(DE Maurice Westmoreland – Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Cade McConnell, DE Maurice Westmoreland, CB Amier Boyd-Matthews, CB AJ Odums, NB Josiah Allen, SS Oscar Moore, and PK Buzz Flabiano.
Key Players Departing:
RB/KR Torrance Burgess Jr. (Texas State transfer), RB Deion Hankins (Texas State transfer), WR Kelly Akharaiyi (Mississippi State transfer), WR Jeremiah Ballard, (Tulsa transfer) WR Tyrin Smith (Cincinnati transfer), OC Andrew Meyer, OG Elijah Klein (Buccaneers R6), OG Justin Mayers (Colorado transfer), OT Zuri Henry, OT Steven Hubbard (Vanderbilt transfer), DE Praise Amaewhule, DE Kanious Vaughn (Utah transfer), DT Keenan Stewart, LB Tyrice Knight (Seahawks R4), LB James Neal (Texas State transfer), CB Torrey Richardson, SS Kobe Hylton (Oklahoma State transfer), PR Marcus Bellon, and PT Joshua Sloan (Memphis transfer).
(DS Xavier Smith – @xae2huncho)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: WR Jaden Smith (Eastern Kentucky transfer), DS Xavier Smith (Austin Peay transfer), CB Kory Chapman (Austin Peay transfer), EDGE Jaylin Jones (Beaumont, Texas), DT Aston Coker (Katy, Texas), DE Elijah Baldwin (San Antonio, Texas), RB Calvin Hill (Texas State transfer), RB Jevon Jackson (Austin Peay transfer), WR Trey Goodman (Austin Peay transfer), and EDGE Ekow Taylor (Keller, Texas).
2023 Results:
G01 @ Jacksonville State L 14-17
G02 INCARNATE WORD W 28-14
G03 @ Northwestern L 7-38
G04 @ Arizona L 10-31
G05 UNLV L 28-45
G06 LOUISIANA TECH L 10-24
G07 @ FIU W 27-14
G08 NEW MEXICO STATE L 7-28
G09 @ Sam Houston W 37-34
G10 WESTERN KENTUCKY L 13-21
G11 @ Middle Tennessee L 30-34
G12 #25 LIBERTY L 28-42
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 3-9 (8th in CUSA)
Home: 1-5
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 2-6
Non-CUSA: 1-3
Head Coach: Dana Dimel
UTEP: 20-49
Career: 50-88
Bowls: 0-1
(QB Cade McConnell – UTEP Miners Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Cade McConnell (92-172, 1437 yards, 53.5%, 8.4 avg., 6 TD, 4 Int.)
Rushing: Ezell Jolly (15 car., 53 yards, 3.5 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Emari White (8 rec., 132 yards, 16.5 avg., 0 TD)
TD’s Scored: Mike Franklin (3)
Sacks: Maurice Westmoreland (7.5)
Tackles: Josiah Allen (41)
Interceptions: Oscar Moore (2)
Pass Deflections: AJ Odums (8)
Tackles For Loss: Maurice Westmoreland (10.5)
Forced Fumbles: Javoni Gardere (1)
Kick Returns: Caden Harris (2 ret., 34 yards, 17.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Buzz Flabiano (10-14 fg/fga., 71%, 29-30 xp/xpa., 59 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 11 Cade McConnell (RS JR/TR)
RB: 4 Jevon Jackson (RS JR/TR)
WR: 1 Trey Goodman (SR/TR)
WR: 8 Emari White (RS JR/TR)
WR: 3 Jaden Smith (SR/TR)
TE: 17 Judah Ezinwa (RS SO/TR)
LT: 65 Isaiah Wright (SR/TR)
LG: 60 Joseph Immediato (RS JR)
OC: 53 Ivan Escobar (RS JR/TR)
RG: 59 Otis Pitts III (RS SR/TR)
RT: 50 Brennan Smith (RS JR/TR)
KR: 5 Kam Thomas (RS JR/TR)
PK: 36 Buzz Flabiano (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 15 Bryton Thompson (RS SR/TR)
NT: 99 Sione Tonga’uiha (SR)
DT: 50 Tevita Tafuna (RS SR/TR)
DE: 0 Maurice Westmoreland (SR/TR)
LB: 41 Dorian Hopkins (GR/TR)
LB: 5 Tray Dunson (SR/TR)
NB: 22 Josiah Allen (SR/TR)
CB: 14 Amier Boyd-Matthews (RS SO)
CB: 1 AJ Odums (SR/TR)
FS: 6 Kory Champman (SR/TR)
SS: 11 Oscar Moore (SR/TR)
PR: 5 Kam Thomas (RS JR/TR)
PT: 29 Adam Jacklin (RS FR/TR)
(CB AJ Odums – UDA Today Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 @ Nebraska Cornhuskers | First meeting between schools.
09/07 SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS | First meeting between schools.
09/14 @ Liberty Flames | Last season’s 28-42 loss was the first meeting between schools.
09/21 @ Colorado State Rams | UTEP trails the series 10-25. The Miners lost (42-59) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
10/03 SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS | Last season’s 37-34 win was the first meeting between schools.
10/10 @ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | UTEP trails the series 0-4. Last season’s 13-21 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2018.
10/16 FIU PANTHERS | The series is tied 3-3. The Miners won (27-14) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series loss (17-32) dates back to 2019.
10/22 @ Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | UTEP trails the series 3-16-1. The Miners are 1-9 since 2014, and their last series win (19-3) was in 2021.
11/02 MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS | UTEP trails the series 1-5. The Miners are 1-4 since 2014, and their only series win (24-21) was in 2014.
11/09 KENNESAW STATE OWLS | First meeting between schools.
11/23 @ Tennessee Volunteers | UTEP trails the series 0-1. The Miners lost (0-24) the only prior meeting between schools in 2018.
11/30 @ New Mexico State Aggies | UTEP leads the series 59-39-2. The Miners are 5-4 since 2014, and their last series win (20-13) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 3-2
Away: 4-3
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 6-2
Non-CUSA: 1-3
Overall: 7-5 (2nd in CUSA)
gridironpredictions.net 