34
Career: 40-73
Bowls: 0-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Gavin Hardison (164-315, 2044 yards, 52.1%, 6.5 avg., 11 TD, 8 Int.)
Rushing: Deion Hankins (140 car., 701 yards, 5.0 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Tyrin Smith (71 rec., 1039 yards, 14.6 avg., 7 TD)
TD’s Scored: Tyrin Smith (7)
Sacks: Bryton Thompson (3.5)
Tackles: Tyrice Knight (95)
Interceptions: Ilijah Johnson (2)
Pass Deflections: Ilijah Johnson (6)
Tackles For Loss: Kobe Hylton (10)
Forced Fumbles: Tyrice Knight/Kobe Hylton (2)
Kick Returns: Marcus Bellon (4 ret., 70 yards, 18.4 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Marcus Bellon (17 ret., 100 yards, 5.9 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Joshua Sloan (45 ret., 1998 yards, 44.4 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 2 Gavin Hardison (RS SR/TR)
RB: 3 Deion Hankins (RS JR)
WR: 7 Marcus Belton (JR/TR)
WR: 4 Kelly Akharaiyi (RS JR/TR)
WR: 1 Tyrin Smith (RS JR/TR)
TE: 87 Zach Fryar (RS SR/TR)
LT: 54 Steven Hubbard (RS SR/TR)
LG: 66 Justin Mayers (RS JR)
OC: 75 Andrew Meyer (RS SR)
RG: 79 Elijah Klein (RS SR)
RT: 68 Zuri Henry (RS SR)
KR: 1 Tyrin Smith (RS JR/TR)
PK: 36 Buzz Flabiano (RS FR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 00 Maurice Westmoreland (JR/TR)
DT: 50 Tevita Tafuna (RS SR/TR)
DT: 54 Keenan Stewart (RS SR/TR)
DE: 23 Praise Amaewhule (RS SR)
LB: 10 Tyrice Knight (RS SR/TR)
LB: 5 James Neal (RS JR/TR)
NB: 32 Ilijah Johnson (RS SO)
CB: 8 Torey Richardson (RS JR/TR)
CB: 1 AJ Odums (JR/TR)
FS: 24 McKel Broussard (RS JR)
SS: 2 Kobe Hylton (JR/TR)
PR: 21 Marcus Bellon (JR/TR)
PT: 13 Joshua Sloan (JR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/26 @ Jacksonville State Gamecocks | First meeting between schools.
09/02 UIW CARDINALS | First meeting between schools.
09/09 @ Northwestern Wildcats | First meeting between schools.
09/16 @ Arizona Wildcats | UTEP trails the series 1-39-2. The Miners lost (16-63) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
09/23 UNLV REBELS | UTEP trails the series 2-6. The Miners lost (24-52) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/29 LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS | UTEP trails the series 3-15-1. The Miners are 1-9 since 2013 and their last series win (19-3) was in 2021.
10/11 @ FIU Panthers | UTEP trails the series 2-3. Last season’s 40-6 win was the first meeting between schools since 2019.
10/18 NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES | UTEP leads the series 59-38-2. The Miners are 6-3 since 2013 and their last series loss (35-44) was in 2019.
10/25 @ Sam Houston Bearkats | UTEP leads the series 2-0. The Miners won (59-14) the last meeting between schools in 2003.
11/04 WKU HILLTOPPERS | UTEP trails the series 0-3. The Miners lost (16-40) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/18 @ Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | UTEP trails the series 1-4. Last season’s 13-24 loss was the first meeting between schools in 2018.
11/25 LIBERTY FLAMES | First meeting between schools.
Predictions:
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 5-3
Non-CUSA: 3-1
Overall: 8-4 (4th in CUSA)
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