UTEP Preview

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PonyFans.com apologizes for the delay with this. Due to some technical issues, we were unable to post this in its standard format in the PonyFans.com Info Guide.
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PLAYERS TO WATCH
RB Sherman Austin
RB Chris Porter
WR Lee Mays
LB Robert Rodriguez
DB D.J. Walker

UTEP limps into Ford Stadium next week on a serious skid. Just a year after going 8-4 (including a Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl game loss to future WAC foe Boise State) in a season that had head coach Gary Nord mentioned among the nation's up-and-coming coaches, the Miners went 2-4 in their first six games (1-2 against WAC opponents), losing 56-7 to Alabama in Week 5 and falling 66-7 in Week 6 at Hawaii. (UTEP lost this week, 40-28, to San Jose State.) Nord was quoted after the Hawaii debacle as saying "we just can't stop anybody right now" … Miners have been outscored 188-115 through six games … UTEP's best offensive player is senior WR Lee Mays, a 6-3, 190-pound speedster who has thrived against SMU in years past. So far this year, Mays has 25 receptions for 315 yards and a score; All four UTEP touchdown passes have been caught by different receivers … Who gets the ball to Mays and the other UTEP receivers is unclear. QBs Jon Schaper and Wes Phillips have split time, and neither has been particularly effective. Through six games, Phillips has completed 33-of-69 passes for 804 yards, 8 INTs and 4 TDs; Schaper is 14-of-35 for 128 yards, with 2 INTs and has yet to throw a touchdown pass … Offense is balanced, as Miners average 155.3 passing yards per game and 151.8 rushing yards per game through the team's first six outings … Rushing offense led by RB Sherman Austin, who has 75 carries for 345 yards through six games, and Chris Porter, who has 229 yards on 40 carries through the team's first half dozen games. UTEP's running game can be slowed because of a pourous offensive line, that has allowed Miner rushers to be tackled in the backfield for 242 yards in losses … UTEP offense has lost 5-of-16 fumbles this year … Anemic UTEP is led by LB Robert Rodriguez, who has a team-high 50 tackles through six games. Sophomore DL Jeremy Castillo leads the Miner pass rush with 5 quarterback sacks and 8 tackles-for-loss through six games. DB D.J. Walker has a team-leading three INTs.

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Correction: Miners are now 2-5 overall, 1-3 against WAC teams. (Preview written before last weekend's games)