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Disappointing loss

UTEPfan1966

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Apr 26, 2016
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I've been on the #firedanadimel train since the loss to UNM. I was stunned by our win against Boise, no matter the state of their program. Charlotte was a pleasant surprise even though we tried like hell to lose that game. I was starting to believe again.

Then UTEP does a UTEP. I don't fault these kids at all. In fact, this is probably our most talented team in a decade. The kids are going to make mistakes. They are kids. This is squarely on the shoulders of Dimel and the entire staff. The team was not prepared at all. They came out flat. While the defense was missing a few peeps, they guys had plenty of time to be prepared. Hardison should not be our starting QB. In fact I would bet one of the freshman QBs could do better. Play calling is ridiculous once again. How often do you need to watch Hankins run to understand this dude NEEDS the ball a buttload? In the first half when you try to throw, you don't target the #1 receiver in the conference? When you do throw, you under throw the deep routes every time?



Meh..... #firedanadimel
 
I've been on the #firedanadimel train since the loss to UNM. I was stunned by our win against Boise, no matter the state of their program. Charlotte was a pleasant surprise even though we tried like hell to lose that game. I was starting to believe again.

Then UTEP does a UTEP. I don't fault these kids at all. In fact, this is probably our most talented team in a decade. The kids are going to make mistakes. They are kids. This is squarely on the shoulders of Dimel and the entire staff. The team was not prepared at all. They came out flat. While the defense was missing a few peeps, they guys had plenty of time to be prepared. Hardison should not be our starting QB. In fact I would bet one of the freshman QBs could do better. Play calling is ridiculous once again. How often do you need to watch Hankins run to understand this dude NEEDS the ball a buttload? In the first half when you try to throw, you don't target the #1 receiver in the conference? When you do throw, you under throw the deep routes every time?



Meh..... #firedanadimel

No. They are not "kids." They are grown ass men. Just how old do you think Walter Dawn, Jr. is? The dude is almost old enough to get social security!
 
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I agree with everrything 66 said. In Dimel's 5th year this a game you can't lose. The UNT, UNM and LaTech game all fall under this category. We have the players to win, talent is not the issue. The issue is the x's and o's. The red zone offense had been terrible during Dimel's tenure. His biggest failing is not opening up the qb position to competition. Hardison continues to demonstrate zero pocket awareness, he takes bad sacks. He makes horrible decisions and will consistently throw terrible picks. His sub 50% accuracy will never win big games. In year five we should be competing for a conference championship not trying to limp to six wins.

To make a bowl Dimel has to win three of his last five. I think he has to go 3-0 at home. If he falls short of a bowl game and only wins five he will have matched the five year win total of Kugler. That certainly isn't an accomplishment worthy of an extension. Dimel after his extension is now the highest paid employee in UTEP history ($850,000 per year). The pay scale is still not what it needs to be however, I don't think mediocrity and losing should be accepted from the highest paid employee in the over 100 years of UTEP.

To be fair I think Dimel has upgraded the talent level. I think this job if open would be very attractive because you could win right away. I just think the ceiling for Dimel is 7 wins. I don't think he's the guy who will take this program to the next level.

Saying all that I don't think there is any way Senter fires Dimel this year. We have the most incompetent AD in FBS.
 
I agree with everything you guys are saying. There are so many things I like about this team above all the fact that they are never out of any game. Every other UTEP team would have put their heads down after the first quarter.

BUT with that being said there are major issues that need to be addressed. This offense can not rely on Hardison as a number one. They have shown that this team has to be a run first team in order to open up passing opportunities. When they let Harrison throw it 30+ times a game he falls apart. But at the same time, when you’re down big and it’s not even half time you have to hope you can get a quick score.

Also, I don’t know what the issue is but it seems like the defense always starts the game with lead shoes. Is it a coaching thing? Is it a mentality thing but it seems like this team is always digging itself out of a hole after the first drive of the game.
 
On the broadcast they were saying like only a couple teams in College Football played Zero week and haven’t had a bye, UTEP being one of them. La Tech was playing their CUSA opener after a Bye week and only their 5th game. Not sure how much injuries and fatigue played a role, but the Miners came out flat.

listening to the post game call in show, a lot of people think the identity of this team is tough defense. The Defense played only the 3rd Quarter in this one. They were almost nonexistent the first 3 drives.

Hardison has to be able to make some throws. He missed wide open guys all night.

Most importantly, Dimel needs to have his guys ready every week. It’s frustrating when you see what a team is capable of and it’s not always there
 
I guess on one hand, you can say we lost by 10 on the road despite turning the ball over 5 times. On the other hand, we turned the ball over 5 times, and three of those were absolute killers - the pick six, the fumble at the 1, and the Leon Lett play. This team cannot get down 14 5 minutes in any game and expect to win. Hardison throwing 15-20 passes is fine. Hardison throwing 50 passes, not so much.
 
No. They are not "kids." They are grown ass men. Just how old do you think Walter Dawn, Jr. is? They dude is almost old enough to get social security!
I'd be happy if the coaches would just tell him to stop trying to return kicks. I know he's been playing since the 80s, but the rules have changed since then.
 
I've been on the #firedanadimel train since the loss to UNM. I was stunned by our win against Boise, no matter the state of their program. Charlotte was a pleasant surprise even though we tried like hell to lose that game. I was starting to believe again.

Then UTEP does a UTEP. I don't fault these kids at all. In fact, this is probably our most talented team in a decade. The kids are going to make mistakes. They are kids. This is squarely on the shoulders of Dimel and the entire staff. The team was not prepared at all. They came out flat. While the defense was missing a few peeps, they guys had plenty of time to be prepared. Hardison should not be our starting QB. In fact I would bet one of the freshman QBs could do better. Play calling is ridiculous once again. How often do you need to watch Hankins run to understand this dude NEEDS the ball a buttload? In the first half when you try to throw, you don't target the #1 receiver in the conference? When you do throw, you under throw the deep routes every time?



Meh..... #firedanadimel
Hankins messed up his shoulder again. That's why they stopped running him.
 
On the broadcast they were saying like only a couple teams in College Football played Zero week and haven’t had a bye, UTEP being one of them. La Tech was playing their CUSA opener after a Bye week and only their 5th game. Not sure how much injuries and fatigue played a role, but the Miners came out flat.

listening to the post game call in show, a lot of people think the identity of this team is tough defense. The Defense played only the 3rd Quarter in this one. They were almost nonexistent the first 3 drives.

Hardison has to be able to make some throws. He missed wide open guys all night.

Most importantly, Dimel needs to have his guys ready every week. It’s frustrating when you see what a team is capable of and it’s not always there
I think only us and Wyoming have played seven games. Fatigue is definitely going to be a factor. Especially, when one team is coming off of a bye week.
 
I agree with everything you guys are saying. There are so many things I like about this team above all the fact that they are never out of any game. Every other UTEP team would have put their heads down after the first quarter.

BUT with that being said there are major issues that need to be addressed. This offense can not rely on Hardison as a number one. They have shown that this team has to be a run first team in order to open up passing opportunities. When they let Harrison throw it 30+ times a game he falls apart. But at the same time, when you’re down big and it’s not even half time you have to hope you can get a quick score.

Also, I don’t know what the issue is but it seems like the defense always starts the game with lead shoes. Is it a coaching thing? Is it a mentality thing but it seems like this team is always digging itself out of a hole after the first drive of the game.
The first drive is always scripted. Teams predominantly do pretty good on their first drive because of that. It's not just a UTEP issue.
 
I think only us and Wyoming have played seven games. Fatigue is definitely going to be a factor. Especially, when one team is coming off of a bye week.
Excuses, excuses. Wyoming won on the road last night. Even though the home team (UNM) had an extra day of rest.
 
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I'd be happy if the coaches would just tell him to stop trying to return kicks. I know he's been playing since the 80s, but the rules have changed since then.
He has done nothing while at UTEP, other than take a roster spot.
 
Not too disappointed about yesterday... this is UTEP and this is Dimel, after all.

Just hope the team finds consistency. This up and down crap is gonna drive me nuts.
Seems like Dimel and company do just enough to get some hopes up, then…

UTEP seems to climb up the hump but just can’t get over it. It’s just a continuous set of series where the Miners fall just short of any kind of real breakthrough. I agree, the up and down crap gets old.
 
The biggest disappointment is how Dimel abandoned what got us 2 victories and went back to what cost us against N.Trxas and UNM. I understand that we were down early, but that didn't mean he had to go back to heaving low percentage passes, especially for Hardison. I give credit to the effort in the 4th to make it close at least. The 2nd and 3rd quarters were a mix of bad play calling and more unfortunate events that caused us not to score in the redzone. The 1st qt was just a nightmare. Louisiana Tech is not very good this year and we made them look like a top level CUSA team. Dimel may get 6 wins this year, but he will never make Utep anything to write home about or win a Conference Championship. If he's allowed to stay we will be mediocre in the best of years and pretty awful in the worst of years.
 
Hollywood, I was defending the process up until the UNM loss.
How you finish.....like losing to a team that's 1-3? After 2 wins?
I'm not in panic mode. I'm in #firedanadimel mode. Once again....
 
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If Dimel can get out of his own way and this team can be more efficient at converting in the red zone, we'd be alright. However there's no reason to believe either of those things will take place on a consistent basis. That's why I now think even if Dimel gets to 6 wins a change is needed, but probably won't happen.
 
As a lifetime Miner fan, I don't know what's worse: losing a game we shoulda, coulda won or reading the half dozen reliable Debbie-Downers on this site sh*t on the UTEP program afterwards. Fans are hurting, players are hurting, coaches are hurting and these "fans" come out like flies to a picnic. The average sports fan recognizes the problems that lead to a loss. They're fairly obvious. Regurgitating the issues ad nauseum serves no purpose. Yes, the coaching is frustrating (to say the least) and the players make mistakes but they're not finished with the season. They're still busting their a** every day working to improve. Will they get there and improve enough to please the naysayers? Hell no. Am I happy with the results so far? Not really. But I will support my Miners while the season is still alive. Next year is next year.
 
As a lifetime Miner fan, I don't know what's worse: losing a game we shoulda, coulda won or reading the half dozen reliable Debbie-Downers on this site sh*t on the UTEP program afterwards. Fans are hurting, players are hurting, coaches are hurting and these "fans" come out like flies to a picnic. The average sports fan recognizes the problems that lead to a loss. They're fairly obvious. Regurgitating the issues ad nauseum serves no purpose. Yes, the coaching is frustrating (to say the least) and the players make mistakes but they're not finished with the season. They're still busting their a** every day working to improve. Will they get there and improve enough to please the naysayers? Hell no. Am I happy with the results so far? Not really. But I will support my Miners while the season is still alive. Next year is next year.
I support financially and as a fan. I am all about being positive and believing there will be improvement and have voiced my patience to see how the season plays out. I've loved the two wins, but it's disappointing knowing this team has the talent to beat a team like La Tech. The coaching, play calling and mistakes are just repetitive and fixable.
 
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lets not panic ... yet ..
its not how you start but how you end ..
FAU is up next and we should only be concerned with that game ...
keep your spirits up ... Miner nation.:cool:
That's very true. In the last two seasons, we have ended with a record of 1-5 after starting 6-1 and 0-4 after starting 3-1. Hopefully Dimel has a better ending this season but a pattern is starting to form.
 
Most of us are not upset with the players except for their lack of discipline. (Penalties, especially personal fouls) .
We just are tired of the TERRIBLE coaching!
 
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Most of us are not upset with the players except for their lack of discipline. (Penalties, especially personal fouls) .
We just are tired of the TERRIBLE coaching!

I agree but at the Same time, we had two TD’s to WR’s that we’re wide ass open that were missed badly on post routes. We had a wide open receiver on a flag and the ball was thrown 6 yards out of bounds, we had a wr fumble on the 3 yard line.

There is coaching issues like not taking the points, abandoning the run too early, throwing it 50 times with a 40% QB. Definite issues.

But if players make the easy plays that should be routine, then the coaching looks better.
 
I agree but at the Same time, we had two TD’s to WR’s that we’re wide ass open that were missed badly on post routes. We had a wide open receiver on a flag and the ball was thrown 6 yards out of bounds, we had a wr fumble on the 3 yard line.

There is coaching issues like not taking the points, abandoning the run too early, throwing it 50 times with a 40% QB. Definite issues.

But if players make the easy plays that should be routine, then the coaching looks better.
Which is talent, which also falls on the coaches. Being a D1 HC is a really tough job. Very few assistant hires from other programs pan out.
 
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