Just check out the thread. Gotta side with Jones on this one. He’s given back a lot to the university, and he’s probably our best recruiter right now.
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Aaron Jones and Jordan Leslie going at it on Twitter.
- Thread starter UTEPMiners8106
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Just check out the thread. Gotta side with Jones on this one. He’s given back a lot to the university, and he’s probably our best recruiter right now.
Hell yeah Aaron...I'll buy him the dankest gram of dank for standing up to Leslie. Leslie is a baller, but he does run his mouth a lot on Twitter.
They both make good points. Leslie is right in that this is terrible. Dimel saying we can play with anybody is yet to be seen. The only semi decent team we played blew us out. Everyone is else we have played is awful.
I find it unfair that Jones gets a pass for skipping his senior year but Leslie doesn’t for leaving as a grad transfer. They were both looking out for the betterment of their future and football career.
I don’t take either side as I wish they had both stayed and won more games for UTEP.
I find it unfair that Jones gets a pass for skipping his senior year but Leslie doesn’t for leaving as a grad transfer. They were both looking out for the betterment of their future and football career.
I don’t take either side as I wish they had both stayed and won more games for UTEP.
Aaron Jones has been representing UTEP and El Paso from day 1, so I'm inclined to side with him. That being said, I'll never be mad at a guy who does the graduate transfer. That's a great opportunity and I'm happy for players who EARN that chance.
Wait a minute, Leslie is actually right about Dimel’s blind optimism to a point but....more that I think about it I can’t take either side for whoever cares. We need to win a damn game.
I’d still buy Aaron mad dank tho...
I side with Aaron only because he's backing up the university. Although Leslie isn't wrong about the current state of the program, I think its poor form to put that on twitter.
Since Leslie brought this upon himself out in Twitterlandia can someone please clarify or chime in, but didn't Leslie and Kugler "come to a mutual understanding" of what's best for both? The reason I say this is because I swear reading on here that Leslie was a distraction on the team.
I know Jordan Very well and yes they agreed it was best. He wanted Jordan to stay but basically said we arent throwing the ball. Jordan didnt want to leave but he did what was best for him. Jordan didnt quit on his team as Aaron is saying. He graduated and moved to what he thought was best for his future. Aaron did the exact same thing. They need to stop arguing and help get this team back on track anyway they can. I hope Dimel opens up to the ex players because Kug didnt give a damn about the past. It was all about him. UTEP really needs to make a push to get the former players more involved.
Since you asked...
In so many ways, on so many levels, when Kugler was hired, he made life miserable for returning roster members, particularly upperclassmen, his first season (2013). He and his staff literally tried to run off as many players as they could (especially juniors and seniors), in part, to free up future scholarships, but also because they were "Price's boys". He frequently publicly bad-mouthed both Price and the players and, like Leslie, there was more talent on that squad than you might believe. Now, some, probably deserved to get run (e.g. Richard Spencer), but the degree to which they literally tried to run kids off was astounding, and it worked. Nathan Jeffrey was also an example of an excellent RB on that squad who was basically benched by Kugler. The roster numbers plunged, a condition Kugler suffered from for several years, particularly in terms of adding quality football players.
Jordan Leslie was NOT a "distraction" during the Price era nor was he one on the 2013 UTEP squad. He WAS a smart kid and a talented football player, certainly UTEP's premier receiver in '13, with hopes of a shot in the NFL. He NOT happy with Higgins, Kugler, and Kugler's ideas regarding offensive football which were, shall we say, very unfriendly to talented wide receivers. Leslie, whose cousin is Jimmy Butler NBA All-Star, obtained his degree in 2013 and became eligible to be a graduate transfer, immediately eligible at another school. His recruiter at UTEP had moved on to WR coach at BYU, somewhat more WR friendly, to say the least and the rest is history. Because of the acrimony with the coaches and the "three yards and a fourth and seven" offense Kugler/Higgins ran, there was no way Leslie was returning to UTEP after '13.
Final points. (1) Jordan Leslie and Aaron are entitled to their opinions about the current state of UTEP football, just like anybody else on this board. (2) Leslie achieved an engineering degree (C-USA Honor Roll) from UTEP. (3) Leslie was never a disciplinary issue at UTEP, during or after Price. (4) Leslie was never booked with a DUI at UTEP or busted after he graduated.
Those are the facts...
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The best post I have seen in a long time on this board. Folks still dont grasp what Kug did to this school. I keep telling folks he gave UTEP the death penalty with his antics. He reminds me of what Charlie Weis did at Kansas. That's why I keep pleading with folks to be patient. We arent coming out of this in a year or two. He destroyed this program.
This is a really interesting discussion. And I can where Leslie has a valid point, and I do see where Aaron Jones is right as well. I do agree with the assertion that Dimmel, AND Terry need to make their programs more accessible to former players. I’m not saying we are Notre Dame, or what have you but I loved it when Johnnie Lee Higgins game back for homecoming last year. Randy Culpeñper was at the game vs NMSU apparently, could we have not taken 30 seconds to recognize him?
Aaron Jones is doing right by this University and City repping it wherever he is. Why not recognize all these guys every chance we get? It’s probably the most high profile but of recruiting we can do.
Aaron Jones is doing right by this University and City repping it wherever he is. Why not recognize all these guys every chance we get? It’s probably the most high profile but of recruiting we can do.
Thanks coog. It is academic what Kug did to Price players, but then again there were some Price players who did fine under Kugler and one Price/Kugler player went on to the NFL. No doubt about it, Kugler brought some hardened feeling when he got here and it showed.
We're all frustrated at the state of the football program, not just Jordan but in defense of Kugler, Price team had a very bad APR. I believe it had actually cost us some scholarships. Kugler came in the had the responsibility of cleaning up some of Price's lax academic attitudes. Jordan was obviously not one of those causing problems but there were others that did.
Leslie is wrong because it seems like he is blaming Dimel for last year’s record. Dimel has only been here 5 games and while the future looks bleak, we should give him the rest of this year and all of next to see if he can steer the program. Some may even argue for a 3rd year. It looks rough and I hope Senter and Dimel know what they are doing.
Perhaps instead of judging in terms of "right" or "wrong", maybe considering Leslie's comments in terms of "good" or "bad". As in "good" that a former player - any player - cares enough about the program to have an opinion. Any student who plays football, graduates with a B.S. in Engineering in less than four years, experiences even a single year under Kugler, and still renders a opinion about this program is pretty solid in my book.
Hey, guy, I drop by every now and again. Good to hear from you and hope Alex is doing well...
