UTEP spring practice has "ultra competitiveness"

[utep2step]

Good tackling will be a welcomed addition. Has Dimel seen the BYU 1985 game? UTEP pulled that major upset by great, crisp tackling. A BYwhoo player was on the ground as soon as one touched the ball.

http://www.ktsm.com/sports/utep-spring-football-generating-ultra-competitiveness/1095844660

 

[pay4dirt]

Let's hope that fire in practice shows up on the field during games. We might actually win a few. Go Miners.

 

[utep2step]

Let's hope that fire in practice shows up on the field during games. We might actually win a few. Go Miners.

The Pistol is an effective offense when run correctly. Kulger did not run it effectively so when Kavika was behind center (usually mid 3rd quarter down by 21), opposing d's knew immediately what and which direction and D's just tee'd off on him.

However, K State and Chris Ault at Nevada (Colin Kaepernick) ran it with precision and was very effective. If Locksley is good as billed, I expect big things from this UTEP team. But I still remain conservatively hopeful.

 

[Minerforlife]

The Pistol is an effective offense when run correctly. Kulger did not run it effectively so when Kavika was behind center (usually mid 3rd quarter down by 21), opposing d's knew immediately what and which direction and D's just tee'd off on him.

However, K State and Chris Ault at Nevada (Colin Kaepernick) ran it with precision and was very effective. If Locksley is good as billed, I expect big things from this UTEP team. But I still remain conservatively hopeful.

It's a wait and see on Locksley. JUCOs are a crapshoot. I'm not convinced he will be the starter. I feel confident with Metz locksley and Fernandez that one of them can grab the reigns.

 

[utep2step]

True. But Locksley's numbers under center speak for themselves. But I also believe Opie is major conference caliber qb and has a nice arm, too. It's a good problem to have.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

True. But Locksley's numbers under center speak for themselves. But I also believe Opie is major conference caliber qb and has a nice arm, too. It's a good problem to have.

Metz a major conference QB? Naw....
Aside from that NMSU game a couple years back, what has he accomplished? I’m just being honest, not everyone on this team is baller. It is what it is.

 

[Haskins Fan]

Maybe Metz could show case what he can do under the new coaching staff.
Metz was tied with Coach Kug game plan. Hopefully Metz can give
Locksley a fight, to see who will be the starter.

Go miners....

 

[Minerforlife]

Metz a major conference QB? Naw....
Aside from that NMSU game a couple years back, what has he accomplished? I’m just being honest, not everyone on this team is baller. It is what it is.

He has a thin resume, but still a better d1 resume than locksley. Don't get me wrong Locksley could be very good but he could be very bad. JUCO's are at best a 50/50 proposition. We'll have to see how things play out. Fernandez is the guy that really intrigues me. He has by far the best mechanics of all the QBs. He has the biggest arm of the group. He's not the athlete that Metz and locksley are but he's a decent athlete.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

I agree. I think every QB has their question marks. And because of that the QB battle is more about finding the QB who is most efficient, as opposed to some sort of Montana/Young battle.

 

[UTEPfan1966]

Seriously, I don't know what you guys are smoking. Dimel would never have gone after Locksley if he didn't intend for him to be the starter. Locks came in early to get comfortable with the new offense. Again, there is ZERO chance anyone aside from him gets the starting nod. While Fernandez just "might" be our QB of the future, the future isn't this year. Metz will ONLY play if we are blowing someone out or Locks gets hurt.
Take off the El Paso blinders guys.....

 

[MineroFanatico]

Seriously, I don't know what you guys are smoking. Dimel would never have gone after Locksley if he didn't intend for him to be the starter. Locks came in early to get comfortable with the new offense. Again, there is ZERO chance anyone aside from him gets the starting nod. While Fernandez just "might" be our QB of the future, the future isn't this year. Metz will ONLY play if we are blowing someone out or Locks gets hurt.
Take off the El Paso blinders guys.....

While I tend to agree with you, and think ultimately you’ll be proven right, Kyle Allen was in a similar situation at UH. Aside from a few posters on the Coog forums, most annointed KA the starter without question (me included). While he did start the first 3 games, he didn’t play another down all season once he got yanked early in the 4th quarter of that third game. I guess my point is, however slim it may be, Metz has at least a chance to be the guy.

 

[UTEPfan1966]

Don't get me wrong////I like Metz. I watched him in high school and have cheered for him at UTEP. I think he was given a fair shot and honestly, didn't show enough to say he could be the answer.

Locks on the other hand has proven himself in juco....

 

[Dmanminer]

I don’t believe we know what Metz is capital of, Kulger offensive was so terrible no one could show much. AJ was the only one successful and he’s playing on Sundays.

 

[JCorona]

Was any other FBS school recruiting Metz out of high school?

 

[Minerforlife]

Locks on the other hand has proven himself in juco....[/QUOTE]

Do you remember Nick lamaison? He had proven himself in juco. He had better numbers than Locksley in jc and was a 1st team juco all American. Mike Price pegged him to take over the reigns after vittatoe graduated. Lamaison was terrible he was the nail in Price's coffin. Like I said JUCOs are crapshoot 50/50 at best. Locksley could be really good but he could also be really bad. The juco numbers mean nothing.

 

[utep2step]

UTEP has had their share of juco's and transfers who never really panned. Lamaison wasn't the nail, his son's play calling was the nail, IMO. It was Kugleresque, but in spread formation. But Lamaison didn't work out to be the next Trevor Vittatoe.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

Ok. Metz had that insane game vs NMSU a couple of years back and that UTSA game when The Miners went into triple OT. The drop from 14 TDs as a Sophomore to 3 is troubling. But at the same time the offense was awful all around. Metz is a backup QB at best and that is not a knock on him as a person but Locksley was the high profile recruit brought with the intention of immediately righting the ship. No way he comes to UTEP if he is not told the job is his to lose. That’s just me. He has experience playing in a run/pass option offense and he does not have a history of head trauma. I was at that spring practice at the SAC and the first pass he threw was a gem to Reddix for a TD. Now granted it was 7 on 7 and everything else but the crowd let him know that was a beautiful pass. Let’s see what happens next Friday.

 

[utep2step]

Locksley just needs a chance. He obviously walked into bit of a hornets nest at Texas with the Strong clinging on to his job for his dear life and the qb situation that was playing out there. That pressure is not here. Dimel wanted this job, UTEP didn't seek him out. Unlike Texas where from the get go some big boosters made it clear they were hoping Strong would fail. That type of top-down negative approach trickles to the players. Locksley left. He goes JUCO and through literal divine intervention he gets a starting chance. He blows the doors off.

Opie stays home and becomes a hometown hero after breaking NMSU's heart three years ago as time ticked away. "Opie for Mayor" was in everyone's heart. He showed moxey and even asked Kugler to open up the offense (according to Kug & media reports) and showed his arm. He led great drives but then looked like a freshman. Forced passes and for some reason he thought he could take on a Mike Linebacker only to get knocked out of the game. He didn't do it once, he did it a few times and it cost UTEP dearly as he was sidelined and UTEP offense floundered.

So, my question is who makes better decisions? It's kind of a big deal. Metz has John Elway inspiration but John Elway knew when to go down and try for another down.

 

[axingfools1]

What's with the 'Opie' comments?

 

[Cube Jack]

Well, about six months ago people here were singing the praises of a QB who now isn't even mentioned in the top 3... see how much things cam change by the season opener in five months

 

[PURPLEFIRE]

I actually think Metz is ok--- what I think has given him a raw deal was kuglers offense and we didn't have any decent receivers last year.... he needs a fair shot

 

[UTEPfan1966]

What's with the 'Opie' comments?

It's been his nick name since he was little....

 

[utep2step]

I actually think Metz is ok--- what I think has given him a raw deal was kuglers offense and we didn't have any decent receivers last year.... he needs a fair shot

Nope. It was Kug's philosophy. UTEP had pretty good receivers but live fire experience was few and far between as compared to UTEP rb's. Nothing like learning to haul in that pig skin with a db on your butt late in the 4th quarter in front of thousands. Kug decided to keep it on the ground.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

I am very curious to see what this team is capable of. We will know if Kugler was a bad coach (which he was) OR if he was a bad coach and a bad recruiter. I will agree that Kugler and company did them no favors by having them run short routes that were consistently short of the sticks. That may have contributed to their utter lack of separation at times. But there were several drops last year and that didn’t help their cause. We need someone to step big time because I don’t care if it’s Locksley or Metz, if the wideouts don’t step up big time the offense will be in big time trouble.

 

[utep2step]

I had no problem with his recruiting. D easily got burned around the edges and tacking was eh. Kug's control the clock made me pull my hair out because UTEP was typically down by 2 or 3 td's in the third quarter. That's on the coaches, not the players. But Dimel liked the players Kug had as well he should. Not like he was welcoming in transfers with huge ego's or incoming freshman who really didn't seem committed to college course work.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

I had no problem with his recruiting. D easily got burned around the edges and tacking was eh. Kug's control the clock made me pull my hair out because UTEP was typically down by 2 or 3 td's in the third quarter. That's on the coaches, not the players. But Dimel liked the players Kug had as well he should. Not like he was welcoming in transfers with huge ego's or incoming freshman who really didn't seem committed to college course work.

You have to take what these coaches say with a grain of salt. Imagine how detrimental it would be if you were 100% honest? You can’t go, “Look.... we don’t have very many good players.... we suck.” Maybe your team isn’t the best, but you have to have them believing they are the best. I will judge this team based on what they do on the field, and not what comes out of anyone’s mouth. Anyone can talk a good game and say they look great, that they like the talent, but if they cant’ compete, they can’t compete. Given the change of scheme, the breath of fresh air within the program and what looks like a renewed attention to detail I am expecting an uptick in production. But how much is anyone’s guess.

 

[utep2step]

You have to take what these coaches say with a grain of salt. Imagine how detrimental it would be if you were 100% honest? You can’t go, “Look.... we don’t have very many good players.... we suck.” Maybe your team isn’t the best, but you have to have them believing they are the best. I will judge this team based on what they do on the field, and not what comes out of anyone’s mouth. Anyone can talk a good game and say they look great, that they like the talent, but if they cant’ compete, they can’t compete. Given the change of scheme, the breath of fresh air within the program and what looks like a renewed attention to detail I am expecting an uptick in production. But how much is anyone’s guess.

Amen brother. You're correct. Cant argue with that. As I was reading your thread it reminded me of this clip of a "fight club" type video that went viral some years back (the clip is real). Talk is just talk.

 

[JCorona]

Amen brother. You're correct. Cant argue with that. As I was reading your thread it reminded me of this clip of a "fight club" type video that went viral some years back (the clip is real). Talk is just talk.

View embedded media

Damn he timed that right hand perfectly. Probably needed a spatula to flip him off the floor.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

But at the same time if you follow boxing how many times over he last couple of years did we hear Freddie Roach say “The old Manny Pacquiao is back.” “He’s knocking out his sparring partners.” “He is an animal.” And inevitably he is what he is, an old fighter who has no more knockout power. So half of it is hype for the public and maybe half is trying to instil confidence.

 

[PURPLEFIRE]

Isn't that from a movie?

 

[JeeberD]

That fact that Dimel hasn't run off a bunch of players holds more weight to me than what he said. I know he didn't have a lot of time to recruit replacements, but if he was unhappy with the kids on the roster I think there would have been more movement.

 

[axingfools1]

That fact that Dimel hasn't run off a bunch of players holds more weight to me than what he said. I know he didn't have a lot of time to recruit replacements, but if he was unhappy with the kids on the roster I think there would have been more movement.

True and it will take some time. A few of the new recruits may contribute some as well. I really don't expect much this year, but it will tell us a lot about what to expect in the future. Another year of recruiting and getting a couple of high quality JC/transfers and we should have the foundation established.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

Take this with a grain of salt if you want. But The EP Times reported UTEP scrimmaged yesterday and Metz was 1-1 for 9 yards, Locksley was 1-6 for 3 yards and Torrez was 3-4 for 18 yards. But the RBs ran for 181 yards.

 

[utep2step]

Got to admit Metz has nice throwing form.

 

[utep2step]

And Coach Dimel, please end the drought!

 

[JCorona]

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

Just our luck. Hope it’s not serious. When I first saw this photo I thought to myself “Locksley has some fat legs.” I didn’t notice it was the trainer bent over.

 

[JCorona]

View embedded media

 

[airraid968]

Ok. Metz had that insane game vs NMSU a couple of years back and that UTSA game when The Miners went into triple OT. The drop from 14 TDs as a Sophomore to 3 is troubling. But at the same time the offense was awful all around. Metz is a backup QB at best and that is not a knock on him as a person but Locksley was the high profile recruit brought with the intention of immediately righting the ship. No way he comes to UTEP if he is not told the job is his to lose. That’s just me. He has experience playing in a run/pass option offense and he does not have a history of head trauma. I was at that spring practice at the SAC and the first pass he threw was a gem to Reddix for a TD. Now granted it was 7 on 7 and everything else but the crowd let him know that was a beautiful pass. Let’s see what happens next Friday.

I agree it's Locks to lose

 

[utep2step]

Just our luck. Hope it’s not serious. When I first saw this photo I thought to myself “Locksley has some fat legs.” I didn’t notice it was the trainer bent over.

That one of those "Look again" type photos you see on reddit.