Tag: UTEP Miners football

Texas A&M lands in Phil Steele’s Top 5 most-improved teams ahead of the 2023 CFB Season

Texas A&M has landed in Phil Steeles’ Top 16 most-improved teams in 2023 list, finding themselves among the Top 5 teams.

What if I told you that having high expectations for Texas A&M ahead of the pivotal 2023 college football season was okay, especially after their disastrous 5-7 (2-6 SEC) 2022 campaign?

Well, I’m here to confirm that all of us in the Aggie media sphere aren’t the only ones in the hope business regarding the Maroon and White, as longtime CFB analyst Phil Steele, known for his annual season preview magazine, released his Top 16 most-improved teams ahead of the 2023 season, which happens to include Texas A&M who landed among the Top five teams listed.

Leading the SEC in returning production with eight starters returning on offense and defense, including veteran players such as wide receiver Ainias Smith, defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, and strong safety Demani Richardson, who will all take on important leadership roles not only on the field but also inside the locker room.

Led sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman who’s poised to take the next step in his development after finishing 2022 with 896 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions for a 132.3 passer rating in five games during the latter half of the 2022 season, is poised to take the next step in his development under play-calling savant and QB guru Bobby Petrino, who’s entering his first season as the program’s new offensive coordinator.

Here are the Top five teams poised to improve in 2023, according to Phil Steele.

UTEP Miners: CFN College Football Preview 2021

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UTEP season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UTEP season with what you need to know.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– 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

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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

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UTEP Football Schedule 2021, Analysis

UTEP Miners football schedule. Analysis of the 2021 slate and who they have to play – and who they miss – from the other division.

UTEP Miners football schedule. Analysis of the 2021 slate and who they have to play – and who they miss – from the other division.

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UTEP Football Schedule 2021

– 2021 Conference USA Football Schedule

Aug. 28 at New Mexico State

Sept. 4 Bethune-Cookman

Sept. 11 at Boise State

Sept. 18 OPEN DATE

Sept. 25 New Mexico

Oct. 2 Old Dominion

Oct. 9 at Southern Miss

Oct. 16 Louisiana Tech

Oct. 23 OPEN DATE

Oct. 30 at Florida Atlantic

Nov. 6 UTSA

Nov. 13 at North Texas

Nov. 20 Rice

Nov. 27 at UAB

Dec. 4 Conference USA Championship

Games vs. The East: at Florida Atlantic, Old Dominion

Missed Teams From The East: Charlotte, FIU, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, WKU

UTEP Miners Football Schedule Analysis: The Miners have a real shot to start hot with New Mexico State and Bethune-Cookman to start and with a home game after the date with New Mexico. There aren’t any games against Power Five programs and going to Boise State is one of the only real killers.

They have to deal with Florida Atlantic on the road, but missing Marshall and WKU from the East is a plus. There’s a big problem, though, going to FAU, North Texas and UAB over the second half of the season.

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What we learned from Stephen F. Austin vs UTEP

UTEP got their season rolling against SFA on Saturday. Here are three things we learned about the Miners before their matchup with Texas:

Texas’ season begins six days from now on Sept. 12. It will be the first game played in Austin in 288 days. Hosting UTEP for the fifth ever time, it will be the Longhorns’ one and only nonconference game in this strange 2020 season.

The Miners’ season has already begun, getting one game under their belt before playing Texas. FCS opponent Stephen F. Austin traveled out west to El Paso, the first of three non-Conference USA games UTEP will play.

A low scoring affair, the Miners were once down 14-3 in the second quarter. They then scored 21 unanswered points to secure their first win of the season, 24-14. After only having one win in 2019, UTEP matched their season win total in just one game.

Luckily for Texas, they now get a full game’s worth of film on Dana Dimel’s 2020 squad. Yes, this should be considered a game the Longhorns easily win but any type of advantages given will be used by Tom Herman.

Here are three things we learned about UTEP before their matchup with the Longhorns:

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College Football News Preview 2020: UTEP Miners

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UTEP Miners season with what you need to know.<

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UTEP Miners season with what you need to know.

CFN in 60 Podcast: 2020 UTEP Miners
UTEP Miners preview in 60 seconds

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– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– UTEP Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2019 Record: 1-110 overall, 0-8 in
Head Coach: Dana Dimel, 3rd year, 2-22 overall
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 128
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 128
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 130

NOTE: Obviously, no one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: UTEP Miners Offense 3 Things To Know

– The offense only scored 235 points, was 116th in the nation in total yards per game, 119th in scoring O, and … it was the best showing by the attack in three years.

Baby steps.

The team could’ve really used an offseason full of practices to figure out the quarterback situation and finally settle in on one. Transfer Gavin Hardison saw time in two games last season, but he retained his sophomore status. He’s a 6-3, 205-pound passer, but he’ll have to fight off former JUCO transfer Isaiah Bravo and good-looking 6-5 mobile redshirt freshman TJ Goodwin.

CFN in 60 Video: UTEP Miners Preview
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– The top two receivers return, but more options have to emerge. Jacob Cowing is the deep threat – averaging close to 18 yards per game with a team-leading 550 yards on the season – and senior Justin Garrett is back after leading the way with 40 catches.

Coming in to add a little more pop is New Mexico transfer Q Drennan, who missed most of the last two seasons but was a big play threat – averaging 21 yards per catch – when over his first two yeas with the Lobos.

– Senior Quardraiz Wadley ran for a team-high 627 yards and seven scores in 2018, but he missed all of last year with a toe injury. He’s back, along with Deion Hankins, shifty senior Joshua Fields, and a slew of other backs for the rotation. The Miners will go with the hot hand behind a line that returns three starters and has the veteran options at tackle to hope for just a wee bit more production.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: UTEP Miners Defense 3 Things To Know

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