NCAA Football Preview - Texas-El Paso Miners
Sports Network | August 13, 2008
OFFENSE: The Miners were successful on the offensive side of the ball and they figure to be even more prolific now that quarterback Trevor Vittatoe has a year of experience under his belt. The 6-2, 215-pound sophomore was simply sensational in his debut last season, breaking UTEP freshman records with 3,101 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. Vittatoe made some good decisions last season, throwing only seven interceptions, but he did lack some accuracy and that is an area he expects to improve on in 2008.
"The one thing that I want to improve this year is my accuracy. I completed only 55 percent of my passes [in 2007] and that number should be a lot higher. I'm stressing getting the ball where it needs to be and not missing big plays. If you miss a big play, it can turn the whole game around."
Vittatoe and the rest of the UTEP program will certainly benefit from the return of star wideout Jeff Moturi, who emerged last season and earned all- league honors. The 6-0, 180-pound Moturi led the Miners with 65 receptions for 891 yards and 13 touchdowns and he was a model of consistency, catching a touchdown pass in 10 consecutive games.
In the backfield, the Miners must replace 1,000-yard rusher Marcus Thomas, who left for the NFL, but they are confident that the duo of senior Terrell Jackson and sophomore Donald Buckram can get the job done. The 5-11, 195-pound Jackson rushed for 202 yard as a backup last season and with an increase in touches, he will finally have the chance to showcase his speed and talent on a consistent basis. As for the 5-10, 190-pound Buckram, he is lightning fast and he is a solid pass catcher that can hit a home run with every touch. The offensive line welcomes back three starters and that should help the ground game be successful in 2008.
DEFENSE: The Miners were exploited on the defensive side of the ball in 2007, giving up at least 45 points on six difference occasions, so it was to no surprise when Price hired a new coordinator to turn things around. Osia Lewis is now the man in charge of running the defense and he is installing a 3-3-5 set to help sure up a secondary that surrendered over 300 passing ypg last season.
"I think this scheme is exactly what we needed because it's easy to learn and we have the athletes to run it," said UTEP linebacker Adam Vincent of the new defensive set. "Last year's scheme was more heads-up and this year's is more flying around, coming from every angle and trying to confuse the offense. It's a high-risk, high-reward defense. It's going to put a lot of excitement into the game."
The Miners were inexperienced last season along the line and it showed, allowing 203 rushing ypg, but this group should only be better with a year of playing time under their belts. Sophomore end Robert Soleyjacks started 12 games as a freshman last year, notching 16 tackles, and he should only get better in his second run through.
The linebacker corps should also be improved with the new scheme, and senior Adam Vincent is the best of the bunch. The 6-3, 240-pound Vincent recorded 75 tackles a year ago and he should contend for all-league honors in 2008.
The secondary will be the most impacted area in the new 3-3-5 scheme and that is a good thing for a unit that was torched last season. Unfortunately, the team will be without the services of star Braxton Amy, who led the team with 112 tackles last season, but suffered an ACL tear in the spring. Filling his shoes won't be easy, although the program is excited about the future of junior Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith. The 6-2, 205-pound safety is coming off a breakthrough campaign, racking up 93 tackles in 2007, and with Amy lost for the season, he will be a crucial part of the secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS: UTEP certainly won't have to worry about kicking field goals this season, as all-league performer Jose Martinez returns. The juco transfer was sensational in his first season with the Miners, converting 17-of-20 field goal attempts, including a booming 57-yard shot against Houston. The punting game isn't as set, as sophomore Kyle Petersen and Greg Hiett are expected to compete for the starting job.
OUTLOOK: The Miners have one of the top vertical duos in the league in Vittatoe and Moturi and that should keep them competitive throughout the season. Much of the team's success though, will be determined by the defense, which is using a new scheme in order to improve on last year's failures. UTEP faces a tough league schedule, with all of its big games coming on the road, so winning a conference title could be difficult. On the other hand, some soft non-conference opponents should help the program compete for a bowl for the first time since 2005.
