A) This is Senter
B) Price is offensive minded coach. UTEP fans want a more exciting offense after almost 10 years of Kugler & Dimel.
C)https://www.krem.com/article/sports...demy/293-076bce54-0923-46df-8458-3640738fff7b
Football vacancy
- Thread starter picks up
- Start date
B) Price is offensive minded coach. UTEP fans want a more exciting offense after almost 10 years of Kugler & Dimel.
C)https://www.krem.com/article/sports...demy/293-076bce54-0923-46df-8458-3640738fff7b
Hoping it's just as a favor to Mike and not seriously considered. With that said he probably would be equipped to bring the most quality staff, cause of his ties. However, No, I refuse to accept him as a Viable option 😤
I believe Marion is the guy (don't ask me why) but Walden could be a nice choice, if Marion wants more than UTEP will wiggle out.... Walden is young, and can bring in some excitement as well, and would be "cheaper" allowing more $$ for the assistants.
I agree Marion 1A Walden 1B. I've watched Walden game tape and how he speaks and I like this guy. He would bring in quality transfers and really embraces the transfer portal. He also does what he can to keep his players. He said, he gets a little hurt when they leave him for another program though like a break with a girlfriend, because they're not just players to him. He came across as very honest and sincere. I think either of these guys would relate well to players.
My biggest issue with Walden is he doesn't have any experience at the FBS level other than a 1-3 stint as interim with Southern Miss. Marion has been at UT, Pitt, Hawaii and of course UNLV and he's just a guy who is driven and used to overcoming hurdles. I hope he gets it.
He was WR/ OC at S. Miss for 3 years not just the interim. I get ya though. I like Marion over him too, but also like Walden. Like I said I've heard him speak and have watched tape.
Agreed, he had a nice response, when they lost to Tenn. As well. He wont be a pushover. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon, it begins to make the rounds... Then a presser for Sunday. Ballard just entered the portal as well, UTEP is down to what? ZERO wide receivers now? lol it sure feels like it.
He is ok. If we are going the FCS route, I would like to see a candidate that has made at least 1 deep run in the FCS playoffs. Walden had a great regular season but a lost in the first round last week.
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Willie Fritz was the FCS guy many people on here wanted for UTEP back 10 years or so ago. He's tearing it up at Tulane. So, the right FCS guy would be great but I don't see a Willie Fritz type on the horizon.
I would've too. Game was theirs and a long fumble return for TD cost them the game, but of course all losses are on the HC.
By Steve Escajeda / El Paso Inc.
The search is officially on for the next UTEP football coach after Dana Dimel was fired Nov. 26, a day following the Miners’ season-ending 42-28 loss to Liberty.
Dimel, who coached the Miners to a 3-9 record this season, was 20-49 during his six-year stint at UTEP, which included one winning season, culminating in a New Mexico Bowl appearance in 2021.
In a media release, Jim Senter, director of athletics and vice president at UTEP, thanked Dimel “for the dedication and hard work that he has put in over the last six years and we wish him the best in the future.”
“Under his leadership, our football program has shown improvement in all the academic metrics, and we have had minimal off-the-field issues,” Senter said in the release. “When he was hired, UTEP football was coming off a winless season, and he built a more competitive team. However, we have not seen the kind of improvement necessary to compete for and win championships. We determined that a change in leadership was needed for the program to move forward.”
Dimel, who was 2-22 his first two years, was 18-27 his final four.
With the 30-day NCAA transfer portal for football starting Dec. 4, the thought is that Senter would like to hire the school’s 27th head coach as soon as possible so the new coach has an opportunity to lure transfers to UTEP, as well as convince current players to remain on the team.
Whoever the new UTEP football head coach is, he’ll have his hands full trying to change a decade’s long culture of losing.
Since 1971, the Miners have won only 28% of their games.
In the past 53 years, they’ve had just seven winning seasons and have had 25 seasons of two wins or less.
“I think the new hire should be somebody with an exciting offensive mind; someone who is creative and inventive,” said Jon Teicher, UTEP assistant athletic director and director of broadcasting. “Besides winning, we are in the entertainment business and we’ve got to have an offense that entertains and sells tickets.”
Teicher noted that his comments are his opinions and not those of the university.
This year’s attendance average was 18,159 at the 46,000-seat Sun Bowl, third highest in Conference USA. By contrast, New Mexico State, a bowl team team with 10 wins that played for a conference title, was seventh in the nine-team league, averaging 14,847 fans a game.
College football entertainment usually coincides with scoring, and over the past 11 seasons under mostly Dimel and Sean Kugler, who both focused heavily on the running game, UTEP has struggled, averaging just over 20 points a game.
The new coach will have to deal with much more than just improving the offense.
“The job of leading a football program has changed so much; you just can’t coach football anymore,” said Teicher, who just completed his 43rd year of announcing UTEP football games. “You’ve got to be a fundraiser, you’ve got to be involved with the fans, you’ve got the transfer portal, NIL money, recruiting and so on. The new head coach has got to be all-encompassing. The whole culture of intercollegiate athletics is totally different than it was six years ago when Dana Dimel was hired.”
Teicher said Dimel left the program better than he found it.
“He was coming off a winless season in 2017 and coached the team to a bowl game in 2021,” Teicher said. “He did some very good work at UTEP and because of him, the new coach will have less of a hill to climb.”
It is no secret, NIL has changed the face of collegiate athletics and the teams that can offer the most money will lure the best athletes.
The UTEP basketball team recently launched its Miner Collective, to raise money for the recruitment and retention of athletes.
For any UTEP head football coach to reach a consistent level of success, the program will have to start its own collective very soon.
Here is an alphabetical list of 15 candidates:
Jeff Banks, Texas special teams coordinator
Banks was a staff member under Mike Price at UTEP from 2004-2012 and is considered to be one of the best special teams coordinators in the country. Banks makes $1.1 million per season at Texas and has been considered for Power 5 jobs in the past. But the UTEP connection is still there and what better place to begin his head coaching career?
Jason Eck, Idaho head coach
Eck took over an Idaho program in 2022 that hadn’t had a winning season since 2016, and has gone 15-8 in two years with back-to-back trips to the FCS Playoffs. This year he’s 8-3 and the Vandals clinched the 4-seed in the FCS Playoffs. Jim Senter has Idaho ties; he’s worked there on three separate occasions and still keeps close tabs on the Vandals.
Jeff Grimes, former Baylor offensive coordinator
Grimes has El Paso ties, having played at UTEP and started his coaching career at Riverside High School. Grimes has never been a head coach, but has 30 years of experience. Grimes was fired from Baylor (3-9) on Sunday, which makes him readily available for the UTEP job.
Mike Hallett, offensive coordinator, Toledo
While at Toledo, Hallett’s offense is ranked first in the MAC conference in total offense (430.8) and in points per game (35.3). Toledo’s offense has not finished outside the top four in the conference in total offense in Hallett’s four seasons as offensive coordinator.
Emmett Jones, Oklahoma passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach
Jones played one season as a wide receiver at UTEP in 1996. He’s coached at the high school level in Texas, and understands the recruiting game here. He’s also coached at Texas Tech, so he’s familiar with west Texas.
Zach Kittley, Texas Tech offensive coordinator
Kittley is just 32 years old but is considered a bright offensive mind. He’s been an offensive coordinator at Houston Baptist, Western Kentucky and now Texas Tech, and his teams have always been explosive offensively. He’s a strong developer of quarterbacks and worked with Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech.
Mack Leftwich, Texas State offensive coordinator
The former UTEP quarterback has established himself as one of the best young offensive minds in college football. Though just 29, he helped Incarnate Word to the FCS Semifinals in 2022, then helped Texas State to a 7-5 season and the school’s first-ever bowl game.
Brian Lindgren, offensive coordinator, Oregon State
Under Lindgren, Oregon State averaged 426.9 yards per game and is scoring 33.8 points per game this season. With the Miners struggling on offense as they have, this would be the kind of answer they’re looking for.
Brennan Marion, UNLV offensive coordinator
Marion has UNLV is in the top four in the Mountain West in total offense (424.5) and leads the league in points per game (35.5). Against UTEP this season, UNLV rolled up 497 total yards and over 300 on the ground in a 45-28 win over the Miners. Marion, 36, has interviewed at San Diego State job, so he may not be available much longer.
Gary Patterson, former TCU head coach
Patterson, who turned TCU into a powerhouse, would definitely be a longshot for the Miners. But the word is that he would like to get back into coaching. It’s unclear whether UTEP could afford him, but landing him would be a monumental coup.
Bradley Dale Peveto, defensive coordinator UTEP
UTEP’s defense has been consistently good under Peveto, often keeping the Miners in games. In his three years here, his squads have finished first, second and fourth in Conference-USA in total defense. Keeping a coach the players are familiar with never hurts.
Robert Rodriguez, Arizona Cardinals outside linebackers coach
The popular former Montwood and UTEP player/coach will surely be a favorite of fans for the job. He is currently with the Arizona Cardinals and has never been a head coach. But his familiarity with El Paso and UTEP could buy him some points here.
Scotty Walden, Austin Peay head coach
Walden, 34, has led Austin Peay to back-to-back winning seasons and the FCS Playoffs in 2023. He also served as Southern Miss’s interim head coach in 2020, after he was the co-offensive coordinator in 2019 and 2020.
Tony White, Nebraska defensive coordinator
White opened some eyes when he led his Nebraska defense to a Top-15 ranking this year. The El Paso native and Burges alum has been moving up the ranks and has been mentioned for jobs at San Diego State and Syracuse.
Casey Woods, offensive coordinator, SMU
Woods had SMU ranked ninth in the nation in total offense, averaging 472 yards per game and fifth in the nation in points per game at 41.8. Woods’ offense was also in the top 14 in both categories nationally in 2022. Woods is especially known for developing quarterbacks.
The search is officially on for the next UTEP football coach after Dana Dimel was fired Nov. 26, a day following the Miners’ season-ending 42-28 loss to Liberty.
Dimel, who coached the Miners to a 3-9 record this season, was 20-49 during his six-year stint at UTEP, which included one winning season, culminating in a New Mexico Bowl appearance in 2021.
In a media release, Jim Senter, director of athletics and vice president at UTEP, thanked Dimel “for the dedication and hard work that he has put in over the last six years and we wish him the best in the future.”
“Under his leadership, our football program has shown improvement in all the academic metrics, and we have had minimal off-the-field issues,” Senter said in the release. “When he was hired, UTEP football was coming off a winless season, and he built a more competitive team. However, we have not seen the kind of improvement necessary to compete for and win championships. We determined that a change in leadership was needed for the program to move forward.”
Dimel, who was 2-22 his first two years, was 18-27 his final four.
With the 30-day NCAA transfer portal for football starting Dec. 4, the thought is that Senter would like to hire the school’s 27th head coach as soon as possible so the new coach has an opportunity to lure transfers to UTEP, as well as convince current players to remain on the team.
Whoever the new UTEP football head coach is, he’ll have his hands full trying to change a decade’s long culture of losing.
Since 1971, the Miners have won only 28% of their games.
In the past 53 years, they’ve had just seven winning seasons and have had 25 seasons of two wins or less.
“I think the new hire should be somebody with an exciting offensive mind; someone who is creative and inventive,” said Jon Teicher, UTEP assistant athletic director and director of broadcasting. “Besides winning, we are in the entertainment business and we’ve got to have an offense that entertains and sells tickets.”
Teicher noted that his comments are his opinions and not those of the university.
This year’s attendance average was 18,159 at the 46,000-seat Sun Bowl, third highest in Conference USA. By contrast, New Mexico State, a bowl team team with 10 wins that played for a conference title, was seventh in the nine-team league, averaging 14,847 fans a game.
College football entertainment usually coincides with scoring, and over the past 11 seasons under mostly Dimel and Sean Kugler, who both focused heavily on the running game, UTEP has struggled, averaging just over 20 points a game.
The new coach will have to deal with much more than just improving the offense.
“The job of leading a football program has changed so much; you just can’t coach football anymore,” said Teicher, who just completed his 43rd year of announcing UTEP football games. “You’ve got to be a fundraiser, you’ve got to be involved with the fans, you’ve got the transfer portal, NIL money, recruiting and so on. The new head coach has got to be all-encompassing. The whole culture of intercollegiate athletics is totally different than it was six years ago when Dana Dimel was hired.”
Teicher said Dimel left the program better than he found it.
“He was coming off a winless season in 2017 and coached the team to a bowl game in 2021,” Teicher said. “He did some very good work at UTEP and because of him, the new coach will have less of a hill to climb.”
It is no secret, NIL has changed the face of collegiate athletics and the teams that can offer the most money will lure the best athletes.
The UTEP basketball team recently launched its Miner Collective, to raise money for the recruitment and retention of athletes.
For any UTEP head football coach to reach a consistent level of success, the program will have to start its own collective very soon.
Here is an alphabetical list of 15 candidates:
Jeff Banks, Texas special teams coordinator
Banks was a staff member under Mike Price at UTEP from 2004-2012 and is considered to be one of the best special teams coordinators in the country. Banks makes $1.1 million per season at Texas and has been considered for Power 5 jobs in the past. But the UTEP connection is still there and what better place to begin his head coaching career?
Jason Eck, Idaho head coach
Eck took over an Idaho program in 2022 that hadn’t had a winning season since 2016, and has gone 15-8 in two years with back-to-back trips to the FCS Playoffs. This year he’s 8-3 and the Vandals clinched the 4-seed in the FCS Playoffs. Jim Senter has Idaho ties; he’s worked there on three separate occasions and still keeps close tabs on the Vandals.
Jeff Grimes, former Baylor offensive coordinator
Grimes has El Paso ties, having played at UTEP and started his coaching career at Riverside High School. Grimes has never been a head coach, but has 30 years of experience. Grimes was fired from Baylor (3-9) on Sunday, which makes him readily available for the UTEP job.
Mike Hallett, offensive coordinator, Toledo
While at Toledo, Hallett’s offense is ranked first in the MAC conference in total offense (430.8) and in points per game (35.3). Toledo’s offense has not finished outside the top four in the conference in total offense in Hallett’s four seasons as offensive coordinator.
Emmett Jones, Oklahoma passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach
Jones played one season as a wide receiver at UTEP in 1996. He’s coached at the high school level in Texas, and understands the recruiting game here. He’s also coached at Texas Tech, so he’s familiar with west Texas.
Zach Kittley, Texas Tech offensive coordinator
Kittley is just 32 years old but is considered a bright offensive mind. He’s been an offensive coordinator at Houston Baptist, Western Kentucky and now Texas Tech, and his teams have always been explosive offensively. He’s a strong developer of quarterbacks and worked with Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech.
Mack Leftwich, Texas State offensive coordinator
The former UTEP quarterback has established himself as one of the best young offensive minds in college football. Though just 29, he helped Incarnate Word to the FCS Semifinals in 2022, then helped Texas State to a 7-5 season and the school’s first-ever bowl game.
Brian Lindgren, offensive coordinator, Oregon State
Under Lindgren, Oregon State averaged 426.9 yards per game and is scoring 33.8 points per game this season. With the Miners struggling on offense as they have, this would be the kind of answer they’re looking for.
Brennan Marion, UNLV offensive coordinator
Marion has UNLV is in the top four in the Mountain West in total offense (424.5) and leads the league in points per game (35.5). Against UTEP this season, UNLV rolled up 497 total yards and over 300 on the ground in a 45-28 win over the Miners. Marion, 36, has interviewed at San Diego State job, so he may not be available much longer.
Gary Patterson, former TCU head coach
Patterson, who turned TCU into a powerhouse, would definitely be a longshot for the Miners. But the word is that he would like to get back into coaching. It’s unclear whether UTEP could afford him, but landing him would be a monumental coup.
Bradley Dale Peveto, defensive coordinator UTEP
UTEP’s defense has been consistently good under Peveto, often keeping the Miners in games. In his three years here, his squads have finished first, second and fourth in Conference-USA in total defense. Keeping a coach the players are familiar with never hurts.
Robert Rodriguez, Arizona Cardinals outside linebackers coach
The popular former Montwood and UTEP player/coach will surely be a favorite of fans for the job. He is currently with the Arizona Cardinals and has never been a head coach. But his familiarity with El Paso and UTEP could buy him some points here.
Scotty Walden, Austin Peay head coach
Walden, 34, has led Austin Peay to back-to-back winning seasons and the FCS Playoffs in 2023. He also served as Southern Miss’s interim head coach in 2020, after he was the co-offensive coordinator in 2019 and 2020.
Tony White, Nebraska defensive coordinator
White opened some eyes when he led his Nebraska defense to a Top-15 ranking this year. The El Paso native and Burges alum has been moving up the ranks and has been mentioned for jobs at San Diego State and Syracuse.
Casey Woods, offensive coordinator, SMU
Woods had SMU ranked ninth in the nation in total offense, averaging 472 yards per game and fifth in the nation in points per game at 41.8. Woods’ offense was also in the top 14 in both categories nationally in 2022. Woods is especially known for developing quarterbacks.
I think Marion is my guy as well. Sounds too good to be at utep.
Kenny Perry spent 12 seasons as a High School head Coach and had a good run as the Head Coach of Arlington Bowie before getting picked up by Patterson at TCU. He was 67-22 at Bowie
Has Secondary experience at the college level and was a Co-DC at Kansas.
Has been a Special Teams Coordinator for a while.
Perry is regarded as one of the Top Assistants in College Football and is well known and liked throughout the state amongst High School Coaches. He is a frequent speaker at Texas Clinics all over the state is known as a tireless recruiter.
Has Secondary experience at the college level and was a Co-DC at Kansas.
Has been a Special Teams Coordinator for a while.
Perry is regarded as one of the Top Assistants in College Football and is well known and liked throughout the state amongst High School Coaches. He is a frequent speaker at Texas Clinics all over the state is known as a tireless recruiter.
I like his resume as well. Gary Patterson is the dream hire, but more realistic would be Marion, Perry, Kittley. Don't want an fcs coach.
We could call the Miner faithful the Pole Assasins if he's our coach.
If I had better technical skills I'd splice video of Jeff Banks into this trailer.
New info.
Two interviews today, two tomorrow.
Can confirm Eric Price is interviewing tomorrow.
Gut feeling is they hire Eric Price. That would be a disappointing hire.
Good ole boy system. We are our own worst enemy.
🤮🤮🤮 Gotta be a courtesy interview.
Big Roy dropping more nuggets.
It's time for the Price's to leave UTEP alone wouldn't you agree? I mean for Mike to put the UTEP administration in the position to waste time and resources interviewing his boy is just beyond the pale. I'd rather have Dimel back.
Sh!t, I liked your post before I finished reading, then I got to “I’d rather have Dimel back”, so I deleted it. Sorry man, fully agreed with your post right up until then. How about if I give you 4/5’s of a like? Cool?
B) There are plenty of offensive minded coaches to choose from that run an exciting offense. He hasn’t been a college OC in awhile and I’m pretty sure he isn’t on a single head coach radar other than UTEP. It’s ridiculous he is even getting an interview.
C) Who gives a crap that him and his pops are running a QB passing academy. No reason to hire him because they do a QB academy. Mike is known as a QB guru but didn’t bring in a great QB during his time here. I doubt Eric would as well.
I am sure jdubb would prefer a kick in the dick over Dimel. I am happy to oblige.
Safe to say Marion interviewed today. Hearing he’s not a great interviewer which is why he didn’t get SDSU.
having a connecting flight from Dallas to Vegas see if I see a dude with a neck tatt.
having a connecting flight from Dallas to Vegas see if I see a dude with a neck tatt.
I wouldn't hire a coach based on an interview. I mean it's not like he's selling copiers or something.
That's hogwash, Dimel spoke great! That worked out so well... The proof is in the pudding.
There is a great interview and then there is a great PowerPoint.
Might be a good thing for utep. We can get him and then keep him for awhile (if he's good).
Jim Senter as well and he is incompetent as one can get as an AD.
Remember: Deaver is behind MinerDigs with the info. 💪🏽
Maybe he will be a good HC one day, but utep needs a young offensive guy.
