UTEP recruiting O-line . . . Where are our OL recruits?

[A-town Pony]

PRICE ADDING BEEF TO THE LINE
by Darren Hunt, El Paso Times, June 29, 2004.

Add another massive offensive lineman to Mike Price's first recruiting class.

Austin Chestnut, a 6 foot 5, 295 pound tackle from Lakeland, Floriida confirmed Monday that he has verbally committed to play for UTEP next season. The all-state selection out of Class 3A Kathleen High School, who previously planned to walk on at Florida says he intends to sign a letter of intent with the Miners soon.

Chesnut will become the fourth offensive lineman signed in the off season by Price's staff that's 6-4 or taller and weighs 285 pounds or more. The average size of the Miners' four incoming offensive lineman is 6-5 and 296 pounds.

Among them are a pair of junior college additions--6-4, 295 pound Compton Community College transfer Anthony Casey and 6-6, 310 pound Golden West College transfer Michael Eddy--who have two years of elgibility remaining and are expected to play immediately. Also incoming is 6-6 285 pound Burleson, Texas High's Tyler Ribitzki, rated as one of the top 10 lineman in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area last season.

UTEP got themselves a good one, Kathleen High Athletic Director Gary Lineberger said of Chestnut, who he coached the past four years. I don't have any doubt he can play for them this coming season.

Chestnut was receiving attention from South Carolina, Miss State, LSU, Oklahoma, and Miamai among others, before being left without a scholarship offer.

His grades are good, he has the test scores, and he's a full qualifier, Lineberger said. We don't kow what happened. He had a great season but, at the end of the year, all the schools went in different directions."

[Corso]

Interesting punctuation. Was that story quoting someone, or paraphrasing a conversation? Odd. (I know, splitting hairs - but odd, nonetheless.)

[Corso]

And you're right, A-town - it's time to start getting some commitments for the Ponies!

[A-town Pony]

Corso - I cut/pasted the article from a CUSA message board. The article seems to be from yesterday's 'El Paso Times' and don't know if it's an opinion piece. I can't speak for the author's sources, however, the theme comes across loud and clear. UTEP's recruiting has improved dramaticlly w/ coach Price and they are upgrading their talent level in the trenches.

CUSA will definately be a much tougher conference in 2005 with Coach Price at UTEP & Coach O'Leary at UCF.

Something tells me that by the time the 2005 season rolls around that the Western champion might very well have 2 or 3 conference losses. No team appears to be heads and shoulders better than the rest at this time.

[The Q]

Agreed - Coach Price will raise UTEP from the dead, and in a hurry. Hopefully we'll be climbing along with them. I think the new-look C-USA will be a lot tougher in football than some people thought.