Turn Up the Orange | UTEP sports talk

Podcast: UTEP football will start 0-4, true or false?

The El Paso Times' podcasters preview the coming football season with some true or false questions.

The podcasters are Joe on Utepia's Joe Muench, UTEP football beat writer Bret Bloomquist, photo editor Ruben Ramirez and presentation editor Pablo Villa, along with host Jay Koester.

Let us know your answers to the questions in the comment section below.

To listen to the podcast, click here. (or right click, save-target-as to download)

Let's discuss

PJ submitted a comment to our latest Turn Up the Orange blog post that I felt the need to address. He writes: 

“Two football players arrested on what sounds like pretty serious charges and no discussion? Why isn't this story getting more press? 

Oh wait, this is UTEP we are talking about. (And you ALL know what I mean.) Wink, wink. Nod, nod. Nudge, nudge.” 

I can’t answer why the arrests of UTEP running back Daniel Palmer and safety Nick Sampson aren't getting more discussion, PJ. But I agree that it’s a serious matter. 

I must say, though, that the story has gotten an appropriate amount of press. Times reporter Stephanie Sanchez wrote a story that detailed the charges against both players that ran in Saturday's paper. This story came after a short item that was posted on our Web site Thursday, which ran in Friday’s paper, broke the news of the pair’s arrest. 

As of now, there’s nothing new to report on the case. But you can be sure that the Times will be there when the two get their day in court. 

I present Stephanie’s full story here and invite PJ and others to discuss if they wish.  

UTEP football players accused of assault, robbery 

By Stephanie Sanchez 
El Paso Times 

EL PASO — The two UTEP football players arrested this week are suspected of assaulting a salesman and stealing a home entertainment system from him, according to a police complaint obtained Friday.

The suspects are running back Daniel Palmer and safety Nick Sampson, both 19. Athletic Director Bob Stull said they had been suspended from the team pending the outcome of the case. A third man is being sought, police Detective Carlos Carrillo said Friday. 

He would not say whether an arrest warrant had been issued for that suspect. 

As for the victim, police identified him in the complaint only as a man named "Aguilera-Mota." Carrillo said he is 22 years old and a salesman for Ashton Home Theater Systems. 

Aguilera-Mota told police he approached Palmer, Sampson and the third man Monday at the Circle K convenience store at Mesa Street and University Avenue, asking if they wanted to buy a home entertainment system. Sampson, he said, asked him to leave the system and he would pay later. Aguilera-Mota declined, then walked away to pursue other customers. 

As he was leaving, he said, Palmer, Sampson and the other man stopped him and asked him to follow them in his vehicle. "(Aguilera-Mota) followed, thinking they were going to an ATM machine or bank for money," the affidavit stated. 

Sampson, who was driving a red Ford Mustang with Palmer, drove to the parking lot of the Ryan's Crossing apartments at 535 S. Mesa Hills. It was not clear in the complaint whether the third Advertisement man was also in players' car. At the complex, Aguilera-Mota opened a box with a system. Then, the complaint stated, Palmer told Sampson to strike Aguilera-Mota. 

"Hit him and take that," police quoted Palmer as saying. 

Sampson, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, allegedly punched Aguilera-Mota in the neck. Aguilera-Mota ran, but said Sampson chased him and grabbed him by his collar. Aguilera-Mota said somebody hit him a second time. 

Then, he said, he looked up and saw Palmer putting the system in the back of the Mustang. Aguilera-Mota said the thieves then sped off. He gave police the Mustang's license number. 

Sampson, who is from Houston, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of robbery. Jail records show he was released soon after on $40,000 bond. Palmer, of College Station, Texas, was released Thursday on $10,000 bond. 

Stephanie Sanchez may be reached at ssanchez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6137.

UTSA beats UTEP

A story posted on Sports Illustrated’s Web site Wednesday offers a bit of praise for Larry Coker after he announced his first recruiting victory. 

Coker, the head football coach of UT-San Antonio, says he has received four commitments for his program, which  will begin play in 2011 as a Football Championship Subdivision school (formerly Division I-AA). 

One of those recruits was San Antonio’s own Chris Johnson. 

Johnson, a 5-foot-9, 182-pound senior-to-be running back from East Central High School, has rushed for more than 3,000 yards during the last two seasons. He was offered a scholarship by several FBS schools including UTEP, according to Rivals.com. 

This figures to be just the beginning of a slew of recruits that the Roadrunners will steal away from the Miners in the coming years. And with Coker’s goal of eventually joining Conference USA, UTEP better do something to compete for the signatures of recruits in this talent-rich state. 

The best way for UTEP to put the brakes on a recruit exodus is to put UTSA on the schedule annually, at least the first few years of the football program’s existence. The winner of these games will likely nab the most recruits. And should the Miners lose consistently to an FCS team? Well, that should be interesting ... 

Just something to keep an eye on.

UTEP football on TV

It appears UTEP football will receive some good early-season promotion, with four games out of their first seven on national TV.

The Miners' first two home games, against Buffalo (Sept. 5) and Kansas (Sept. 12) will both be televised on CBS College Sports (Cable channel 24 in El Paso). (Kansas fans were excited to hear the news, as well.)

The Sept. 26 matchup with Texas being played in Austin will be televised on Fox Sports Net. And, finally, the Oct. 21 home game with Tulsa will be televised on ESPN.

That's some good TV time, though I would guess UTEP will be the underdog in all four of those games. The nation just might watch the Miners go 0-4.