Here are my thoughts about what could be UTEP's best and worst position groups entering the upcoming season:
Best:
1.) Defensive Backs: In my opinion, the DB's are the best and deepest group that we have. Our DB's were relatively productive last season, as we ranked 41st against the pass. This season we will return almost the entire group, with 3 quality CB's and 3 potential quality Safeties. Devin Cockrell should be one of the best players on our team, he also is as veteran as it gets, as he will be in his 5th year in our Program and 4th year as a Starter. Michael Lewis is likely going to occupy the other starting Safety spot. Lewis gained starting experience as a True Freshman, now he returns after a season away. He was one of the top performers in the Spring Game and looked very sharp. The possible 3rd Safety could be Kahani Smith, an unproven JC transfer who the Staff has been really high on. The CB's return two 3 year Starters in Beverly and Needham. Justin Rodgers also brings experience, as he started multiple games at CB last year as a Freshman. The zone defense that we now run really appears to work well with Needham and Rogers skill sets.
2.) Offensive Line: I think that our interior O-Line(Hernandez, Gatewood, and Elmendorff) is honestly above average quality. You also have the Senior Stallings sitting as a capable back-up to all 3. We return a ton of Starting Experience and production at our Center and Guard positions. The question becomes the Tackles. I do think that Greg Long has a bright future(he started at Right Tackle in the Spring Game) and Kugler thinks that Brooks(Starting Left Tackle) is an NFL type of talent. Brooks and Long both got some experience Starting at Tackle last year, yet both also eventually lost their starting roles through the course of the season. Our overall pass protection has looked slow at times and Brooks especially has had his past troubles with speed on the edge. Brooks will now become an upperclassman and will have to handle the LT spot, while Long will have to grow up as a Sophmore. We should have good potential in the run game, but I have questions about the security of our O-line pass protection. Overall, all 5 starters have starting experience which is why I rank them #2.
3.) Linebackers: This is a bit of a stretch and this ranking largely relies on Van Hook both being eligible(after being ordered to sit out Spring Ball to focus on grades)and taking a big step forward as a Sophomore. Jones and Lovilette are both returning Seniors Starters with experience and production. This duo should give us a strong base inside and they are the main reason why this group is ranked as a strength. Van Hook is extremely athletic and gained some starting experience as a Freshman. His continued development at one of the outside spots will determine how strong this overall group becomes. Taking the assumption that Van Hook can build on his decent Freshman year, then we could possibly have quality at 3/4 of our LB spots. We will still need to have someone else step up, Parsee and the JC transfer Griffen appear to be the two most ready to help. Then there is also Julian Jackson, the Senior Wake Forest transfer to keep an eye on. As a side note about the LB's, it will also be interesting to see the development of Hughes(who was originally a 3 star RB recruit) and to see if Jamar Smith gets eligible and makes it to campus.
Worst:
1.) Kicker: The Kicker position is currently a major question mark, as we had some local walk-on's performing most of these duties in Spring Ball. To my knowledge, we still have not signed a Kicker since Mattox graduated.
2.) Running Back: We lost our #1 RB after last season ended. Then we lost our next #1 RB before Spring Ball ended. Unless a grad transfer arrives, it is a guarantee that our Starting RB next year will be inexperienced. Kevin Dove has shown some potential in limited carries and Awatt handled the majority of RB duties in the Spring Game. As a quick but undersized player, Dawn Jr. could possibly be used in a Howard Jackson type of role. He had some big moments as a Freshman WR but he does not have much D1 RB experience at the moment. The situation is almost perfect for a newcomer like Josh Fields or Dupree(if he gets eligible) to step in as a true freshman and have a chance at a lot of playing time. But regardless, there is hardly any D1 game experience at the moment.
3.) Tight Ends: Our current TE group combined for hardly any D1 receptions last season. The Senior Napier is a quality run blocker, but hasn't been a recieving target during his time here. Weeks(who originally went to BYU) and Lucero(who originally went to Boise State) were both relatively high ranked recruits coming out of high school, but neither played D1 last season. There is also a question towards both regarding how quickly they can become dual TE's, meaning effective blockers and not just recievers.
Best:
1.) Defensive Backs: In my opinion, the DB's are the best and deepest group that we have. Our DB's were relatively productive last season, as we ranked 41st against the pass. This season we will return almost the entire group, with 3 quality CB's and 3 potential quality Safeties. Devin Cockrell should be one of the best players on our team, he also is as veteran as it gets, as he will be in his 5th year in our Program and 4th year as a Starter. Michael Lewis is likely going to occupy the other starting Safety spot. Lewis gained starting experience as a True Freshman, now he returns after a season away. He was one of the top performers in the Spring Game and looked very sharp. The possible 3rd Safety could be Kahani Smith, an unproven JC transfer who the Staff has been really high on. The CB's return two 3 year Starters in Beverly and Needham. Justin Rodgers also brings experience, as he started multiple games at CB last year as a Freshman. The zone defense that we now run really appears to work well with Needham and Rogers skill sets.
2.) Offensive Line: I think that our interior O-Line(Hernandez, Gatewood, and Elmendorff) is honestly above average quality. You also have the Senior Stallings sitting as a capable back-up to all 3. We return a ton of Starting Experience and production at our Center and Guard positions. The question becomes the Tackles. I do think that Greg Long has a bright future(he started at Right Tackle in the Spring Game) and Kugler thinks that Brooks(Starting Left Tackle) is an NFL type of talent. Brooks and Long both got some experience Starting at Tackle last year, yet both also eventually lost their starting roles through the course of the season. Our overall pass protection has looked slow at times and Brooks especially has had his past troubles with speed on the edge. Brooks will now become an upperclassman and will have to handle the LT spot, while Long will have to grow up as a Sophmore. We should have good potential in the run game, but I have questions about the security of our O-line pass protection. Overall, all 5 starters have starting experience which is why I rank them #2.
3.) Linebackers: This is a bit of a stretch and this ranking largely relies on Van Hook both being eligible(after being ordered to sit out Spring Ball to focus on grades)and taking a big step forward as a Sophomore. Jones and Lovilette are both returning Seniors Starters with experience and production. This duo should give us a strong base inside and they are the main reason why this group is ranked as a strength. Van Hook is extremely athletic and gained some starting experience as a Freshman. His continued development at one of the outside spots will determine how strong this overall group becomes. Taking the assumption that Van Hook can build on his decent Freshman year, then we could possibly have quality at 3/4 of our LB spots. We will still need to have someone else step up, Parsee and the JC transfer Griffen appear to be the two most ready to help. Then there is also Julian Jackson, the Senior Wake Forest transfer to keep an eye on. As a side note about the LB's, it will also be interesting to see the development of Hughes(who was originally a 3 star RB recruit) and to see if Jamar Smith gets eligible and makes it to campus.
Worst:
1.) Kicker: The Kicker position is currently a major question mark, as we had some local walk-on's performing most of these duties in Spring Ball. To my knowledge, we still have not signed a Kicker since Mattox graduated.
2.) Running Back: We lost our #1 RB after last season ended. Then we lost our next #1 RB before Spring Ball ended. Unless a grad transfer arrives, it is a guarantee that our Starting RB next year will be inexperienced. Kevin Dove has shown some potential in limited carries and Awatt handled the majority of RB duties in the Spring Game. As a quick but undersized player, Dawn Jr. could possibly be used in a Howard Jackson type of role. He had some big moments as a Freshman WR but he does not have much D1 RB experience at the moment. The situation is almost perfect for a newcomer like Josh Fields or Dupree(if he gets eligible) to step in as a true freshman and have a chance at a lot of playing time. But regardless, there is hardly any D1 game experience at the moment.
3.) Tight Ends: Our current TE group combined for hardly any D1 receptions last season. The Senior Napier is a quality run blocker, but hasn't been a recieving target during his time here. Weeks(who originally went to BYU) and Lucero(who originally went to Boise State) were both relatively high ranked recruits coming out of high school, but neither played D1 last season. There is also a question towards both regarding how quickly they can become dual TE's, meaning effective blockers and not just recievers.
