Miner Illustrated Magazine: Vol. 1, Issue 22 by Miner Illustrated

2011FOOTBALLSEASON PREVIEW

VOL 1 ISSUE 22

AUGUST 24, 2011

ADVANCED SECURITY CONTRACTORS We have one goal and that is customer satisfaction.

Specializing in commercial systems such as: - Fire Alarms - Burglar Alarms - Intercom Systems - Access Control - CCTV Systems - Gate Operators - Counter Terrorism

Visit us online: ascsecure.com

M I

MINER ILLUSTRATED VOL I ISSUE 22

AUGUST 24, 2011

TableOfCONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR

page 6

reader RESPONSE

page 8

by the NUMBERS

page 9

Bruising Banyard

page 11

Meanacing Miller

page 14

OPPONENT PREVIEWS

Stony Brook

page 18

SMU

page 21

New Mexico St.

page 22

USF

page 25

Houston

page 26

Tulane

page 29

Colorado St.

page 30

Southern Miss

page 33

Rice

page 34

East Carolina

page 37

Tulsa

page 38

UCF

page 41

Signing Off

page 42

a publication of Shamrock Media LLC CHRIS AVILA PRESIDENT REBECCA FRAZIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JEFF TAYLOR CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER GUS CONTRERAS SAL GUERRERO ANGEL LUNA ALEX MORALES JOSH PUGA “UTEP66” STAFF WRITERS DANNY LEVARIO DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS SUZETTE THOMPSON MAGAZINE DESIGN Letters to the editor, general feedback and advertising inquiries: show@minerillustrated.com

Cover photo: UTEP senior running back Joe Banyard and sophomor defensive end Horace Miller pose in the new UTEP football uniforms. Image: Chris Avila

THE GUIDE Game number in UTEP’s season schedule

Opponent

1 8

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

STONY BROOK Game One JOSH PUGA

Game preview

Featured player

To kick off the 2011 season, the Stony Brook Seawolves come to the Sun Bowl on September 3rd. Stony Brook University is located about 65 miles east of New York City. For those counting, the Seawolves will travel almost 2,300 miles to El Paso for their first game. Leading the charge for the Seawolves is Head Coach Chuck Priore, who enters his sixth season and has compiled a 2827 record while at Stony Brook. Priore led the team to a 6-5 record in the 2010 season as co-conference champions in the Big South. His team is returning 19 starters and was selected to finish second in the Big South Conference. The run-first offense is led by a pair of 1,000 yard rushers, junior Miguel Maysonet and senior Brock Jackolski. Maysonet rushed for 1,128 yards with 12 rushing touchdowns, and Jackolski gained 1,029 yards with nine rushing touchdowns. Both were selected 1st team All-Conference and provide an effective one-two punch on the offense. At quarterback, the Seawolves are led by senior Michael Coulter. The

experienced signal caller has started every game for Stony Brook since transferring from Santa Ana College before the 2009 season. Last season, Coulter passed for 1,811 yards and threw 17 touchdowns with ten interceptions. To help Coulter with the passing game is All-Big South preseason selection senior wide receiver Matt Brevi. Brevi is a big target and led the Seawolves last season with 687 receiving yards and five scores. On the defense, the Seawolves run a 4-3 defense with their priority being to minimize big plays by the opposition. The quarterback of the defense is returning junior middle linebacker, Craig Richardson. Richardson is a solid defensive player that tied for the team lead in tackles with 85, including a careerhigh 13 tackles in a single game. After an outstanding 2010 season, Richardson was named to the 2nd team All-Conference. On the defensive line, preseason All-Big South defensive end senior Ryan Haber will anchor the front four. Haber had seven tackles for loss with one sack last season, but looks to improve on those numbers this year. In the defensive backfield, the

Seawolves will have to replace the team’s defensive MVP strong safety Arin West. Stony Brook will look to junior Rich Vitale to step up. Vitale is off to a good start with a nice showing in the Seawolves’ spring game. The defense may be undersized compared to the Miners, but they are aggressive and will look to confuse the inexperienced UTEP offense. The Miners’ defensive front has quite a challenge in their first game as they face a potent Stony Brook rushing offense. The Miners have the difficult task of facing a team with two rushers who eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark last season. Tackles Marcus Bagley and Germard Reed must plug up the middle while ends Greg Watkins and Bernard Obi will need to help contain the outside runs. Stony Brook is a well-coached team and while they are not as talented as the Miners, the Seawolves have a veteran team with plenty of experience on the offense and the defense. UTEP has had trouble in the past with lesser division schools. If the Miners have trouble stopping the Seawolves’ run, this could be an unfortunate start to the 2011 season.

michaelCOULTER

With the running game often receiving most of the attention, many tend to overlook steady playing by a senior quarterback. Prior to playing at Stony Brook, quarterback Michael Coulter was the star quarterback at El Dorado High School (Placentia, CA). In his senior season in 2007, Coulter passed for 2,235 yards, 24 touchdowns and only four interceptions leading his team to the CIF Southwestern Division Championship with a 13-1 record. He walked on to Syracuse University’s football in 2007, but did not play and returned to California in 2008, where he played one year at Santa Ana College before transferring to Stony Brook in

2009. Coulter is a gamer and has improved each year with Stony Brook. Coulter was recently selected to Phil Steele’s All-Big South pre-season team and is arguably one of the top two quarterbacks in the conference. Coulter is a tough quarterback that has not missed a game since joining the Seawolves; the coaches love his decision making, especially late in close games. Though the Seawolves are a run-first option, the Miners’ defense must account for Coulter’s passing ability or he will make them pay. Photo: Stony Brook Athletics

Significant team plyaer

Significant stats about the team

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): Chuck Priore (5th season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 6-5 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 55-3 vs. Gardner-Webb Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 59-14 University of South Florida Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Miguel Maysonet 1,128 yards Leader passer (with yards): Michael Coulter 1,811 yards Top TDs (with amount): Miguel Maysonet 14 TDs Team points scored (average): 31.2 Team yards gained (average): 385.7

Defense Top tackler (with amount): Arin West & Craig Richardson with 85 tacklers Team yards allowed (average): 349.6 Team points allowed (average): 25.6

Junior Running back Miguel Maysonet Stony Brook Athletics

FromTheEDITOR

One of the perks of Football Media Day this year was getting an early look at the new uniforms. Above, a photo taken while Joe Banyard and Horace Miller pose for the cover. Below Banyard (left) chats up Mike Edwards. Photos: Angela Olivas and Chris Avila

It is with much pride and relief that I am happy to present this year’s Football Preview Special Issue to our readers and all Miner fans. Over the past two weeks, I have spent hours editing and re-editing the various team overviews and player spotlights that my staff wrote for this issue; all the while, I counted down the minutes to publication day and the commencement of the 2011 football season. Both have finally arrived. And though I am an avid football fan, as the editor-in-chief, I must honestly say I’m more excited about this special issue than the actual start of season. Don’t get me wrong; I’ll be plenty excited come September 3rd, but the amount of work that has gone into this issue shows just a small portion of the dedication that we at MI have to UTEP athletics. The MI staff took time from their summer vacations to write up overviews and player profiles on every one of UTEP’s 12 opponents this season. In addition, team stats and photos for each school were hunted down while Chris Avila spent countless hours putting everything together in what we hope is an eye-catching presentation. In addition to a preview of who the Miners will be facing this season, Chris Avila and Sal Guerrero have written player spotlights on two of the Miners’ team leaders: Horace Miller and Joe Banyard. The features show the type of leadership the UTEP squad has going into what many have labeled a doomed season. In spite of what critics are saying, after reading these two features, any fan is sure to recognize the talent UTEP does indeed have this year. As with our usual issues, we have included reader responses from you, our loyal readers. In addition, this week’s By the Numbers showcases all football stats from last year’s season. We have also included a table of contents and a guide to help your navigate this extensive special issue. I so hope that you enjoy reading this issue as much as I have enjoyed putting it together. It was a lot of work, but it was worth every minute. And it certainly made the minutes until the start of football season fly by that much quicker. And so it is now only fitting that with much pride I say: Go Miners! Go Niners!

Rebecca Frazier

Screen printing and embroidery services! Featuring brands such as:

Call us! 915.422.0941 915.256.6362 Online at epscreenprint.com

829 Dakota River Ave. El Paso, TX 79932 tshirts@epscreenprint.com

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

Football Predictions: Games 1-6 Puga, Contreras, and Guerrero, come on guys. I remember two years ago as I watched my beloved Miners get annihilated by the Texas Longhorns and drinking my sorrows away at Bikinis on Sixth Street. The Miners were decimated by injuries on the defensive side. The No. 12 Houston Cougars rolled into town and left the stadium in tears with a chant that echoed through the stadium overrated, overrated, overrated… and that was using the 3-3-5 defensive scheme. UTEP plays at a higher level in the Sun Bowl as they should because this is their house, and they have the majority of the Miner faithful, not all of them, but most of them screaming at the top of their lungs in support . Don’t get me wrong; they should always play at a higher level. I think Avila’s 5-1 is correct, and Frazier, I think who also meant 5-1, is also correct. As I listen to Coach Price on the YouTube video, I see a man at the end of his successful college football career, and I believe that we will see a repeat of the 2005 and 2006 football campaigns. It seems Nick Lamaison is focused, poised and determined to continue his winning ways from junior college. Remember Price wants to bring the Conference USA title to El Paso. Lamaison and a defense that holds opponent’s to 10-15 points might be the right formula to get us there!!!! All of you do a “FANTASTIC JOB.” I check your site almost daily; keep up the great reporting!!!!!!! JC-MinerFaithful Rebecca and Chris are true fans. They both have faith in our team. I hope to hear more news from you guys. I will be reading everything you guys write since I can’t see the Miners’ game in Afghanistan. Enjoy the games. cvo Special thanks to longtime reader CVo. From all of us at Miner Illustrated, we thank you for your dedicated effort and time served in the Armed Forces. You and all of the other soldiers in combat make us proud!

reader RESPONSE

Miner Illustrated Magazine: Vol. 1 Issue 21 Thank you so much for the great pics and article. You’re right about these three Mt. Sac boys; they’re hard working, have a great attitude and want to be a part of UTEP’s gridiron success. Thank you for welcoming them into your football family. I may be a little biased, but I think you’ll be glad you did. Ruth Martin Another good magazine; I really believe you guys are a part of what will make UTEP a successful program. As long as you are fair and can evaluate the team honestly, it will help to create a positive atmosphere as your site spreads among the fans and will help to educate those that really don’t understand the whole scope of the game. I also feel as prospective recruits read your reports and the response from fans, it may help to sway them our way….so keep up the great work, and before you know it, Muench will slowly fade away and be forgotten. GO MINERS!!! KiddMiner Scouting Mine I think it’s very strange how SMU is all of a sudden getting strong recruits. I mean ok, I know June Jones is a really good coach (so is Mike Price), but c’mon, they went from completely nothing to the top of recruiting in C-USA in a matter of two years. Something fishy is going on; perhaps SMU didn’t learn its lesson from the Death Penalty they were given back in the 80′s. Miner Niner Miner Niner, Excellent points! Jones recruited fairly well in the past, but he has

picked it up significantly at SMU. Granted his offense attracts skill positions players, but they are getting good players across the board. There is a new twist to the 2011 and 2012 classes. Despite the talent in the Dallas Metroplex and within the state, the Ponies under Jones are now recruiting more on a national level for quality high school players. Last year’s 2011 recruiting class was as you say near the top of the conference. However, it was somewhat of a surprise when Jones signed ten out-of-state players, six from California and four from Louisiana. This year’s SMU class is off to a tremendous start with a class featuring #25 ranked receiver and four star recruit Gabriel Marks (CA). Again, they’ve done well out-of-state with seven of their twelve commitments from Louisiana, California, Mississippi and Florida. UTEP66 I’m not going to start assuming that SMU is crooked again and engaging in illegal recruiting practices because I do feel that they learned their lesson. I do think that all of their recruits are coming in from a combination of SMU hustling after students, the notoriety June Jones brings and the constant mention about the positive development of the Mustangs since Jones arrived in major media outlets like ESPN, CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated. Not to mention they have been winning. That always helps. Chris Avila

Make sure to send your thoughts to our email (show@minerillustrated.com) because you never know when you might get rewarded for speaking your mind!

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

3 by the NUMBERS 169

The number of career victories Mike Price has had as head coach. Entering his 30th year as head coach, Price holds a 169-167 winloss record. 103 of those wins have been at home while the remaining 66 have been at away or neutral sites. Of those 169 wins, 40 have come during his tenure at UTEP. Since becoming the Miners’ head coach in 2004, Price has had two 8-4 seasons (2004, 2005), a 6-7 season (2010), two 5-7 seasons (2006, 2008), and two 4-8 seasons (2007, 2009). Prior to coming to UTEP, Price was the head coach at Washington State for 14 seasons (1989-2002). Price’s record while at Washington State stands at 73 wins and 78 losses. During his tenure at Weber State, where he was for his first eight seasons as a head coach, Price held a win-loss record of 4644. Price has also had eight bowl appearances during his extensive head coach career. Three of those appearances have been while with the Miners: Houston (loss to Colorado 33-28) in 2004, GMAC

(loss to Toledo 45-13) in 2005, and the New Mexico bowl (loss to BYU 52-24) last season.

4-3

The Miners’ win-loss record for UTEP’s season opener since Price’s arrival for the 2004 season. Over the past seven seasons, UTEP has beat New Mexico State, San Diego State, New Mexico and Arkansas Pine Bluff in its season opening games. The team’s largest season opener victory during Price’s tenure was over Arkansas Pine Bluff last season, where the Miners won by a 21 point margin (31-10). On the flip side, the Miners have lost to Arizona State once and Buffalo twice over the past seven years. The Miners worse loss was their trampling by Arizona State back at the start of the 2004 season when UTEP was beat by a margin of 32 points (41-9). This year, the Miners will face Stony Brook on September 3rd, where the Miners hope to clinch their first victory of the 2011 season.

39,214

The number of rushing touchdowns Joe Barnyard amassed in the Miners’ game at Tulsa last season. Barnyard became the 23rd UTEP player to rush for three touchdowns in a single game. These three rushing touchdowns represent the team high for the 2010 season. In total, Barnyard had eight rushing touchdowns last season; another team high. Barnyard also had the season high in rushing yards with 623 yards in 109 plays, averaging 5.72 yards per play. His career high 155 yards came in the team’s final game of the season versus Tulsa. As this year’s top running back, Barnyard is looking to add to his already impressive stats.

The number of sacks defensive lineman Horace Miller tallied while in high school at Baltimore Dunbar High School in Baltimore, Maryland, giving him the state record in sacks. Along with 29 sacks, Miller also racked up 133 tackles his senior year and 90 his junior year. He was a member of the school’s squad that won the state championship three years in a row.

The number of fans in attendance during the UTEPNMSU game last season. This is the largest number of fans to attend a Miner home game last season. The Miners also had 30,029 fans in attendance for their season opener against Arkansas Pine Bluff, 29,765 for the Memphis home game, 28,955 versus Rice, 25,007 when they played Tulane and 23,127 in their final home game against SMU. Overall, UTEP averaged 29,349 fans per home game during the 2010 season. Though the Miners played in front of nearly 30,000 fans per home game, their biggest audience of the 2010 season was when they played at Arkansas, where the total attendance was a whopping 67,330 fans.

Senior running back Joe Banyard was all smiles during UTEPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Football Media Day as he proudly pointed to the UTEP logo on the football. Chr is Avila

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

1 1

BRUISINGBANYARD

Senior Leads Backfield SAL GUERRERO In life, all great actions transpire in due time. For senior running back Joe Banyard, the waiting game has run its course as he enters his final season of college football. Coming into his senior year, the expectation for success far outweighs any other considerations. Banyard, who is known as the workhorse on the team, has always had a reputation for diligence. Over the last few weeks, Banyard has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, making it tough for him to get into proper game shape. But being the strong-willed person he is, Banyard made his presence known everywhere in spite of his injury. At Camp Socorro, although he did not play in the end of the camp scrimmage, he could be seen on the sidelines encouraging his teammates. During one particular play, scat back Vernon Frazier broke off for 50-yard run on the defense. Banyard was the first teammate to run down the field and give praise to a player he competes with everyday in practice. This is just the kind of player Banyard has become on the football team. While injured, he did not sit around and watch the team workout. Banyard could always be seen on the exercise bike working out the better half of practice. If Banyard was not on the bike, he was running laps, alone, around the practice field. Thankfully, as of last Friday, Banyard rejoined his teammates and played in Saturday’s scrimmage, where he rushed ten times for 38 yards and a pair of touchdowns. “I feel like a kid at Christmas; just being out here and not taking the game for granted,” Banyard said. This is the humility Banyard carries with him on the field every day. He contributes his work ethic to his parents. “My dad played, and he instilled in me to keep that passion, and I’ve always had it,” Banyard said. “His passion led me to this path. I live his dream, and it helps me push through everything.” Coming from a town with just one high school and a population that could not match half the enrollment at UTEP, Banyard excelled in football garnering honorable mention 3A All-State defensive back as a senior. After graduating from Sweetwater High School, Banyard enrolled at TCU, where he began his career as a horn frog. Banyard spent no less than a year in Fort Worth before leaving school due to family issues. “My dad and my mom are the biggest influence in my life,” Banyard said. “Then it’s my brothers. They guide me to stay on the right path. I try and do everything for them.”

After leaving TCU, Banyard found his way to Eastern New Mexico University. He said being at ENMU was a big difference from playing Division 1 football and so he decided to take his talents elsewhere. And thus began the UTEP-era for Banyard and the building of his reputation as the hardest workingman on campus. “We didn’t really know who he was when we first looked at him,” running backs coach Jeff Banks said. “We did a background check on him from Sweetwater High school and TCU. We spoke to all his old coaches and they bragged about how good of a kid he was.” “At TCU, he was about to make the travel squad but his personal issues got in the way,” Banks said. “We picked him up a little after that and since then he has been a model student-athlete at UTEP.” It is no surprise to either the coaches or teammates that Banyard is that player that many on the team look up to. “He has grown so much as a leader, a running back and just overall as a football player,” senior wide receiver Julio Lopez said. “His work ethic is second to none; that guy works his butt off.” Lopez, just like Banyard, began his career with I-10 rival New Mexico State before transferring back home to El Paso to play for UTEP. Since their arrival, Banyard and Lopez have worked together on and off the field to get acquainted with Head Coach Mike Price’s football style and learn the playbook. “We came in at the same time, and right off the bat, we became good friends,” Lopez said. “He sat out a year and all I can remember was the coaches saying how much of an impact he was making on the scout team.” Besides coming in together at UTEP, Banyard has become one of Lopez’s closest friends on the team. So close in fact, the running back will be one of Lopez’s groomsman when he ties the knot next March. “He [Banyard] is always focused off the field, and he lets everyone know when we’re doing wrong,” Lopez said. “He’s just one of those guys that keep you under his wing no matter what side of the ball you’re on.” Banyard’s junior season was his coming out party when he replaced the Miners’ best tailback Donald Buckram, who went down with an ankle injury at the beginning of the season. Never one to shutter at a chance to take the reins, Banyard put the running game on his shoulders and carried the ball 109 times during the regular season. Banyard managed to rack up 623 yards and eight touchdowns, even with an offensive line that lost all five starters at one time or another during the 2010 campaign.

1 2

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

“He is one of those guys that has gotten the respect that he has earned,” Banks said about his leadership role. “I think people have seen how hard he has worked, especially the way he played last season when our leader Buckram went down.” In the first five games of last season, Banyard managed to rack up 330 yards on the ground on with five touchdowns on just 64 carries, averaging roughly five yards a carry. During the season opener, Banyard racked up 94 yards, his second highest total on the year. But his biggest game of season was against Tulsa, where Banyard rushed for 155 yards on 20 carries, accounting for all three of the Miners’ offensive touchdowns. Unfortunately, UTEP lost to the Golden Hurricane, and subsequently, Banyard would only see two carries in the bowl game against BYU. “My expectations for him are the same for all the running backs,” Banks said. “I just want him to be as productive as possible. He’s coming off 100 or something yards at Tulsa and playing in the bowl game. He’s going to use that experience and have a great season.” There is no telling how Banyard will fare this year, or if he will see significant playing time with a stable of backs standing right behind him. He will split time with Vernon Frazier throughout the season, but as of right now the coaching staff has Banyard as the No. 1 running back in the depth chart. “I have the toughest job because I have four talented running backs and two other freshmen that are going to be good in the future,” Banks said. “I am excited to see how he is going to start the season because of how hard he has worked.” Banks said there is no doubt that the younger players look up to him because of how productive he is on and off the field. Longtime friend and teammate senior defensive lineman Bernard Obi said Banyard is just one of those guys who takes control of teams. Obi also spoke about Banyard’s willingness to speak out. He said Banyard talks a lot, but he backs everything up on the field. One such instance was at camp earlier this month. Banyard was on the sideline observing the second team offense play against the scout team defense. During the play, running back Nathan Jeffery was handed the ball and

scampered to the sideline attempting to avoid the oncoming defenders. Linebacker DeAndre Little recognized the sweep and met Jeffery head-on. Immediately after the play, Little shouted obscenities towards the offense. Not a single person on the offense responded vocally, but Banyard being they type of player he is, stood up and yelled right back. “It was Little and Banyard, of course,” an athletic trainer said to one of his colleagues. Unfortunately, this is the reputation the senior running back has built; a no-holds-barred type of player, who is not afraid to put an underclassman in his place as long as his actions are warranted. “How he prepares in the film room, training room and in the weight room; I think he is a great model for the younger kids,” Banks said. “There is no doubt they watch him and follow.” Off the field and in the classroom, the players look to Banyard for guidance. He can always be seen around the UTEP campus with other players around him. People just gravitate towards him in that way; even professors who do not think too kindly of athletes give the senior praise for his intelligence and willingness to speak his mind. Only time will tell what’s in store for this fifth year senior from Sweetwater, Texas. Banyard has 12 games to prove who he is to the city of El Paso and the 20,000 plus students who have only seen glimmers of how great he can be. With expectations riding on his shoulders, Banyard’s final season at UTEP could be a bitter one, or as some are predicting, it can have the makings of something great for Banyard.

“My dad and my mom are the biggest influence in my life,” Banyard said. “Then it’s my brothers. They guided me to stay on the right path. I try and do everything for them that I do for myself.”

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not your average Cincinnati District watering hole.

Outdoor patio with an upscale atmosphere.

Lounge and Patio

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

1 4

MENACING MILLER: LouisvilleTransferSetOn MakingImpactwithUTEP

CHRIS AVILA

A feeling of comfort is not something that immediately comes to mind when you think about football. Comfort is usually associated with relaxing while sitting on a couch or being content with a situation at hand. Football, a game where violence is king, isn’t what most would call comfortable. Players deal with the bumps, bruises and injuries that many would complain about at a moment’s notice. Coaches incessantly devise ways of outsmarting their opponents through combinations of preparatory practices and constant rotation of plays during actual games. This is not a sense of comfort. In football, hours upon hours are spent working toward a perceived comfort level, and when it’s reached, a new level is defined. There is never time to feel comfortable due to the constant race to be better. Maybe it’s ironic then that for Horace Miller the game of football has become an arena where he has found comfort amongst the chaos, and it’s when that certain comfort level is achieved that Miller excels beyond a coach’s wildest dream. For Miller, his quest to find the right combination of people that offer this comfort is what brought him to El Paso. Miller’s journey in sports wasn’t always rooted in football. For that matter, he wasn’t ever really that interested in sports. The Baltimore, Maryland native didn’t actually start playing sports until he was in middle school. Miller’s first sports as a child were in the martial arts realm. “Really, at a young age, I wasn’t into sports at all,” Miller recounted. “I was more of a bookworm to tell you the truth. The first sports I got into when I was a kid were tae-kwondo and martial arts, and I practiced that for 5 to 6 years. I did tae-kwon-do then I got into karate and then I got into kickboxing. A normal person might think that they are all the same, but they were all totally different.” It may be hard to believe, but Miller had never heard of or played football before high school. Miller had found a certain comfort in martial arts and kickboxing that for him there was never a desire or a notion of any other sport. But after watching an NFL game on television, Miller was hooked. “The first time I ever saw the game of football, I was thirteen,” Miller said. “It was the first time I ever saw it; I had always heard about [football], but I never watched it. I remember watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing and thinking, ‘This looks really fun.’”

After watching NFL games, Miller venture onto the football field during his freshman year of high school. On his first day of football practice, Miller was uncomfortable with what was going on around him. Others who had played Pee Wee football had a leg up on him. Comfort was an definite issue at first. “I didn’t know there was Pop Warner football or that there was football for little kids. On the first day of practice, I didn’t know what I was doing obviously. I was hitting everybody wrong, with my head down; it was horrible really,” Miller said. “I knew I was horrible from the beginning. A lot of people may think ‘nobody is going to go and put on pads and it be magical’ the first time out, but I just knew it felt right. Everything just clicked.” “Eventually, I progressed from there because I knew I really wanted to play football. I instantly liked the sport because of the contact, the mental and physical aspects to the game, everything from being in facilities like [UTEP’s Durham Center], seeing places, going and doing different things,” Miller said. Despite being slightly behind when he first started playing, there was something to the game of football that enticed Miller to continue. Through his dedication and work ethic, Miller was able to reach a level of comfort that allowed him to excel above and beyond his classmates. But in order to move forward, Miller had to first find comfort. In addition to having a coaching staff that believed in him, Miller also had a supportive mother; these factors helped Miller quickly became a standout player at Dunbar High School where he played defensive end and linebacker. During his time there, Miller played a key role in helping his school win 24 consecutive games and three straight state titles. During his junior season, Miller accounted for 17 sacks and set a state record with 29 sacks during his senior season. By the time his senior year was complete, Miller had been honored with several awards but none was more impressive than the ranking he received during a Nike combine. While many high school athletes might get nervous or jittery about competing for the top statistics, Miller once again found comfort in the situation he was in. “My friend Brian and I went to a combine at a Velocity (Sports Performance) Center; the thing was that my high school had had a chance to have some tutorial trainings there so I was already familiar with the place,” Miller said. “It was comfortable, so the two of us went there and just had fun.”

Sophomore def ensive end Horace Miller couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but chuckle during UTEPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Football Media Day. Chris Avila

HOME FURNISHINGS LIQUIDATION FACTORY CLOSEOUTS AND OVERSTOCKS

7pc.. Bedroom Sets from $490 Sectional Living Room Sets from $590 100% Leather Sofa Sets from $620 BRAND NEW MATTRESS SETS SEALY - SIMMONS - LADY AMERICANA Twin Sets - $99 Full Sets - $119 Queen Sets - $139 King Sets - $290

ASC Clearance Outlet Ft. Bliss

LIMITED SUPPLIES– FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE EXTRA DISCOUNTS ON DISPLAY PIECES CASH-VISA-M/C-DISCOVER-AMEX Delivery Available Call for more information: 915-588-5843 or 915-487-2800

International Airport

Visit us at 28-H Concord St, behind the airport by Ft. Bliss

NO SALES TAX IF YOU MENTION THIS AD

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

“When I was there, I found out that my numbers were towards the top, and I found out that [Nike] was going to take the top ten scorers to their facility in Oregon,” Miller recalled. “So I got really excited when I found out I was going to fly out to Oregon, and of course, I had never been out there before, and it was exciting.” “During the whole process, [the athletes] ended up bonding, and it became a matter of hanging out with friends at the time,” Miller said. “When it came time to perform at the combine, it was comfortable. I just needed to be the athlete that I was and excel.” Thanks to that level of comfort Miller had, he was ranked first in the nation at the Nike My Better competition and earned a SPARQ rating of 162. Any notion of uncertainty or awkwardness Miller had ever felt was long gone. As it is with any standout high school athlete, colleges quickly came knocking on Miller’s door. College coaches are constantly on the look for the next big player, and for Miller, the recruitment process wasn’t any different. Miller received letters and phone calls, listened to people talk to him about their school and had people watch film on him. Just like every other aspect of his life, the recruiting process was about finding a balance between a school and coach that he knew he could work with and finding an opportunity to showcase his talents on the field. UTEP defensive coordinator Andre Patterson, who was at UNLV at the time, immediately saw the potential in Miller and what he could bring to a team. “One day I received an email and usually I don’t respond to them, but I read the email and the thing was that he said he had 17 sacks in his junior year,” Patterson said. “It’s a pretty big number so I returned the email and from that point, we just started having a number of conversations through email and phone calls.” “He sent me some tape, and I had

a chance to watch him play his junior year; he was explosive and quick and just had a natural feel of how to rush the passer,” said Patterson. “Height-wise and size-wise, he was an undersized defensive end, but I kept telling him he had a gift, and it didn’t matter how big he was. I fell in love with him as a football player. Then as the recruiting process continued I got to know him as a person and was impressed.” The feeling was mutual for Miller. “[Patterson] was really the first person to show the most interest in me,” Miller said. “Things automatically clicked; the way he talked to me wasn’t so much pointed at recruiting but more like a father-son relationship where there was a comfort level. That’s why I originally committed to UNLV.” After being recruited to UNLV and giving a verbal commitment, a coaching change and opportunity to play immediately opened at Louisville when Larry Slade moved there from Tennessee. Miller chose to attend Louisville and during his freshman year was the only true freshman to see playing time in 11 games. Unfortunately, the Cardinals went 4-8 that season, which led to the dismissal of Head Coach Steve Kragthrope as well as all of his staff. When current Head Coach Charlie Strong was hired, there was some uneasiness in Miller and that led him to seek out Patterson. Because of the relationship that developed in high school, there was no question in Miller’s mind that Patterson was the coach he wanted to be with wherever he was coaching. Miller tracked him down to UTEP and looked for a way to join the team. “After leaving Louisville, I immediately found out where Coach Patterson was,” Miller said. “I wanted to be there because everything he said from how he coaches and how he treats his players was true. You aren’t below him. He just wants to teach you how to be a man and how to be a great football player, and I clearly see that now. [UTEP] is a really comfortable environment for me and that was the

1 7 most important thing I was looking for.” Miller’s time this season has been a fruitful one to say the least. NCAA transfer rules forced him to sit out of the 2010 season, and it was difficult for Miller to watch from the sidelines, but it afforded him an opportunity to learn the defensive system that Patterson was implementing and refine his talents on the field. This summer, Miller has been an effective tool by causing a number of problems for the offensive line. His uncanny ability to naturally time the snap count and understand the offensive plan has been a tremendous boost for Patterson’s defense. “He’s explosive; he’s fast and he has a natural feel as to how to rush the passer,” Patterson said. “I’ve always said that pass rushers are born, they’re not made. As a coach you can help a guy get a little better, but you can never make a guy a special pass rusher. It’s a special skill and he has that so it doesn’t matter if he’s rushing over a big old offensive tackle or if he is rushing over a guard, he has a feel and is able to put those guys in bad positions, and then he uses his speed to get to the quarterback.” These natural talents along with Miller’s ability to meld with his teammates has created a situation where Miller has found a new comfort level in El Paso. There was some initial shell shock when he first arrived into town. Some time needed to elapse before Miller found his groove again, which he did. In fact, his time during Camp Socorro was so productive that there was a certain part of him that didn’t want the camp to end because he was able to focus on only football while the team was there. When the team returned home to El Paso, there was no longer any worry about his surroundings or any level of discomfort. Miller appears to be at home in El Paso as he works closely with Patterson every day. Miller has found his comfort level with the Miners, which can only mean fans are sure to see something special when he takes to the field on Saturdays.

1 8

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

STONY BROOK Game One JOSH PUGA To kick off the 2011 season, the Stony Brook Seawolves come to the Sun Bowl on September 3rd. Stony Brook University is located about 65 miles east of New York City. For those counting, the Seawolves will travel almost 2,300 miles to El Paso for their first game. Leading the charge for the Seawolves is Head Coach Chuck Priore, who enters his sixth season and has compiled a 2827 record while at Stony Brook. Priore led the team to a 6-5 record in the 2010 season as co-conference champions in the Big South. His team is returning 19 starters and was selected to finish second in the Big South Conference. The run-first offense is led by a pair of 1,000 yard rushers, junior Miguel Maysonet and senior Brock Jackolski. Maysonet rushed for 1,128 yards with 12 rushing touchdowns, and Jackolski gained 1,029 yards with nine rushing touchdowns. Both were selected 1st team All-Conference and provide an effective one-two punch on the offense. At quarterback, the Seawolves are led by senior Michael Coulter. The

michaelCOULTER

Defense Top tackler (with amount): Arin West & Craig Richardson with 85 tacklers Team yards allowed (average): 349.6 Team points allowed (average): 25.6

Junior Running back Miguel Maysonet Stony Brook Athletics

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): June Jones (4th season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 7-7 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 21 pts UAB 28-7 Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 25 pts Houston 20-45 Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Zach Line 1494 yards Leader passer (with yards): Kyle Padron 3828 yards Most TDs (with amount): Aldrick Robinson 14 TDs Team points made (average for 2010 season): 25.7 Team yards gained (average for 2010 season): 414.6 Defense Top tackler (with amount): Taylor Reed 145 Team yards allowed (average for 2010 season): 352.9 Team points allowed (average for 2010 season): 25.6

Junior running back Zach Line SMU Athletics

2 1

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

SMU Game Two UTEP66 September 14th the Miners travel to Dallas to face the always tough SMU Mustangs. Head Coach June Jones sports a 92-64 career record. SMU was 7-7 last year and ended their season with a disappointing loss to Army (16-14) in the Armed Forces Bowl. Jones is looking for his league-high 18 returning starters and second ranked C-USA defense to provide impetus for a winning record. Despite their talent, SMU faces a demanding schedule, featuring a home game against Navy combined with a very difficult road schedule that includes Texas A&M, TCU, Houston, Tulsa and Southern Mississippi. Still, the Mustangs are a strong team and are predicted to be a conference title contender. Offensively, the team has a wealth of riches led by offensive linemen: Kevin Beachum, Blake Junkin and J. T. Brooks. At the skilled positions, the Mustangs are talented in every area. Pre-season Davy O’Brien award nominee quarterback Kyle Padron threw for 3,828 yards last year with 31 touchdown passes; he has an arsenal of talent returning. Back is All

Weak side linebacker Ja’Gared Davis is a player all coaches have to pay attention to. Davis’ presence was felt early on in his freshman year. In only five starts, Davis had 51 tackles, quickly establishing himself as a player to be dealt with. Last season, Davis had 90 tackles, including 62 solo tackles, 16 tackles for losses and nine sacks. Davis is a play maker. Make a mistake and he will make you pay. The key notes of Davis’ game are his speed, intimidation and bone-jarring tackles. Any quarterback facing the Mustangs will have to deal with his speed and big play ability. Last year, Davis returned a fumble and a blocked a kick to

C-USA running back Zack Line, 2nd Team All C-USA wide receiver Cole Beasely and Darius Johnson. The Mustangs have the potential to be a high scoring offense due to an outstanding passing game, an all C-USA running back, and a highly mobile quarterback. Stopping the Mustangs’ run and shoot attack will be difficult. Historically, Head Coach Mike has done a good job defensively against Jones-coached teams. Jones will test the Miners secondary often. SMU will not forsake the run with an outstanding running back like Line. Defensively, there is no magic formula. The Miners will need to keep everything underneath, contain the mobile Padron in the pocket, mount a sound pass rush and hope to create a couple of turnovers. The heart and soul of the Mustangs is their defensive front seven. Despite losing Youri Yenga, the Mustangs’ 3-4-4 defense is still very potent. They are led by a pair of All C-USA performers, defensive end Taylor Thompson and linebacker Ja’Gared Davis. Add in 2nd Team All C-USA defensive back Chris Banjo, defensive end Margus Hunt, linebacker Taylor Reed and defensive back Richard Crawford, and

SMU has the foundation of a formable defense. SMU also has a force on special teams in Margus Hunt, who has blocked ten kicks in his career. Offensively, this is a very tough challenge for the Miners. The Miners’ new starting offensive line must open some creases for Joe Banyard and the running game in order to avoid long third down situations. Running the ball and controlling the clock are an absolute must. Linebacker Davis is potentially a disruptive force and must be accounted for. In passing situations, the two big defensive ends, Thompson and Hunt, will have to be controlled to give Miner quarterback Nick Lamaison time to throw. SMU is vulnerable in the secondary. If Lamaison gets some time, Donovan Kemp, Lavorick Williams or Cliff Tucker may have a shot to beat the secondary deep. If the Miners can run the ball reasonably well, they have a chance for the upset. The young Miners will be an underdog against one of C-USA’s best teams. These two teams have a strong rivalry, and the Miners will have a strong contingent of howling Dallas-based Miner fans to ensure a close and competitive game.

ja’garedDAVIS the house. Pre-season allocates are already rolling in for Davis, including a Dave Campbell Texas Football 1st team All-Texas College linebacker nod, and an All C-USA and Lombardi Rotary Award watch list nomination. Davis has worked hard to get to this level. Blessed with little other than speed when he arrived on campus, Davis has used the weight room and film room to gain a competitive edge.

Photo: SMU Athletics

2 2

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

NEW MEXICO STATE Game Three

GUS CONTRERAS

Head coach DeWayne Walker, who is heading into his third season at NMSU, is looking for his first winning season since taking over the program. Walker is looking for some consistency from his underperforming offense that only managed to average 15 points, 296 offensive yards, and 167 receiving yards per game last season. Needless to say, the Aggies had a difficult outing in their 2010 season, finishing with a 2-10 record. NMSU once again faces a difficult nonconference schedule, which includes the likes of: Ohio, Minnesota, Georgia and BYU. One bright spot for the Aggies this season is that they play UTEP in Aggie Memorial Stadium. The Aggies struggled in 2010 against the Miners losing 42-10. NMSU will need to work on getting more first downs against UTEP; an area where they struggled last year, getting only 16 first downs compared to UTEP’s 25. Another key area of the game for the Aggies will be stopping the Miners’ rushing attack of Joe Banyard and Vernon Frazier. NMSU found it difficult to stop the rush last year,

allowing 254 rushing yards. Still, having a difficult schedule might just give the players, particularly starting quarterback Andrea Manley, the experience they need. It will be up to Manley to improve on the Aggies’ 99th nationally ranked passing offense. Manley started the final three games for NMSU when senior quarterback Matt Christian was sidelined. Manley, who threw for a season-high 220 yards against Nevada, is seen as a bright prospect for the Aggies’ struggling offense. The Aggies are returning leading rusher junior Kenny Turner, who rushed for 461 yards and two touchdowns in 2010. Turner played in ten of the Aggies’ games before a season-ending knee injury forced him to the sideline. He will need to score more rushing touchdowns if NMSU wants success this season. One of the pitfalls of the Aggies’ squad has been their defense. The Aggies will need to improve on their conference low average, allowing 39 points per game. The Aggies best defensive player is senior strong safety Donyae Coleman. Coleman led the Aggies with 7.7 tackles a game, tying him for the sixth highest

in the WAC; he also had 47 solo tackles. NMSU will need his strong presence in the backfield if they want success in their match-up with the Miners. Another key defensive player for NMSU is junior linebacker BJ Adolpho. Adolpho played in all 12 of the Aggies’ games last season, averaging 6.4 tackles a game. He isn’t the biggest linebacker at only 5-feet 11-inches , but Adolpho can certainly move around and stop plays. Against Louisiana Tech last year, Adolpho recorded a season high of 13 tackles. Ultimately, the Aggies face an uphill battle with a difficult schedule and an inexperienced team. They will need to work hard and mature quickly if they are to improve. With the help of Manley, they might have a chance to upset some team, but this will also be dependent upon good playing by the offensive line. The defense will probably have another tough season, yet if they can somehow limit their opponents on offense, the defense may give the team a chance to win some games. Unfortunate for the Aggies, the Battle for I-10 is not going to be one of those games.

andrewMANLEY

Sophomore quarterback Andrew Manley is the projected starter for the Aggies this season and played last season as a true freshman. He played in five games, including starting the last three games for the injured starting quarterback Matt Christian. In his first career start versus LA Tech, Manley went 20-40, passing for 216 yards through the air. Against Nevada, Manley threw for a season-high 220 yards going 19 out of 32, along with that he earned his season-high completion of 44-yards. In his final outing versus Hawaii, Manley wasn’t as fortunate. Manley was only able to throw for 135 yards while completing only 20 out of 35 passes. Going into Manley’s sophomore

season, the Aggies will rely on the young quarterback to guide his team through the air and manage the games. Manley showed some promise when he entered the game against in-state rivals New Mexico and went 2-2 in the closing minutes to set up his team to hit a game winning field goal. NMSU has a difficult non-conference schedule, which will mean that Manley will need to grow up fast and adapt to his new environment as the starting quarterback. If Manley can contribute to the team early on, there may be a couple more wins this season.

Photo: NMSU Athletics

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): DeWayne Walker (3rd season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 2-10 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): San Jose St 29-27 & New Mexico 16-14 Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 59-0 Boise State University Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Kenny Turner 461 yards Leader passer (with yards): Matt Christian 1,372 yards Top TDs (with amount): Marcus Allen, Todd Lee & Seth Smith 3 TDs Team points made (average): 15.7 Team yards gained (average): 296.5 Defense Top tackler (with amount): Donyae Coleman 92 tacklers Team yards allowed (average): 453.3 Team points allowed (average): 39.5

Junior running back Kenny Tur ner John Rieger/US PRESSWIRE

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): Skip Holtz (2nd season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 8-5 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 59-14 vs. Stony Brook Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 38-14 vs. University of Florida Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Moise Plancher 793 yards Leader passer (with yards): B.J. Daniels 1,685 yards Top TDs (with amount): Dontavia Bogan & Demetri Murray, 6 TDs Team points made (average): 24.1 Team yards gained (average): 309.4 Defense Top tackler (with amount): Jacqu Williams 71 tackles Team yards allowed (average): 317.8 Team points allowed (average): 20.0

Junior quarterback B.J. Daniels USF Athletics

2 5

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

SOUTH FLORIDA Game Four JOSH PUGA In what will be the toughest nonconference game of the season, the Miners will make their way to Tampa, Florida to face the South Florida Bulls on September 24th in the first meeting between these two schools. Second-year Head Coach Skip Holtz leads the Bulls and is looking to improve on last year’s 8-5 record. Holtz is familiar with UTEP having coached at East Carolina University for five seasons (2005-2009). After his first successful season at the helm, Holtz has his sights set on winning a Big East title. Although he is only returning ten starters, the cupboard is not bare as USF looks to return to a seventh straight post-season appearance. If USF wants to contend for a title, junior quarterback B.J. Daniels will need to have a big year. Daniels struggled to find consistency in the passing game, throwing for 1,685 yards with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In the backfield, the Bulls return their second leading rusher junior Demetrius Murray, who rushed for 542 yards and four rushing touchdowns. One player to

keep an eye is Colorado transfer junior running back Darrell Scott. Scott is a physically imposing back with the ability to make defenders miss. On the receiving end, Daniels will rely on junior Evan Landri to take over as the number one option in the passing game. Landri is a big target for Daniels and looks to improve on his numbers from last season (28 receptions for 390 yards). One area of concern is the offensive line, which returns only two starters; senior guard Jeremiah Warren and junior guard Chaz Hine are looking to anchor the line. Warren and Hine are extremely dependable, having both started all 13 games last season. Defensively, the Bulls return six starters, but will have to replace three NFL draft picks. Even with key losses, the defense is in good shape. The Bulls run an aggressive 4-3 defense dedicated to stopping the run, allowing only 3.5 yards per carry to opposing offenses last season. Leading the way are linebackers Sam Barrington and Devekeyan “DeDe”, who may be the best linebacker duo in the Big East. Barrington is a great all-around

player that attacks the line of scrimmage and can also provide help in the coverage. After a great freshman season, Lattimore is looking to improve on his numbers. Up front on the defensive line, junior nose tackle Cory Grissom returns to assist the defense by plugging up the running lanes. Against the pass, the Bulls will have the luxury of having four defensive backs with starting experience. The backs are led by junior cornerback Quenton Washington, who is USF’s top corner. Having to replace three starters on the offensive line is no easy task, and that is what the Bulls face this season. If the Miners’ defensive line and linebackers can slow down the running game, it could be an interesting game. Daniels is at his best when the offense has some balance; if UTEP’s defense can force USF to become one-dimensional, they may keep the game close. Still, USF will be a huge challenge for the UTEP. The Bulls are the more talented team with a tough defense. The Miners will need to be firing on all cylinders to pull off this huge upset.

samBARRINGTON

At the heart of the USF defense is junior linebacker Sam Barrington. At USF, Barrington played 13 games (starting one) as a true freshman and was named to the All-Big East Freshman team by ESPN.com. Last season, Barrington started 11 games and was third on the team in tackles (65), while also adding 6.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Barrington had a nice spring and added ten pounds of muscle to his frame to give him more strength to defend the run while keeping his quickness to assist in pass coverage. Barrington has great leadership abilities and is looking forward to his role as

the quarterback of the defense. He understands his role on the team and should be a great example to the younger players coming into the fold this season. The Big-East Defensive Player of the Year candidate was selected to the Pre=season All-Big East Team (3rd Team) by Phil Steel’s College Football Preview and is looking to have a big year for the Bulls as they contend for a Big East title.

Photo: USF Athletics

2 6

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

HOUSTON Game Five ANGEL LUNA After last season’s debacle, the Miners are hoping for a do-over against Houston in 2011. The Cougars finished with a 5-7 record in 2010 and did not play in a bowl for the first time in Head Coach Kevin Sumlin’s era. It’s safe to say that the main reason for Houston’s misfortune was the loss of senior quarterback Case Keenum. Fortunate for the Cougars, Keenum was granted another year of eligibility and is back with high expectations. The Cougar are projected to be contenders for the C-USA Championship. Like many other teams in C-USA, Houston has a lot of firepower, especially on the passing game with Keenum at center. Due to Keenum’s absence, the Cougars were forced to rely on the run game more than in years before. Senior running backs Bryce Beal and Michael Hayes responded by combining for 1,499 yards and 20 touchdowns. Both return this season and will have help from sophomore Charles Sims, who led the team with 698 yards and nine touchdowns in 2009.

After a season-ending injury against UCLA last season, senior quarterback Case Keenum is back with high expectations. It’s not certain yet whether the injury will affect his play on the field this year, but Keenum has shown what he can do in the pass, leading the nation in total offense as a sophomore and junior. Keenum represents leadership, consistency and is a proven winner. If Keenum remains healthy, he could be a Heisman Trophy candidate and should have a chance to break multiple NCAA records. Keenum joined Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell as the only players in NCAA Division I history to record multiple 5,000-yard passing seasons.

Still, some key loses on the offense are wide receiver Kierrie Johnson, wide receiver James Cleveland, offensive guard Isaiah Thompson, center Jordan Shoemaker and offensive tackle Roy Watt. Like UTEP, the Cougars will have a revamped offensive line. Senior center Chris Thompson and junior left tackle Jacolby Ashworth are the only returning starters. The Houston Cougars will look at a young group of players, including sophomore Ty Cloud, redshirt freshman Bryce Redman and sophomore Ralph Oragwu, to fill the other three slots on the offensive line. On the other hand, if Houston wants to squeeze into the bowl season, it’s their defense they needs to improve. The Cougars were ranked 103rd nationally in total defense. Houston’s defense allowed 32.2 points per game, 208.7 rushing yards per game, and 224.1 passing yards per game. Though the Cougars return seven starting defensive players, this year’s edition seems to have the same glitches as last year’s defense, plus an unproven secondary. Second year defensive coordinator Brian Stewart brought in

some JUCO’s defensive backs to fill the holes in the secondary while a trio of JUCO defensive tackles (Dominic Smith, Lloyd Allen and Everett Daniel) may provide much needed help to plug the holes in the pass defense. If the Cougars show some significant improvement in their defense, this year’s edition could be BCS bound. The Cougars have a favorable schedule this season. They don’t play Southern Miss or UCF and their toughest games are at home. In contrast, UTEP will play Houston after three tough road games. Last season, Houston rolled over UTEP 54-24. UTEP’s lost was due to a poor defense, inadequate offensive play calls and too many penalties. With Head Coach Mike Price calling the offense and starting quarterback Nick Lamaison at the helm, the Miners will have a pretty good shot to avenge last season’s loss. This year, the Miners should be able to move the ball throughout the game with a good passing and running attack. Coach Patterson’s defense has to attack, close the running lanes, and get pressure on Keenum if the Miners expect to win this match up.

caseKEENUM

In 2008, Keenum threw for a then career-high 480 yards on 41-of-51 passing and three touchdowns and rushed for two more touchdowns in the Cougars’ comefrom-behind win against UTEP. In 2009, Keenum threw for 536 yards and five touchdowns on 51-of-76 against UTEP and became only the fourth player in school history to throw for at least 500 yards in a game. UTEP must get some pressure on Keenum and keep his ability to extend plays to a minimum; if not, Keenum will have another monster game against the Miners. Photo: Houston Athletics

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): Kevin Sumlin (4th season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 5-7 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 40 points 68-28 vs. Texas St. Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 24-47 vs. Mississippi St. Offense Leading rusher (with yards):Bryce Beall 870 yards Leader passer (with yards): David Piland 2,641 Most TDs (with amount): WR Patrick Edwards 14 TDs

Team points made (average for 2010 season): 37.6 Team yards gained (average for 2010 season): 480.5 Defense Top tackler (with amount): LB Marcus McGraw 110 tackles Team yards allowed (average for 2010 season): 432.8 yards

Senior running back Bryce Beall Houston Athletics

Team points allowed (average for 2010 season): 32.2

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): Bob Toledo (5th year) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 4-8 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): UTEP 34-24 Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): UCF 14-61 Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Orleans Darkwe 925 Leader passer (with yards): Ryan Griffin 2371 yards Most TDs (with amount): Orleans Darkwe 11 Team points made (average for 2010 season): 24.9 Team yards gained (average for 2010 season): 373.2 Defense Top tackler (with amount): Trent Mackey 124 Team yards allowed (average for 2010 season): 390.1 Team points allowed (average for 2010 season): 37.2

Junior quarterback Ryan Griffin Der ick E. Hingle/ US Presswire

2 9

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

TULANE Game Six UTEP66 The Miners travel to the Crescent City to face off against Bob Toledo and the Tulane Green Wave on October 15th. Coach Toledo (76-97) will have 14 returning starters in this match-up. Tulane finished last season at 4-8 and is looking for their third consecutive year of improvement. Tulane’s west conference schedule is tough, but they will enjoy a favorable out of conference schedule as well as a crossover conference schedule with two winnable games versus Memphis and UAB. Offensively, Tulane is led by quarterback Ryan Griffin and sophomore running back Orleans Darkwa. Last year, Griffin was hampered by injuries; yet he still threw for 2,371 yards with 14 touchdowns and only eight picks. If Griffin can stay healthy, expect improved numbers this year. Last year behind a powerful offensive line, Darkwa rushed for 954 yards with eleven touchdowns. Tulane lost four of their top five wide outs retaining only Ryan Grant, the top returnee with 33 receptions and four touchdowns. Former

Ryan Griffin is your prototypical-size pro quarterback at 6-feet 5-inches and 215 pounds. Last year, Griffin had minimal arm strength late in the season due to several injuries. An injured wrist versus UCF and an injured shoulder against Rice led to a season that, while good, could have been excellent. Last season, Griffin threw for over 2300 yards with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions. This year, the junior quarterback is injury-free and is expected to have a much improved season. Griffin has the arm to make all the throws needed to have a breakout season. Tulane’s hopes for a winning season, and a bowl game, rest squarely on Griffin’s ability to generate an improved passing

quarterback Joe Kemp will line up as a starter this year. Tulane lost two key offensive linemen: Peter Hendrickson and Andrew Nierman. Returning starters Zach Morgan, Harris Howard and Eric Jones lead the way with six other experienced players vying for the two remaining starting spots. Unlike the young Miner line, Tulane will field a strong offensive line. Tulane will try a lot of heavy packages, to utilize the punishing Darkawa. The Miners won’t be able to simply arm tackle Darkawa; they will have to tackle well to keep the Tulane chains from moving down the field. Defensively the Miners must have a big game from their front seven. The Miners secondary matches up well against the Green Wave receivers. A big defensive game from the Miners will go a long way towards a road win. Despite losing defensive tackle Justin Adams, Tulane may have their best defensive line since 2007. Defensive ends Austin Jacks and Dezman Moses and defensive tackle Chris Asumnu are all seasoned veterans and will be tough for any offense front to handle.

Duke transfer Trent Mackey, lived up to his hype last year, leading Tulane with a 124 tackles. Mackey is not your prototype linebacker; he is a fast, hard hitting and sure tackler, who is all over the field. Darryl Farley and Dominique Robertson also return, giving Tulane a formidable trio at the linebacker position. Tulane may be vulnerable in the secondary, losing cornerback Phillip Davis and safety Alex Wacha. The two accounted for 130 tackles and five interceptions last season. This year the secondary will be led by cornerback Ryan Davis. Unless a surprise or two emerges, this may well be Tulane’s Achilles’ heel. Offensively, the Miners may find the battle in the trenches tough going against the Tulane defensive front. The Miners shouldn’t abandon the running game, but they may find the airways easier against a mediocre secondary. If Lamaison can get some time in the pocket, he should have a big game. Tulane is projected as the home favorite, but with a stout defensive effort and a good offense game, the Miners have an excellent opportunity to chuck up the win.

ryanGRIFFIN

attack to augment the Green Wave’s solid running game. This spring Griffin came in with a great attitude, worked hard and displayed excellent leadership. This June, the Green Wave added a new quarterback coach, Rickey Bustle, who was brought in to help elevate the teams’ passing game. Bustle is known for his ability to work with drop back quarterbacks and high scoring offenses. This summer, Bustle and Griffin developed a solid rapport, which will help the with Griffin’s passing game. Containing Griffin will go a long way in helping the Miners win on the road. Photo: Derick E. Hingle/ US Presswire

3 0

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

COLORADO STATE

Game Seven

JOSH PUGA

To close out the non-conference portion of the schedule, the Miners face off against former WAC rival Colorado State University on October 22nd. The last meeting between these two teams was in 1998 with the Rams defeated the Miners 20-17. CSU is coming off of backto-back 3-9 records and is looking to turn things around in 2011. The Rams head coach and alumnus Steve Fairchild enters his fourth season with a 13-24 record. In his first season (2008) at the helm, he directed the Rams to a 7-6 record. Unfortunately, the Rams have struggled the last two seasons. Similar to the Miners last season, the Rams have some winnable games in their first five games of the season. As the only true freshman in the country to start every single game in 2010, sophomore quarterback Pete Thomas looks to get the Rams back on track. He passed for 2,662 yards with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season. As an added bonus, Thomas will have four starters returning on the offensive line, including All-MWC tackle

If the Rams want to return to a bowl game, quarterback Pete Thomas will have to lead the way. Thomas is your prototypical pocket passer with great size and arm strength. Coach Fairchild and his staff have little doubt that Thomas will be playing on Sundays in the NFL after he leaves Colorado St. After enrolling at CSU, Thomas was handed the offense, and while the team struggled, the Rams found their quarterback of the future. In his first game for the Rams, Thomas became the program’s third youngest quarterback and only one of two true freshmen to start in an opening season game since 1945. Thomas was recently selected to Phil Steele’s 2011 Preseason All-MWC team

Paul Madsen leading the way. The quarterback position and offensive line may appear set, but there are some concerns from the skill positions after losing the team’s leading rusher and receiver to graduation. Hoping to fill the void in the backfield is senior Raymond Carter; the UCLA transfer rushed for 235 yards and scored one touchdown in eight games last season. At wide receiver, Thomas will lean heavily on junior wide out Lou Greenwood, who caught 34 passes for 474 yards and two touchdowns. Following a dismal 2010 defensive performance, Fairchild and defensive coordinator Larry Kerr are mixing up their base 4-3 defense with some 3-4 looks to emphasis on team speed. Leading the way on defense is none other than All-American candidate senior linebacker Mycal Sisson. Sisson finished second on the team in tackles with 95 stops and led the nation with seven forced fumbles. Also looking to make an impact at linebacker is sophomore Mike Orakpo, who played 12 games as a true freshman. The younger brother of Washington Redskin defensive end Brain Orakpo is

extremely physical and should be a nice complement to the team’s speedy group of linebackers. On the defensive line, CSU has a huge void to fill with the loss of nose tackle Guy Miller. Former defensive end junior Zach Tiedgen added 25 pounds this off-season to make the transition to tackle. The Rams are hoping Tiedgen will help solidify the run defense, which gave up almost 200 yards per game on the ground last season. Shifting to the secondary, CSU will need senior cornerback Elijah-Blu Smith and senior strong safety Ivory Herd to make a huge impact to improve the pass defense. With the inexperience facing the Miners on the offensive line, the Rams’ defensive line and linebackers could make life difficult up front for UTEP. Although the Rams are somewhat undersized, the Miners must account for the speed of the CSU defensive front seven. The Rams are looking to get back to a bowl game, and if they can get some early wins, this might be a tougher matchup than Miner fans may be expecting. Nonetheless, this should be an exciting game between two former rivals that could come down to the final drive.

peteTHOMAS

(4th Team). As he begins his second year, the Rams are hoping Thomas will improve on last season’s numbers, especially in the win column. If Thomas can continue his development, he has the potential to leave Fort Collins as one of the best quarterbacks in school’s history.

Photo: CSU Athletics

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): Steve Fairchild (15th season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 3-9 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 43-10 vs. UNLV Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 59-6 vs. University of Utah Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Leonard Mason 513 yards Leader passer (with yards): Pete Thomas 2,662 yards Top TDs (with amount): Leonard Mason 5 TDs Team points made (average): 16.5

Team yards gained (average): 334.8 yards Defense Top tackler (with amount): Ricky Brewer 107 tackles Team yards allowed (average): 423.8 yards Team points allowed (average): 34.7

Senior linebacker Mychal Sisson CSU Athletics

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): Larry Fedora (4th season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 8-5 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 68-28 vs. Texas St. Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 24-47 vs. Mississippi St. Offense Leading rusher (with yards): RB Kendrick Hardy 919 yards Leader passer (with yards): QB Austin Davis 3103 yards Most TDs (with amount): QB Austin Davis 11 TDs Team points made (average for 2010 season): 36.8 Team yards gained (average for 2010 season): 453.4 Defense Top tackler (with amount): LB Korey Williams 93 tackles Team yards allowed (average for 2010 season): 355.7 yards Team points allowed (average for 2010 season): 29.5 pts

Senior linebacker Korey Williams USM Athletics

3 3

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

SOUTHERN MISS

Game Eight

ANGEL LUNA

Coach Larry Fedora is in his fourth season at the helm of Southern Miss, where he holds a 22-17 record. The Golden Eagles finished 5-3 in C-USA last year. The 2011 edition of the Golden Eagles returns 14 starters with most of their best players back on both sides of the ball. If they play consistent football, Southern Miss could be the team to beat this year in C-USA. Senior quarterback Austin Davis will be under center once again. Davis is the main reason why the Golden Eagles are predicted to be one of the top teams in C-USA. Davis is a very athletic dual-threat quarterback, who finished last season with 3,103 yards and 20 touchdowns. Southern Miss also brings back their top two running backs in junior Desmond Johnson and sophomore Kendrick Hardy. Both have great balance with a nice combination of size and speed. Johnson was able to run for 611 yards and eight touchdowns. His counterpart, Hardy, ran for a team high 903 yards and seven touchdowns. If you add sophomore running back Bruce Johnson to the mix,

For the 2011 season, the Golden Eagles will have senior quarterback Austin Davis under center again. Davis has been named no.38 in the David O’Brien National Quarterback Award Pre-season Watch due his performance in prior seasons. Davis passed former Southern Miss quarterback Brett Favre as the all-time leader in touchdowns passes, throwing 53 after only three seasons. Davis also holds the record for completions and is about 299 yards short of Favre’s career 7,695 passing yards record. Davis is a nice fit in Coach Fedora’s spread offense thanks to his athleticism as a dual-threat quarterback. Davis finished last season with 278-of-442 for

Southern Miss should have one of the most explosive running games in C-USA. Last season, Southern Miss’ offensive line was ranked 24th nationally in sacks allowed. Junior guard Joe Duhon is their top player with senior left tackle Lamar Holmes and junior center Austin Qattrochi looking to make an impact. The Golden Eagles are going to have as many as three new starters so it’ll be interesting to see if they have the same performance this season. Still, Fedora’s spread offense will miss the presence of wide receivers DeAndre Brown and Johdrick Morris. Seniors Kelvin Bolden, Ryan Balentine and junior Quentin Pierce have the experience needed, but they are undersized. All three do have good speed and are capable of producing a big play after the catch, but they may struggle against bigger defensive backs. Defensively, Southern Miss struggled to keep opposing offenses from racking up big numbers. They return seven starters and hope that their new 4-2-5 scheme will help them improve upon last season’s outcome. The Golden Eagles have lost defensive linemen Anthony Gray and

John Henderson, but they return Cordarro Law, who led the team with six sacks. Law was the team’s best pass rusher; he had 48 tackles and 11 stops for loss last year. The team also returns talented junior defensive end Jamie Collins. Southern Miss will have a young and vulnerable secondary in senior Kendrick Presley, junior Marcal Robinsons and sophomores Deron Wilson and Alexander Walters. Wilson was one of the raising stars last year with three interceptions and 12 pass breakups. As a whole, the secondary struggled last year against the pass, and this season won’t be easy since most of the team’s cornerbacks are young and inexperienced. The Miners will need to focus on both sides of the ball in this game. They must attack the Golden Eagles’ secondary while keeping defensive ends Law and Collins under control. If the Miners allow quarterback Davis to move freely and fail to stop Southern Miss’ running game, it will be a long day for UTEP. In any case, this is going to be a tough game, but UTEP is playing at home with a chance at knocking off a Top 25 team.

austinDAVIS

3,103 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Davis also ran for 452 yards and added 10 more scores on the ground. Davis is six rushing touchdowns short of Reggie Collier’s mark of 26 rushing touchdowns by a Golden Eagle quarterback. Davis has shown that can beat any team with his arm or his running game. The Miners need to play good pass coverage and minimize Davis’s running ability while denying him to move freely in the pocket if they want to take this win from the Golden Eagles.

Photo: USM Athletics

3 4

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

RICE Game Nine UTEP66 The Miners travel to Houston November 5th to face the Rice Owls. Head Coach David Baliff leads the Owls to a key match-up. Baliff has a 19-30 record entering his fifth year at Rice. The Owls suffered a disappointing 4-8 campaign in 2010, which is Baliff’s third consecutive losing season. Offensively the past three seasons, Rice has evolved from a passing team to a run-orientated offense. Last season, Rice averaged 263 yards per game. This season, the Rice offense is loaded with nine returning starters and excellent potential. Last season, Taylor McHargue took over at quarterback in November, and the team responded by averaging over 40 points in their last four games. McHargue is a highly talented dual-threat quarter with quick feet and poise beyond his years All five backs return from Rice’s powerful rushing attack, led by Sam McGuffie. McGuffie is a 200-pounder with blinding speed and is an outstanding receiver. The Rice attack is always looking to find ways to get McGuffie in space.

Sam McGuffie is Rice’s most heralded recruit in recent memory. A high school All-American at Cy Fair High School, McGuffie had a star-studded career with over 5800 rushing yards and a whooping 83 touchdowns. A four-star recruit, McGuffie was ranked among the nation’s elite backs. His recruiting process was a media sensation and well chronicled, including a much ballyhooed signing. Signing day, he chose Michigan over Notre Dame, Florida, Texas A&N and Southern California, despite some misgivings. Lloyd Carr’s pro-style offense wasn’t necessarily the best fit for McGuffie’s skill set and despite being hampered

Make no mistake, Rice can and will run the ball effectively with five good backs. However, they can also throw the ball well. Vance McDonald and Taylor Cook lead the wide receivers; though Cook will lineup at tight end on occasions. McDonald is the Owls’ big play threat, averaging over 14 yards per catch. Guard Davon Allen and tackle Jake Hicks anchor the offensive line. Returning starters tackle Tyler Parish, center Keshawn Carrington, and Eric Ball round out the starting line. Overall, by most accounts, the offensive line was a little above average last year, but with four starters returning, this may be Baliff’s best offensive line in years. The Miners face a stiff challenge in containing the Rice running attack. Solid tackling is a must for the Miners. Over the years, the Miners have not fared well against mobile quarterbacks. McHargue and his quickness will be a problem. The secondary’s ability to provide running sport is another key component to a win. UTEP has a decent match up with the wide receivers, but if Rice uses two quality tight ends, it will pose serious match-up

issues. Some coaching changes brought an uptick in enthusiasm and energy this spring to Rice’s 4-3 defense. The much maligned defense is expected to show significant improvement this year Leading the linebacker corps is the Owls’ leading tacklers Corey Frazier and Trey Brigs. This year Rice adds Kyle Prater, a highly touted transfer from LSU. Last fall, Prater was a monster on the scout team and will significantly shore up the defense. Three starters from last year’s secondary return, including safety Travis Bradshaw, Phillip Gaines and Chris Jammer. Last year the secondary played a soft coverage and was vulnerable throughout the year. This spring, the Owls player much tighter defensively. The coaching changes and philosophical changes will make this a better unit this year. Given Rice’s ability to run the ball, it should be a low scoring contest. A Miner victory will be squarely on the shoulders of the defense. Even though this is a road game, it’s a winnable game for the Miners.

samMcGUFFIE by injuries (concussion), McGuffie still contributed 809 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. A desire to be closer to his Houston home necessitated a transfer, and was a huge gain for Rice. McGuffie’s initial season at Rice included 893 rushing yards, 39 receptions and nine touchdowns; he’s expected to improve on these numbers dramatically this season. It’s rare to see a 200-pound running back with legit 4.32 speed, the balance of a gymnast and the uncanny ability to cutback and change direction at top speed. Often McGuffie’s moves leave you with a loss for words. Photo: Rice Athletics

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): David Bailiff (5th year) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 4-8 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): East Carolina 62-38 Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): Tulsa 37-64 Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Sam McGuffie 883 yards Leader passer (with yards): Nick Fanuzzi 1681 yards Most TDs (with amount): Jeremy Eddington 10 TDs Team points made (average for 2010 season): 28.7

Team yards gained (average for 2010 season): 375.3 Defense Top tackler (with amount): Corey Frazier 83 Team yards allowed (average for 2010 season): 448.8 Team points allowed (average for 2010 season): 38.5

Senior defensive end Scott Solomon Rice Athletics

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): Ruffin McNeill (3rd season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 6-7 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 37-10 vs. Marshall Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 76-35 vs. NAVY Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Jon Williams 847 yards Leader passer (with yards): Dominique Davis 3,967 yards Top TDs (with amount): Lance Lewis 14 TDs Team points made (average): 36.8 Team yards gained (average): 437.6 yards Defense Top tackler (with amount): Dustin Lineback 119 tackles Team yards allowed (average): 478.8 yards Team points allowed (average): 44.0

Senior reciever Lance Lewis ECU Athletics

3 7

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

EAST CAROLINA Game Ten UTEP66 The Miners return to the the Sun Bowl to face off against the East Carolina Pirates on November 12th. Head Coach Ruffin McNeil is starting his second season and is looking to improve on last year’s 6-7 record. Last year, the Pirates had a potent offense, averaging 36.8 points and 437.6 total yards offense per game. Defensively, they were porous, surrendering 44 points and 478.8 yards per game. Offensively, the Pirates are led by senior quarterback Dominique Davis, who burst onto the C-USA scene last season, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards with 37 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Davis, who originally signed with BC, is poised to have another monster season for the Pirates. To help Davis on offense is returning senior wide receiver Lance Lewis, who caught 89 passes for 1,116 yards. Lewis is a big target, especially in the red zone; he too should have another stellar year. Additionally, Michael Bowman is a good possession receiver, who chipped in with 47 catches last year. Another receiver not to be overlooked is Justin Jones, who

hauled in 21 receptions last year. The Pirates lost three of their offensive line starters last year, so this year’s line will be anchored by center Dalton Fields and tackle Grant Harper. To sustain their potent offense, players like Dough Polochak, Jordon Davis and Will Simmons will have to step up and play well. After struggling last season, the Pirates ended up ranked last in total defense. Ruffin and his staff have moved from a base 4-3 defense to a more attacking 3-4 set. Though the defense returns six starters, the defensive line is a work in progress. One defensive lineman to keep an eye on is sophomore defensive end Matt Milner, who was a pleasant surprise last season racking up 47 tackles. This year, the Pirates must replace all three starting linebackers. Their hopes this year will be the addition of two players who missed last season due to injury: Joseph Blanks and Justin Dixon. Leading the charge on defense is senior cornerback Emanuel Davis. Davis is an exceptional cover corner and will have a great opportunity to play at the next level. Another key member of the secondary is

ball hawking, strong safety Bradley Jacobs. Unfortunately for the Pirates, despite the talent, it takes eleven players to have a solid defensive unit. While both the defensive line and linebackers are a work in progress, the change in defensive philosophy to 3-4 might be exactly what the doctor ordered. The Miners face the challenge of stopping one of the conference’s best passing combo’s in Davis and Lewis. The Pirates young offensive line will be pressured by the Miners’ depth and rotations in the defensive line and at linebacker. A decent pass rush and good secondary play will go a long way in determining the outcome. UTEP has the benefit of playing at home, and the Miners have the better defense. By November, the Miners should have their offense peaking with all the new pieces meshing. If the Miner ground game can wear down ECU, the Miners’ offense should be able to put points up. Undoubtedly, ECU will be favored, but the Miners have a good chance of pulling the upset before the home crowd.

dominiqueDAVIS

This year’s starting quarterback for the East Carolina Pirates is senior Dominique Davis, who made his debut with the team last season. As a junior, Davis set several single-season records, including touchdown passes (37), attempts (609), completions (393), passing yards (3,967) and passing yards per game (305.2). Davis’ touchdown passes were the sixth most in a year by a C-USA quarterback. Davis was also one of four quarterbacks at the FBS level to average over 300 passing yards per game last season. In C-USA contests, Davis completed 63.4 percent of passes for 2,415 yards and 27 touchdowns. With rushing

touchdowns against Memphis and Tulsa last season, Davis became the first Pirate quarterback to have ground scores in consecutive games since Rob Kass in 2007. Prior to joining the Pirates, Davis played one year at Fort Scott CC and two years at Boston College. While at Fort Scott, Davis led the Greyhounds to a No. 2 national ranking after his team completed the year with an 11-1 mark. Going into this season, Davis hopes to lead ECU to a winning season, and after his impressive performance last season, this shouldn’t be a hard feat for Davis to accomplish. Photo: ECU Athletics

3 8

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

TULSA Game Eleven SAL GUERRERO For their second to last game, the Miners will face Tulsa at home on November 19th. Over the last four seasons the Miners and the Golden Hurricane have evenly split their wins and losses against one another. But this year’s game could play a crucial role in conference supremacy. While not much has changed in terms of players for Tulsa, they have lost Head Coach Todd Graham. Taking over in firstyear as head coach is Bill Blankenship, who spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach under Graham. On the offensive side of the ball, the Golden Hurricane is led by senior quarterback G.J. Kinne, who is coming into his third year as a starter for Tulsa. His deep-threat man is senior wide receiver Damaris Johnson. Johnson is arguably the most dynamic player any time he steps foot on the field. Johnson holds the NCAA record for all-purpose yards with 7,796 yards and for career kickoff return yards with 3,417. While Johnson has a knack for making plays through the air, he also carried the ball 50

In terms of talent on the Golden Hurricane 2011 team, there is arguably no one better than wide receiver Damaris Johnson. In terms of everything else, there is none other than senior quarterback G.J. Kinne, Tulsa’s doeverything man. Kinne has amassed a career like none other at Tulsa. In terms of C-USA, only Houston quarterback Case Keenum surpasses Kinne, but this does not include Kinne’s running game. For the past two seasons, Kinne has shined through the air, throwing for a total of 6,382 yards and 53 touchdowns. He has an average QB rating of 143.5 while throwing only 20 interceptions

times last season, tallying 462 yards on the ground. In the backfield for Tulsa are sophomores Trey Watts and Ja’Terian Douglas and junior Alex Singleton. Douglas and Singleton are the only two running backs that saw legitimate action last season, putting up marks of 335 (Douglas) and 399 (Singleton) in total yards. Down in the trenches, Tulsa returns all five of their offensive linemen. Seniors Tyler Holmes and Clint Anderson have three years starting under their belt, amassing 33 games apiece. Junior center Trent Dupy has started 23 games over the last two seasons. The receiving corps for the Golden Hurricane took a hit when they lost Charles Clay to the NFL. Still, they return three starters, including Johnson. The key for Tulsa at receiver is numbers. With plenty of young talent, there is no telling which one of the team’s young wide outs will shine in 2011. On the defense, Tulsa returns seven starters. The big difference from last season is the scheme that defensive coordinator Brent Guy will be running.

Like UTEP, Tulsa is throwing out their 3-3-5 scheme for the more vanilla 4-3 defense. Leading the defense is the linebacker unit, which is led by senior linebacker Curnelius Arnick, who tallied a team-high 115 tackles last season. Sophomore linebacker Shawn Jackson was last year’s leader on the team in sacks with 8.5. The secondary for Tulsa returns three starters, who led the nation in interceptions with a whooping 24. The defensive backs have the most experience of any unit on the defense. Tulsa returns nine lettermen from last season, including sophomore safety Marco Nelson. The defensive line returns only two starters in defensive ends Tyrunn Walker and Corry Dorris. As for the tackle position, senior Durrell Finch and Rashad Robinson will fill the spots. The defensive line position is the biggest question in the entire unit. Tulsa signed five linemen over the off-season that could prove to be starters throughout the season. The Miners will have their hands full when they face Tulsa. Fortunate for the Miners, the Golden Hurricane has lost these teams’ last two meetings in the Sun Bowl.

g.j.KINNE

over the last two years. Along with making his way into the school record books, Kinne has led the team in rushing the last two seasons, racking up a total of 961 yards and 12 touchdowns. This year, Kinne is sure to shine being a senior and having a great depth in front of him in the offensive line. With a tough schedule against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State, Kinne will have the opportunity to shine against top defenses.

Photo: Tulsa Athletics

break DOWN Head Coach (w/ years): Bill Blankenship (1st season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 10-3 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 48-7 vs Memphis Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 65-28 vs Oklahoma State Offense Leading rusher (with yards): G.J. Kinne 561 yards Leader passer (with yards): G.J. Kinne 3650 yards Most TDs (with amount): G.J. Kinne 38 Average points per game (Season total): 41.4 Team yards gained (average for 2010 season): 505.6 Defense Top tackler (with amount): Curnelius Arnick 115 Team yards allowed (average for 2010 season): 450.8

Senior linebacker Cur nelius Ar nick Tulsa Athletics

Team points allowed (average for 2010 season): 30.3

break DOWN Head Coach (w/years): George Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary (8th season) Overall Record for 2010 Season: 11-3 Largest margin victory in 2010 (against whom): 61-14 vs. Tulane Largest margin loss in 2010 (against whom): 31-21 vs. Southern Miss Offense Leading rusher (with yards): Ronnie Weaver 890 yards Leader passer (with yards): Jeff Godfrey 2,159 yards Top TDs (with amount): Latavius Murray 12 TDs Team points made (average): 32.1 Team yards gained (average): 374.0 yards Defense Top tackler (with amount): Kemal Ishmael 93 tackles Team yards allowed (average): 315.4 yards Team points allowed (average): 17.1

Junior running back Latavius Murray Nelson Chenault/ US Presswire

4 1

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

UCF Game Twelve JOSH PUGA To cap off the regular season, the Miners head to Orlando on November 25th to face off against the defending Conference USA champions, the University of Central Florida Golden Knights. Leading the way is Head Coach George O’Leary, who enters his 8th season at UCF and has a combined record of 45-44 with four bowl appearances and two C-USA Championships. With last year’s 11-win season, expectations are at an all-time high. With some votes in the pre-season Top 25 Coaches poll, the Golden Knights are looking to prove last season’s ranking was no fluke. UCF quarterback sophomore Jeff Godfrey looks to improve on a successful freshman campaign. Godfrey passed for 2,159 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions last year. The dualthreat Godfrey can also get it done on the ground as he rushed for 566 yards and added nine touchdowns last season. Helping Godfrey in the offensive backfield are UCF’s top two rushers: Ronnie Weaver and Latavius Murray.

Sophomore quarterback Jeff Godfrey will once again be leading the UCF Knights this season. Last year, as a true freshman, Godfrey was one of three FBS quarterbacks to lead their team to a bowl appearance (Tommy Rees-Notre Dame, Jake Heaps-BYU). Godfrey’s impressive performance also made him the first true freshman quarterback in FBS history to guide his team to a victory in a conference championship game. Although Godfrey appeared in all 14 games, he only started in 12 games last season. Godfrey ended the season with a passer efficiency rating of 154.31 after going 159-of-238 for 13 touchdowns and right interceptions through the

Weaver led the Golden Knights with 890 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns followed Murray, who added 637 yards and 11 touchdowns. Another running back to keep an eye on is junior Brynn Harvey, who is returning from a seasonending knee injury. Harvey rushed for 1,109 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore. If the offensive line can fill the void left by tackle Jah Reid, the running game should once again be the key to a successful season. Still, there are some key issues at wide receiver after losing the team’s top three pass catchers to graduation. Senior wide receiver A.J. Guyton, who finished 2010 with 28 receptions for 353 yards and three touchdowns, will need to have a big year to keep defenses from loading up on the run. UCF’s defense is coming off one of their best seasons, but they will need to replace seven starters from last year’s unit. For a defense that ranked 8th nationally in scoring defense and 15th in total defense, UCF is counting on last year’s mainstays to pick up the slack and help the young players progress. UCF is relying on a pair of juniors from

the defensive backfield to lead the way, cornerback Josh Robinson and free safety Kemal Ishmael Robinson is the lock-down corner with NFL ability while Ishmael is a hard-hitting safety with great awareness. On the defensive front, junior Troy Davis returns is poised to improve on his numbers. As for the linebackers, senior middle linebacker Josh Linam leads the inexperienced group of linebackers that will need to grasp the defense quickly. In order for the Miners to keep up, quarterback Nick Lamaison and the passing attack will have to make plays downfield. Lamaison will have to be especially careful with attacking cornerback Josh Robinson, who can make life difficult for most quarterbacks. Considering UCF has some holes to fill on defense, the Miners could catch the Golden Knights looking ahead, especially if UCF is in position to defend their C-USA title. With so many games before this one, a lot can happen, but road games have always been a thorn in UTEP’s side. If the defense can slow down the powerful UCF running game and keep the game close, the Miners have a slim chance to pull off the upset.

jeffGODFREY

air while rushing for 566 yards and ten touchdowns in 152 carries. Godfrey led all true and redshirt freshmen with a 66.8 completion percentage. He was also second in rushing touchdowns, third in rushing yards and fourth in total offense (2,725 yards). Godfrey set the C-USA Championship Game record with a 78.9 completion percentage against SMU. The Knights are looking to Godfrey to have another stellar year and lead the team to back-to-back championship appearances.

Photo: Nelson Chenault/ US Presswire

signing OFF

Running back Josh Bell just narrowly missed being tackled during Camp Socorro. Sal Guer rero

Your independent site for news, analysis and opinion about the UTEP Miners.

m ner illustrated.com