No, it's not good now, but it's not like they will fire him anytime soon. Let's see how it plays out, I mean literally, that's all we can do.
Liberty vs UTEP game thread
- Thread starter utep2step
- Start date
Walden will get at least 4 years. UTEP has no standards and is carried by its fan base that doesn’t demand better.
SY8412 (SCX8412) Sun Country Airlines Flight Tracking and History 14-Sep-2024 (KLYH-KELP) - FlightAware
Track Sun Country Airlines (SY) #8412 flight from Lynchburg Rgnl to El Paso Intl
www.flightaware.com
We have 17 points against FBS teams and the 2 TDs have come on quick strike long passes. It looks like if we have to put a drive together, we're screwed.
Upgrading the field lighting would be a step in the right direction. They have lost more games with those lights than they have won. But if the administration and the athletic department will not upgrade any of their facilities and lose the fan base, it's on them.
My thoughts:
- The offensive struggles make sense considering Waldens philosophy relies heavily on running the football effectively. The OL is not getting any push up front. Not only does the OL lack talent, it lacks cohesion. The offense will struggle all year due to the OL. OL should be a little better next season atleast. Gotta bring in higher level talent though.
- People calling for Cade... yeah. Great idea. Put the non mobile guy behind this OL. Stick with Locklear this year, let him take his bumps this year and hope it pays dividends next season.
- Still, we are getting flashes from Kam Thomas, Trey Goodman, Jevon Jackson, Kenny Odom and Jaden Smith. I especially like what I have seen from Smith, Thomas and Goodman.
- BuzzKill needs to lose his job if he doesn't turn it around quick. We can't shoot ourselves in the foot by missing opportunities via missed kicks and/or going for it and not converting because we can't trust the kicker.
- I thought the defense improved this week. They were put in terrible field position against Liberty and held their own pretty well. The defense is senior laden, so if they can get it together. It can be a pretty solid defense moving forward. Saying this, Westmoreland has been pretty disappointing thus far. I don't think he's a good fit for this rover position that Clark has him in.
- I do like what I'm seeing out of Hopkins and Chapman. AJ Odums has been invisible, which is a good thing from a corner. Unfortunately, Josiah Allen has been picked on.
My expectation from this season was 5 wins because the home schedule is not a murderer's row. After the loss to SUU, that expectation changed. If the team improves every week, maybe UTEP can get 3 wins this season. Just not sure where. I won't lose faith in Walden yet. He has too much inexperience, lack of cohesion or FCS level talent in key spots to be competitive this season. He has proven he can recruit and I expect the team will have way more experience and talent next season. Unfortunately, the defense will need a rebuild next season as there are a lot of seniors leaving.
- The offensive struggles make sense considering Waldens philosophy relies heavily on running the football effectively. The OL is not getting any push up front. Not only does the OL lack talent, it lacks cohesion. The offense will struggle all year due to the OL. OL should be a little better next season atleast. Gotta bring in higher level talent though.
- People calling for Cade... yeah. Great idea. Put the non mobile guy behind this OL. Stick with Locklear this year, let him take his bumps this year and hope it pays dividends next season.
- Still, we are getting flashes from Kam Thomas, Trey Goodman, Jevon Jackson, Kenny Odom and Jaden Smith. I especially like what I have seen from Smith, Thomas and Goodman.
- BuzzKill needs to lose his job if he doesn't turn it around quick. We can't shoot ourselves in the foot by missing opportunities via missed kicks and/or going for it and not converting because we can't trust the kicker.
- I thought the defense improved this week. They were put in terrible field position against Liberty and held their own pretty well. The defense is senior laden, so if they can get it together. It can be a pretty solid defense moving forward. Saying this, Westmoreland has been pretty disappointing thus far. I don't think he's a good fit for this rover position that Clark has him in.
- I do like what I'm seeing out of Hopkins and Chapman. AJ Odums has been invisible, which is a good thing from a corner. Unfortunately, Josiah Allen has been picked on.
My expectation from this season was 5 wins because the home schedule is not a murderer's row. After the loss to SUU, that expectation changed. If the team improves every week, maybe UTEP can get 3 wins this season. Just not sure where. I won't lose faith in Walden yet. He has too much inexperience, lack of cohesion or FCS level talent in key spots to be competitive this season. He has proven he can recruit and I expect the team will have way more experience and talent next season. Unfortunately, the defense will need a rebuild next season as there are a lot of seniors leaving.
It’s funny some of you are forgetting this is Walden’s first season after inheriting a terrible team last year…. It’s not like basketball when you only need a few players to turn a team around…. The goal has always been 4 wins this year and have another good recruiting class next season and start building from there —- as someone stated we need better oline
Then donate enough money for the buyout. Get some friends together and pool for the buyout. Withhold the funds until Walden is bought out; money is the best way to put pressure on Senter.
It’s been done before, look at San Marcos. No excuse for this piss poor offense. I’m glad the defense outperformed themselves bc after that Southern Utah game…..
I’m not advocating for his firing, even if he were losing 71-0. This is UTEP not Florida St.
Good suggestion, everyone knows I’m friends with Paul Foster and other millionaires, so it will be an easy task!
Right on. Some UTEP fans accept losing and are told be patient. How did that work out for Dimel, Kugler, and Price?
In past years, I would have given the benefit of the doubt to a new coach. Walden brought in 40 new players and chased away 40 others. That alone makes it tough for me. I still maintain that the cupboard wasn't empty from last year. We were 20ish bad Dimel decisions away from bowl eligibility last year. Last year coaching was the problem not the players. This coaching staff should have a shorter leash due to all the talent turnover.
With that said, I do like our receiver this year. That position has definitely been upgraded. As mentioned above, the offensive line needs to be the number one focus as far as recruiting goes.
There was improvement from last week to this week and hopefully that continues but another winless season doesn't seem too far fetched.
I'm starting to notice that we are having a hard time finishing drives in the redzone, and our intermediate passing game in non-existent. We throw short passes and long passes but nothing in the 10-15 yard range. If we are in 3rd and ten, we are only getting a first down from Locklear scrambling. Locklear seems to get himself in bad situations when he wants to scramble at times. Sometimes all he needs to do is step up in the pocket but he ends up scrambling from sideline to sideline only to lose 2 yards.
Surprise us next week, UTEP. Go Miners.
I’m just curious in what ways your “demands” have effected change. Seems that you’re still getting the same experience and results as the fans you say accept losing.
Either way, appears you’re still a fan cuz you spend so much time on a Miner forum.
My “demands” haven’t effected change.
How much time do I spend here? How do you keep track?
UTEP should have done the RIGHT thing and go with Brennan Marion. Walden all hype, and knock it off with cleaning the locker room!
I don’t know how much time you spend here. I said that based upon the frequency with which you post.
True that. In season 2 Kugler went bowling. By season 5 winless.
There is. Dimel should have been fired after 2022. Instead, we get the “be patient” excuse and look what happened in 2023. Now, we’re a year behind in improving. Price probably should have been fired in 2009. Kugler should have been fired after 2016. He coached 5 games then quit the next season, and then we got stuck with Dimel. How did that work out for us??
The pressure should be on Walden to win now, not be given years of cushion.
I think you’re mistaken. I find some of your posts interesting, informative, maybe a different perspective than my own.
I was just curious what demanding change looks like from those that use that particular wording. No mas.
If more people were upset with the “constant” losing, there would be more demand for change.
Fans like Cube Jack don’t say anything critical of the team, even during poor seasons, years into a coach’s tenure. It’s fair to say, they aren’t emailing Senter or stopping their season tickets.
I don’t know man. I question this claim. I’m dissatisfied with the constant losing. I bitch like a mthr fvckr on here. I email Senter. I don’t buy season tickets. I’m critical of the program. I don’t think it changes anything.
Demanding change takes more than expressing frustration on a forum to make any difference.
I’ve asked a couple people how they are demanding change and I haven’t heard a thing yet that actually moved the needle. Just my observation, tho.
I think people get upset, unfortunately it just falls on deaf ears. The last regime didn’t give a shit about improving UTEP Athletics and the current one doesn’t either.
Unfortunately, 1 thousand people like us don’t equal 1 big donor.
Honestly? Yea. It is. Want to get a new indoor practice facility? Money.
Want to have influence over who coaches at UTEP? Money.
Want to hire who you want? Money.
I’m not Paul Foster either but asking for champagne on a beer budget isn’t going to work. Donate, buy jerseys, do something otherwise nothing will happen.
How good is Liberty this season? Who have they beat? Nmsu got pounded by Cal State Fresno. Hopefully we saw strides and this isn’t a bad Liberty team.
I agree that money is always a factor. However, effective leadership is just as important. Below are the athletic budgets as of 2023 for CUSA:
Liberty 57.42M
FIU 39.29M
MTSU 35.6M
UTEP 33.13M
New Mexico State 31.16M
WKU 28.54M
LA Tech 25.97M
Kennesaw State 25.17M
Sam Houston 20.6M
Jacksonville State 18.34M
I think we can all agree that UTEP's return on investment just based on other schools in the league for the last 10 years has been pretty horrendous. I wouldn't mind if UTEP was able to "succeed" even at the level of La Tech or WKU.
We are beating a dead horse, but it again points back to Senter. That said, his failures extend beyond the on the field results, and also over to fundraising. The facility upgrade "intiatives" he has been able to complete really pale in comparison to what Stull was able to do; and that really says something. Fundraising was supposed to be his calling card when he was hired. Now, he is at the helm to "lead" UTEP potentially to a new conference. Oh boy.
Have to find another kicker soon. The one we have has been given his chances and he ends up being a liability now. His inconsistent kicking affects our play calling and approach on 3rd and 4th down in opponents territory.
Agree. When it’s a toss up as to which is more likely, converting 4th and goal from the 15 or nailing a 32 yard fg, it’s time to find a new kicker.
NMSU has entered the chat... Similar to UTEP, yet has done way more in BB and FB... (Yes I know they get state funding)
