The UTEP football team finished its spring season with the “Spring Showcase” in front of over 1,000 fans on a clear and cool Friday night in the Sun Bowl.
The Miners ran through multiple drills as “The Voice of the Miners” Jon Teicher and UTEP Head Coach Dana Dimel narrated the action over a wireless microphone on the field.“We had a nice workout today. We couldn’t have had a more beautiful night for the fans and players,” Dimel said. “We got a lot of work done and it’s fun for fans to get out and see the mechanics of how we work and what we’re trying to get done at practice. I feel like there’s a lot more to watch to this than a spring game. We did a lot of different things and our big thrust was to get the new guys some work. I feel like they all improved a great deal from the reps they got. I feel like they’ll take it in, digest it and take it into the summer and fall camp. I noticed how our older guys have worked at a higher level which was really impressive for me as football coach. It’s important for me to see them take their games to the next level.”
A few of the midyear transfers who have made immediate impacts during the month of March are DB Josiah Allen, WR Kelly Akharaiyi, WR Marcus Bellon, DB Kobe Hylton and DE Maurice Westmoreland.
UTEP is returning a slew of key players from the 7-6 team last season. The Miners are projected to return seven on starters on offense – RB Ronald Awatt, RT Jeremiah Byers, QB Gavin Hardison, RG Elijah Klein, C Andrew Meyer, WR Tyrin Smith and TE Trent Thompson. The defense is also projected to return seven starts – DE Praise Amaewhule, S Dennis Barnes, LB Tyrice Knight, DT Kelton Moss, S Justin Prince, DT Keenan Steward and DE Jadrian Taylor.
The Miners open the 2022 campaign at home against Conference USA foe North Texas on Aug. 27 in the Sun Bowl. It’s the earliest the Miners will start a season in program history, while it’s the first time since 1992 (vs. BYU) that UTEP will commence a new season against a league opponent at home.
UTEP will travel to Oklahoma on Sept. 3 and return home for the Battle of I-10 against NM State on Sept. 10. The Miners will then travel up I-25 to battle New Mexico, and then return home for a Sept. 24 game versus Boise State.
The Miners will continue league play with back-to-back road games at Charlotte (Oct. 1) and at LA Tech (Oct. 8). UTEP will host FAU (Oct. 22) and Middle Tennessee (Oct. 29) before taking the road to Rice (Nov. 5). The final home game will come against FIU (Nov. 19), while the regular season will conclude at UTSA (Nov. 26).
Season tickets are available by visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/tickets, calling (915) 747-UTEP, and at the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office (hours of operation M-F 8am-5pm).
Gallery by Ruben R. Ramirez – El Paso Herald Post