Turn Up the Orange | UTEP sports talk

Of field goals and national rankings

Here’s some clarification on a couple things that came up in this week’s podcast.

UTEP kicker Dakota Warren was praised during the discussion between host Jay Koester, Felix Chavez and myself for his three field-goal effort in the Miners’ Saturday home win against Memphis. We told you that Warren’s 57-yard kick in that game was the fourth longest in UTEP history. We also told you that the longest field goal ever made by a Miner (64 yards) was booted in 2008 by Jose Martinez.

I mentioned that the longest kick in NCAA history — at least in a bowl game — was also kicked in the Sun Bowl by one Tony Franklin. Franklin made a 62-yarder for his Texas A&M Aggies against Florida on Jan. 2, 1977 (and 1977, for you trivia buffs, is the only year that the Sun Bowl was played twice in the same calendar year).

But that wasn’t Franklin’s longest kick.

Franklin set the NCAA record for the longest field goal on Oct. 16, 1976, against Baylor when he put the foot to a 65-yarder, a distance which I incorrectly attributed to his Sun Bowl kick. How long did Franklin’s record stand? Mere hours, as later the same day, Abilene Christian University kicker Ove Johannson nailed a 69-yard attempt against East Texas State University at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene. Johannson’s kick is the longest successful field goal made by a kicker at all levels of football. But since Abilene Christian was an NAIA school, Franklin held the NCAA record.

It was broken a year later as Texas Longhorn kicker Russell Erxleben kicked a 67-yarder against Rice on Oct. 1, 1977. The record was matched two weeks later by Steve Little of Arkansas.

Franklin, meanwhile, is listed as a “Legend of the Sun Bowl” by the Sun Bowl Association and is a member of the Sun Bowl’s 75th Anniversary All-Sun Bowl Team.

Interesting that alot of these record-setting kicks were made in about a one-year span and most of them were booted in Texas.

Bold prediction No. 1

UTEP wide receiver Marlon McClure will make a tide-turning kick return for a touchdown at some point this season.

Seeing the nation’s elite

Boise State’s visit to Aggie Memorial Stadium this weekend is being touted as a chance to see the highest-ranked rank team to ever visit Las Cruces.

In fact, the Broncos will be the highest-ranked team to visit the El Paso-Las Cruces area.

I figured the highest-ranked team to visit El Paso was No. 7 BYU in 1985 (and as most of you know, a game in which UTEP pulled off its greatest upset in history).

But, alas, that’s incorrect.

The Miners hosted the nation’s No. 6 twice — Wyoming on Nov. 18, 1967, and SMU on Sept. 18, 1992. Both were losses for UTEP.

Bold prediction No. 2

Dakota Warren will make a 60-plus yard field goal attempt this season.

Dogging New Mexico

In case you missed it yesterday, ESPN ranks the Lobos the third-worst team in the nation.

Podcast: UTEP, NMSU football heading different directions

Turn Up the Orange's UTEP-NMSU football podcast

Pablo Villa, Felix Chavez and Jay Koester talk about UTEP and NMSU football, looking ahead to UTEP vs. New Mexico and NMSU vs. #3-ranked Boise St.

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

Or better yet, subscribe the Times sports podcasts on iTunes! With one click of the subscribe button, you'll automatically get the weekly podcasts. Get signed up here: El Paso Times podcast page on iTunes.

Or, if you have 21 minutes to spare at work, you can just hit the play button below and listen right now. Let us know what you think.

 

UTEP's defense is ... good?

The UTEP defense is no longer a place to pad stats.

The Miner unit's national ranking no longer sports a third digit. UTEP ranks No. 82 nationally in total defense, a far cry from the days of No. 110 or worse during the past three seasons.

Granted, the Miners have benefited from not having the Texases, Texas Techs and Kansases of the world on their schedule. But it's not difficult to see the improvement this unit has made under the guidance of new coordinator Andre Patterson.

The move to a 4-3 alignment, more specifically a mix of a 13 and 22 front, has shored up run coverage a bit for the Miners and has also built in more angles of attack in pass defense. UTEP currently ranks No. 71 and 74 in run and pass defense, respectively.

We still see the defensive line make mistakes in run support. Houston, in particular had great success on cross blocks and traps to create running lanes between the tackles. The Miner line must do a better job of taking on blocks to let their impressive linebackers run free to the ball.

In the secondary, UTEP has yet to be tested by a prolific passing attack since playing Houston on Sept. 10. But the Miner corners and safeties have done enough since then to maintain a 223.5-yard average per game. Not great. But not bad either. And this with the loss of phenom Braxton Amy to injury.

The defense's shining moment came against Memphis on Saturday. In the second half, the Tigers' drive summary results read "punt, punt, interception, field goal after drive stalls in the red zone, and punt." This while the UTEP offense was struggling and tried several times to hand the momentum of the game back to Memphis.

Anytime, you only ask your offense to score the equivalent of two touchdowns and PATs to win a game, you're doing a good job.

UTEP a premium football team

Things must really be looking up for the 3-1 UTEP Miners: A glance at the UNM football ticket page shows that UTEP is one of three "Premium" games that New Mexico fans must pay extra to see. UNM's "premium" games are UTEP, Utah and Texas Tech. Their "standard" games are SDSU, Wyoming and TCU. Stand tall, Miners. You are premium.

Sad times in Albuquerque

New Mexico appears to be pretty bad again this year. They lost to UNLV on Saturday by a score of 42-10. Fans are quickly turning on their coach, Mike Locksley. I enjoyed this little slideshow today: UNM Football: 10 Reasons Why Mike Locksley Should Get Fired

Odds

How many points would you demand before putting a bet on NMSU in their Saturday match up with #3 ranked Boise State? 30 points? 40? 50? Maybe even 60? Well, what you are going to get is 40. NMSU +40 points is where the line opened on Sunday. That's not enough for me. I'll be taking Boise St.

Meanwhile, UTEP opened as a 14.5-point favorite over New Mexico. Considering all of the troubles the Lobos are having, I think I'd take UTEP there.

Podcast

If you want to call in a comment or question to the UTEP-NMSU podcast, which will be recorded Monday night, just call 546-6120. Leave a message on the voicemail, and we'll use the audio in the podcast.

Podcast: UTEP blasts NMSU, both teams look ahead

It's week two of Turn Up the Orange's UTEP-NMSU football podcast.

Pablo Villa, Felix Chavez and Jay Koester take a look at UTEP's dominating victory over NMSU, then look ahead to UTEP vs. Memphis and NMSU vs. Kansas.

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

Or better yet, subscribe the Times sports podcasts on iTunes! With one click of the subscribe button, you'll automatically get the weekly podcasts. Get signed up here: El Paso Times podcast page on iTunes.

Or, if you have 17 minutes to spare at work, you can just hit the play button below and listen right now. Let us know what you think.

UTEP football victory has many drinking the Kool-Aid

PODCAST

Just wanted to note that you still have time to call in a question or comment to be played on next week's UTEP-NMSU football podcast. Just call 546-6120, leave a message, and we'll get you on there.

ODDS

UTEP has opened as a 9.5-point favorite over Memphis. NMSU has opened as a 22.5-point underdog to Kansas.

AND ENDS

The big victory on Saturday has Joe on Utepia drinking the Kool-Aid.

I'm sticking with the previous post. UTEP is now looking at a 7-1 start.

Joe is usually right with his predictions ... but usually he's predicting 3-win seasons. We'll have to see how this one turns out.

Miner Rush is drinking even stiffer Kool-Aid and talking about how Case Keenum's injury, and a favorable schedule, give UTEP a chance to win the C-USA West.

UTEP has the most favorable C-USA East draw because the Miners draw UAB and Marshall. Marshall has some great talent on defense but right now they probably aren't in the same class as ECU, UCF, and Southern Miss.  SMU gets East Carolina.  Tulsa already lost to ECU and still plays Southern Miss.  Houston still has to play UCF and Southern Miss. 

Here is where I'm tempted to scoff and do one of those stunts like, "If UTEP wins C-USA West, I'll streak buck-naked through Memorial Triangle to the union." But nobody wants to see that. And, you know, the Miners did look impressive Saturday. And I can't argue with the Miner Rush schedule analysis. So, what the heck, let's dream a little.

The debut of the UTEP-NMSU football podcast

It's rivalry week. So what better time to kick off Turn Up the Orange's new combined UTEP-NMSU football podcast!

Pablo Villa, Felix Chavez and Jay Koester will take a look each week at UTEP and NMSU football. This week, we look back at last week's losses, then ahead at the showdown on Saturday.

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

Or better yet, subscribe the Times sports podcasts on iTunes! With one click of the subscribe button, you'll automatically get the weekly podcasts. Get signed up here: El Paso Times podcast page on iTunes.

Or, if you have 17 minutes to spare at work, you can just hit the play button below and listen right now. Let us know what you think.

It's a game of inches, even when you lose by 30

Joe on Utepia told us this was going to happen. But it still wasn't fun watching UTEP get beat 54-24 by Houston.

There was a big moment of hope in the third quarter that ended up 10 yards short. With UTEP down 20 points, UTEP's Trevaun Nixon intercepted Case Keenum and began an amazing run for the end zone. He broke tackle after tackle, spinning away from one defender then another ... and then was brought down by a lucky fall by a Houston player. If Nixon gets in, UTEP is down only 13 points, with Keenum out for the game with a concussion. That would have been big.

Instead, a lucky grab stops Nixon at the 10, the offense goes nowhere, then misses the field goal.

It's a game of inches, even in a 30-point loss.

Here are some video highlights from the game, including that nice Nixon interception return.

Better odds

In other news, the early line has UTEP favored by 15 points over NMSU.

UTEP football odds increase

Today, the Glantz-Culver line on the UTEP-Houston game has UTEP at +20, up from +18 earlier in the week. Which means sportsbooks are having a difficult time getting people to bet on UTEP, even with the large point spread.

The spread is so large, I thought it would be interesting to look at the five times UTEP was the  underdog last year.They were favored in the seven other games.

+36 vs Texas (UTEP lost 64-7)

+14 vs Houston (UTEP won 58-41)

+12 vs Kansas (UTEP lost 34-7)

+8 vs Tulsa (UTEP won 28-24)

+7 vs SMU (UTEP lost, but covered, 35-31)

So, UTEP covered three out of the five times they were underdogs last year. And, more importantly, they covered every time they were underdogs in Conference USA play.

Another good sign? In 2008, UTEP covered as 17-point underdogs against Houston, losing 42-37. Also covered against Houston in 2007, losing 34-31 as 6-point underdogs.

Why is the line increasing this week? I'm guessing because there seem to be more signs pointing toward Buckram not playing. I'm still taking UTEP.

Mike Price on Twitter

A huge game for us this Friday. GO Miners

That's all Mike Price has said on Twitter so far. Hopefully there's more in the future. You can follow his tweets at http://twitter.com/RealMikeprice

The UTEP Marching Miners impress

Now I don't pretend to be a music expert. I couldn't tell you the difference between mezzo forte and da capo.

But I can tell you that this year's edition of the UTEP Marching Miners deserves some love.

The Sound of the Southwest is under new leadership this year, and Andre Feagin has done little to disappoint.

This is not meant to take anything away from Curtis Tredway, who directed the UTEP marching band the previous 17 seasons. Tredway made the band the force it is today. And we wouldn't have an official fight song if it weren't for Tredway.

But Feagin's touches to this year's band are impressive. The Big 10-style entrance -- complete with high-stepping, chanting and a frenetic drum cadence -- is the perfect way to begin a football evening in a stadium where fans are often a bit lethargic at its onset. The only thing missing is the prominent feathered hats for the drum majors. Would love to see said drum majors be able to complete the "lean-back" -- that's forehead touching the ground -- at some point this season. But hey, it's not like I can do it myself.

The playing of "Texas, Our Texas" during the pre-game show is a beautiful touch. I swear it's something I've been telling my wife for years should have been done during UTEP's pre-game performances.

The positioning of the band -- in the northeast corner of the Sun Bowl -- gives the game a definite college feel. It also helps folks on the east side of the stadium hear the tunes better and probably proves less of a distraction on the Miner sideline. The introduction of new tags after first downs and defensive stops are also a nice touch.

Some would argue this year's show has too much mimicry. Maybe, but bands have a culture of acclimating ideas. Oklahoma's "Boomer Sooner" is lifted from Yale's "Boola Boola." USC's "Conquest" is a regal processional march taken from the 1947 film "Captain from Castile." And we've told you on this very blog that New Mexico State's fight song isn't original either.

So the next time you head out to the Sun Bowl, I'd urge you to show up a few minutes early to get properly amped up by this group. And remember to stand and keep your head uncovered during the state song and until the colors leave the field after the national anthem