College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UTEP season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– UTEP Miners Schedule Analysis
– UTEP Miners Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2020 Record: 3-5 overall, 0-4 in C-USA
Head Coach: Dana Dimel, 4th year, 5-27 overall
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 121
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 127
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 128
UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: Offense
– The offense had some fun running the ball, it showed more of a spark than it had in several years, and now it welcomes back most of the key parts. It wasn’t always pretty – the Miners averaged just 348 yards and 23 points per game – but there were positives.
– Again, the running game was a plus, and it will be again. Leading rusher Deion Hankins pounded out 592 yards and nine touchdowns, and there’s a deep group coming back to help him out in the rotation. That includes Quardraiz Wadley, the 2018 leading rusher who only played in one game last season.
They’ll all work behind an offensive line that might not be a wall in pass protection, but it’s full of veterans working around 6-4, 310-pound junior guard Bobby DeHaro.
– Steady quarterback play isn’t a given at UTEP over the years. Sophomore Gavin Hardison isn’t Trevor Lawrence, but he was okay in 2020 hitting 54% of his passes for just over 1,400 yards with five scores and five picks, and he’s experienced.
He’s got the 1-2 receiving punch of Jacob Cowing and Justin Garrett to throw to – the two combined for 79 catches and six scores. It’s not the deep group like the running back situation is, but it’s solid up top.
– What You Need To Know: Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– UTEP Miners Schedule Analysis
NEXT: UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: Defense
4. UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: Defense
– Yeah, the defense got lit up too often, but it also held four of the eight teams to 21 points or fewer and generally played better overall than it had in a long, long time. It allowed 381 yards and 31 points per game – that was a huge jump, even if the production came against a few miserable teams.
– Leading tackler Stephen Forester is done from the linebacking corps, but 6-2, 240-pound junior Tyrice Knight is a thumper who came in from the JUCO ranks and made 54 tackles. However, linebacker is the one area on the team that has to find key new parts and playmakers who can be consistent around Knight.
– The defensive line should be a plus. There’s a whole lot more depth than normal and for the first time in a while there are plenty of playmakers to get fired up about. Sophomore DE Praise Amaewhule is an all-star factor who gets behind the line and sets the tone as a pass rusher, and there’s bulk and and options for the rotation in the interior.
– The secondary has to make more big plays, but at least the veterans are there. S Justin Prince is a good tackler – finishing third on the team with 37 stops – but the team came up with a grand total of two interceptions. Both game from Duron Lowe, and he’s not around anymore. Cornerback will be a focus area in fall camp.
– What You Need To Know: Offense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– UTEP Miners Schedule Analysis
NEXT: UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: Top Players
UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: Top Players
Best UTEP Miners Offensive Player
WR Jacob Cowing, Soph.
He’s not all that big, but the 5-11, 170-pounder is good in the opener field and has been a playmaker from the start two years ago. He followed up a solid 550-yard, three-touchdown freshman season with an all-star 41-catch, 691-yard, three-score follow up. He averages over 17 yards per grab, but he’s also steady.
2. RB Deion Hankins, RFr.
3. OG Bobby DeHaro, Jr.
4. WR Justin Garrett, Sr.
5. C Andrew Meyer, Soph.
Best UTEP Miners Defensive Player
DE Praise Amaewhule, Soph.
It took a year, and then the 6-3, 245-pounder turned into one of the best pass rushers in Conference USA. He’s a pure hybrid pass rusher working as an end, coming up with 5.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss with eight broken up passes in just eight games. The experience is there on the rest of the line to keep blocking schemes from loading up to keep him in check.
2. LB Tyrice Knight, Jr.
3. S Justin Prince, Jr.
4. DT Keenan Stewart, Jr.
5. DT Kelton Moss, Jr.
Top Incoming UTEP Miners Transfer
WR Tyrin Smith, Soph.
The UTEP receiving corps isn’t bad, and it has good pieces in place up top, but it could use another option to add even more pop to the mix. The 5-10, 180-pound Smith is a JUCO transfer who can return punts and be a dangerous playmaker in the backfield – he averaged over 20 yards per game for Cisco College.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– UTEP Miners Schedule Analysis
NEXT: UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season
UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season
UTEP Miners Biggest Key: Offense
It’s time to get more consistency out of the passing game. The Miners have the offensive line that’s good in protecting the passer, and they’ve got the backs and the running game to take the heat off the quarterback. And they’ve got the receivers who know what they’re doing. Now it’s up to Gavin Hardison to grow into more of a passer.
UTEP doesn’t need to throw for 300 yards a game, but as long as it’s able to hit 60% of its passes and keep the turnovers to a minimum, the offense should start to be far better.
UTEP Miners Biggest Key: Defense
Start to come up with picks. Please.
The Miners intercepted five passes in 12 games in 2019 and five in 2018, too.
2014 was the last time the defense came up with more than six in a season, and then came 2020 – the Miners picked off two passes and allowed close to nine yards per pass. The pass rush won’t be awful to help the cause, but the cornerbacks have to emerge who can do a whole lot more.
That’s why …
UTEP Miners Key Player To A Successful Season
CB Dennis Barnes, Jr.
The former JUCO transfer didn’t come up with any interceptions last season, but he made 22 tackles and broke up five passes. He’ll likely grab one of the corner jobs, but he – or one of the other options – has to be a shutdown guy who can take out the opposing No. 1 target.
UTEP Miners Key Game To The 2021 Season
Louisiana Tech, Oct. 16
Can the Miners improve enough to win it this time around? UTEP fought hard in a 21-17 loss to Louisiana Tech thanks to no running game and a -2 turnover margin. This year, there’s an outside shot at coming up with at least three wins over the first half of the season, but this is a chance to beat a decent team and get it done at home.
– UTEP Miners Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2020 UTEP Miners Fun Stats
– 3rd Quarter Score: Opponents 51 – UTEP 3
– Time of Possession: UTEP 32:41 – Opponents 27:19
– Passing TDs: Opponents 19 – UTEP 7
NEXT: UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction
UTEP Miners College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction
2016 was the last time the Miners came up with four wins, and 2014 was the last winning season with a bowl appearance.
But there’s reason for real hope this year. The Miners are loaded with veterans on both sides of the ball, there’s decent talent, the lines are solid, and there’s more depth than there’s been in years.
They also need a little luck, though.
Yeah, the three wins of last season felt great with just two victories in the previous three seasons, but two of those wins in 2020 came against FCS teams, and the other was against a ULM team that went 0-10.
UTEP isn’t going to complain how it gets wins at this point, and it should get a few this time around.
Set The UTEP Miners Regular Season Win Total At … 4
Between at New Mexico State, Bethune-Cookman, Old Dominion, UTSA and Rice, there have to be at least three wins with an upset somewhere else – like against New Mexico or North Texas.
This has to be it. This is the year the program has been pushing towards in the building process, and now the long-suffering program deserves a bit of a payoff.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– UTEP Miners Schedule Analysis
