UTEP football in 2010

The bowl season is in full swing and I know all of us in Minerdom have plenty of time to check out a fair amount of games, seeing as how the Miners are spending the holidays at home. 

But the wishing can begin for next season as UTEP's schedule begins to take shape. 

I wrote a blog post back in October asking for your dream schedules for the 2010 season. Many of you shared the same sensibilities, especially towards the shunning of Football Championship Subdivision teams, and offered great lineups. Regular commenter Lorenzo even pointed us towards Phil Steele's Web site, which gives us a look at UTEP's future schedules (Arkansas and Utah are listed in addition to New Mexico as nonconference games). Steele's outlook on schools outside of the big six conferences is often incorrect and contradicts itself, but it seems he's correct about one of the opponents on the Miners' 2010 slate. 

A November date with Arkansas is apparently a done deal. The Razorbacks' Web site lists UTEP as a home opponent on Nov. 13, 2010. The Miners are in Fayetteville, Ark., sandwiched between Southeastern Conference games against South Carolina and Mississippi State. While, a great addition to the schedule, the initial worry is that this matchup could be another chapter in UTEP's book of November woes. And should the Miners get off to as pitiful a start as they did in 2009, then fans will be chomping at the bit as this date arrives. The Razorbacks went 7-5 this season and are due to play Conference USA champ East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2. 

Utah, meanwhile, doesn't have the Miners listed as an opponent in 2010. At least, not yet. 

New Mexico was the only 2010 game we knew about heading into this season. The Miners will visit the Lobos on Oct. 2. Interstate 10 rival New Mexico State will be on the schedule as well. The Aggies' Web site also lists UTEP as an opponent. 

That leaves one nonconference game for the Miners to play. 

Who's it gonna be? 

If Orangefever, another regular commenter is correct, then it's gonna be Notre Dame. 

Let the speculation begin. 

Comments

[John Franco]

Since everyone here is willing to turn a blind eye to a coach who is getting 500,000 for losing, I think we should drop down to Division II football. Attendance would pick up and we would definitely be more competitive with the subpar players we are getting anyway.

[David T]

Sorry guys to kill your hopes and dreams but if you go to the following website this confirms three of scheduled teams for 2010. http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa-10/conf-usa/2010-utep-miners-football-schedule.php Utah is booked up and won't be playing the Miners and the same goes for Norte Dame. The three confirmed teams as of now are Arkansas Pine Bluff here at the Sun Bowl, New Mexico in Lobo land, Arkansas at their place which leaves one slot open and of course that goes to the Aggies as they come here to the Sun Bowl. Go Miners and let's get back to a bowl next year.

[MinerManiac in SA]

Drop to Div II? Really? Will you pay good money to see UTEP play against McNeese State? Lamar State? Sam Houston State? Montana State? Middle Tennessee State? UTEP will NOT drop to Div II because there is NO MONEY in it. UTEP will continue to play "money" games like it did against Kansas and Texas this year. The solution is a new, young, energetic coach who is not here to become buddies with his players. I like University of Houston's offensive coordinator, Dana Holgersen. He was the architect under Mike Leach at Texas Tech who turned the Red Raiders (remember Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree?) into 500+ yards/game in offense and brought the Cougars to national prominence. I'm sure he'd love to be the head coach of a D-I team, even if it is UTEP.

[John Franco]

Miner Maniac, with all the drunks in this town, they could care less who the opponent is, as long as the Miners win. The athletic department in this town is obviously more concerned about taking care of their friends than bringing a winning football team here. I saw the Villanova-Montana State game and I would say UTEP could be competitive with both those teams, unlike their futility in C USA.

[skylight]

speaking of money games look at NMSU's future opponents

2010 New Mexico
at Kansas
San Diego State
at UTEP

2011 Ohio
at Minnesota
at New Mexico
at Georgia
UTEP

2012 at Ohio
New Mexico
at UTEP

2013 at Texas
at New Mexico
UTEP

2014 New Mexico
at UTEP

2015 at New Mexico
UTEP

2016 at Minnesota
New Mexico
at UTEP

[jUTEP]

We could drop to Division III and the baboso would still find a way to lose. Time to clean house from top to bottom.

FIRE PRICE NOW!!!!!

[Pablo Villa]

Not that anyone asked, but in Division II the Miners would possibly be matched up with schools like Tarleton State, Texas A&M Commerce and Abilene Christian in the Lone Star Conference. The schools that are being mentioned so far are all in the FCS, formerly Division 1-AA.

It is intriguing how much fervor seemed to follow both Montana and Villanova during their postseason runs. Those were sold-out stadiums and they were featured on ESPN. Seems like these days, there is money to be made at that level.

But until New Mexico State drops to the FCS, talk of UTEP leaving the Bowl Subdivision is moot.

[Pablo Villa]

By the way, thanks for the link David T.

If the schedule on that link holds true, then I'm unsure when the Aggies would come to El Paso. The Aggies are locked up the last three weekends of September according to nationalchamps.net. And if UTEP is hosting Ark.-Pine Bluff the first week, then we're looking at another date for NMSU, past October. Is that likely, given both teams will be in the thick of conference play by then?

Could it be 2001 complete with "Stull Sucks" T-shirts all over again in Las Cruces?

[John Franco]

You are right jtep, I don't know why these El Pasoans fall for his BS!

[We wonder why?]

jUTEP,

Way to be creative again! Would not expect anything less!!!!!

jUTEP ME LA PELA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[John Franco]

Good comment, We wonder why, I mean Eric Price!

[Bob]

You all are a bunch of idiots! Who are we going to get that is better than Price? Nobody wants to come here. It takes years to build a program at a small school like this. Florida State sucks compared to what it used to. Notre Dame sucks. You can't expect any coach to come here and be like Saban.

[Art Vandelay]

Arkansas Pine Bluff

[jUTEP]

We Wonder Why,

Your knees must be real sore. How does the tonto taste?

FIRE PRICE NOW!!!!!

[tEXas EP]

Why?..Who? When? What? ...El Paso is confused...again...and ...again..this time about where there football should go. I'd say pick up soccer. UTEP is a laughing stock in the east region of Texas, face it and deal with it. No one takes you seriously in East Tx. or the nation. Mike Price is milking the system, no one Div 1 school would tolerate this ...except yes..YOU TEP. Until there is someone who won't lie or won't tell you what the university and its people want to hear...then you will have a coach. UTEP's role is of mediocracy, that is it.

[j.v.]

You know what you guys, just support our school. GO MINERS!!!

[Freddy]

Fire Price now!! He has had his shot. UTEP can't even win 6 games. It only takes a record of 6 wins and 6 loses to go to a bowl. UTEP shouldn't settle for less than to be in a Bowl Game!! It's hard being a fan, when UTEP can't even win 6 GAMES!!

[Eat It]

Pffffff.....I've been defending Mike Price for a while now, and I've gotta admit that I'm starting to lose patience as well. Is it because of him that now we have this expectation for UTEP to be a decent if not a good football school? It is indeed. My problem with him is that his team had its best shot to get to a bowl game this year, heck maybe even making it to the conference championship. What I saw at the last game against Marshall made me feel exhausted and disappointed due to the fact that UTEP "could" have played like that all year, but played with its head up its rear end when it needed to score on the clutch

Coach Barbee has done a marvelous job with what he's got, UTEP beat the Sooners. Why can't Price do the same??? Why can't we be as good as Houston?? or SMU for the matter? Why are UTEP fans always left holding the bag? I say give MIke Price just one more year, just one. IF no results are produced then I think he should respectably retire and let a new younger up and coming coach take over.

[Andy Springer]

Two money games a year will always be on the schedule. UTEP and every other C-USA team has to have them. Play well, try to win and hope no one gets hurt. Go back and look at the Coaches prior to Mike Price. Do you really want to trade. He has recruited well. His camps have been productive and he is getting a better athelete. We have the talent to win and have proven that we do. We lose to the weak and beat the strong.
That must change. A Coaching change is not the answer. At least not right now. Support what we have in Mike Price. He is a good football Coach.

[spock]

anyone who thinks we should drop a division is a complete idiot utep should try to get into a bcs conference, utep will lose scholarships start losing to blind academy after a while what recruit wants to play lower division football after three years will be losing again no one will want to play here. Check the record price has done a better job than any other coach here the past 40 yrs and you want to get rid of him???
Think big add more seats to the sun bowl hit up some big time alumni for donations increase the recruiting budget if we can raise 10 million for foster stevens complex we can raise 10 million for football also. Then the goal should be to get into the pac 10 like arizona and arizona state did 30 yrs ago.Thats the way to think not drop a division or fire the coach especially one who has done better than anyone else in the past 40 yrs give him a decent recruiting budget then see what happens.Get into the pac 10!!!If TCU, Boise State and Cinncinati can get to bcs bowls so can utep.Cinncinati is now a serious contender to join the big 10!!! 20 years ago no one even knew they even had football team. It can be done at utep also.

[K]

Middle Tennessee State is Division I (Sun Belt Conference). Check the facts.

[Hector the rejecter]

Mike Price is the best coach UTEP could hope for. We need to thank our lucky stars he's still here, putting up with our crappy Mexican attitudes. Stop being so negative El Paso and maybe this program will turn around with some positive support.

[chikis]

It takes time to built a winning program, yes I do agree that this years team should have done better but it takes time Mike Prices is building a tradition here in El Paso and at the end we will see. A true fan will follow his team no matter what...

[El Scorcho]

I agree with Spock. Stop being morons. Rome wasn't built in a day. Athletes usually don't want to come to UTEP. Price has done what he can with limited resources. It's not his fault players continually blunder games away. You have to realize there's a reason why these guys aren't playing in BCS conferences, it's because they're not as good as their peers. Most of the games we lost were because of mental mistakes by certain players. You can't coach this.

[Eat It]

Thats fine, I agree with everyone saying that Mike Price is a great coach. But the fact is that the recruiting is pretty bad. SMU is having a MONSTER recruiting class this year, if you guys check out the commitment list you'll see a HUGE list of 3 star athletes. UTEP barely has one 3 star on the list. SMU is going to kick UTEP's @$$ next year and its all thanks to June Jones. And nobody can make the excuse that he is using a previous coaches players because that team was 1-11 last year and are now 7-5 this year. WHY CAN'T PRICE DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Why doesn't he go after 3 star players instead of competing for the 4 star players with big schools. I'm tired of defending Mike Price.