Turn Up the Orange's UTEP-NMSU football podcast
Pablo Villa, Felix Chavez and Jay Koester talk about UTEP and NMSU football, answering a listener's call about recruiting local talent, plus looking ahead at UTEP vs. Rice and NMSU vs. New Mexico.
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| Podcast: UTEP Miner Podcast for Oct. 4, 2010 |
Unfortunately, players good enough to be recruited to play for other schools usually opt to play for them instead of UTEP. Wouldn't you?
The players that this caller is talking about are the "good in high school" types. Every school in El Paso has one or two. You know the 5'7'' 170lb linebacker/running back or 230lb lineman.
Unfortunately, these players are also too slow and too small to waste a scholarship on. Instead these players get "preferred walk-on" status which is more than walk-ons got at UTEP in the 90s. Back then they were just walk-ons which meant one step above the guy that washed the jerseys and your name was never in the paper as having "signed with UTEP" which is laughable in itself.
I have seen Price at high school games in El Paso which is more than other UTEP head coaches did before him. Price was at an Andress game which tells you he knew what he was doing. The northeast and Andress in particular, have had more D-1 signees and NFL players over their years than all other El Paso schools combined.
El Paso is loaded with college football talent -- but 99% is Division II.
Posted by: just a thought | October 06, 2010 at 08:13 AM
I would disagree with you in one sense, and that is that some of these smaller skill athletes (i.e. qb's, wr and rb and even lb) would make an excellent pool of defensive backs for UTEP. Look at how they converted that QB from San Eli (Perez I beleive) into a serviceable D-back. Tell me that UTEP couldn't a found a use for a multitalented kid like Jordan Baeza? Talent is where you find it and while I acknowledge that it would be tough to recruit sufficient lineman locally, I beleieve that in the case of skill positions, the local area has more potential than it has been giiven credit. I hope at least that UTEP is looking at both Freytag and Brown down at Coronado.
Posted by: Brad | October 06, 2010 at 12:56 PM
UTEP and NMSU are always looking for athletes. If a player can crossover to another position, I'm sure he would be considered. But even Brown at 5'8", would be a short db. The best rb in El Paso is currently at Montwood. He's all of 5'5", 170. I believe the local talent is recruited appropriately. Of coarse players are overlooked from time to time, but that happens everywhere. Remember Thomas Howard? He walked on at UTEP and is now in the NFL. It happens.
Posted by: CLEOFITZWITZ | October 07, 2010 at 09:53 AM
Actually, why don't they keep Brown at RB? Besides, a good player will find a way. Wayne Chrebet was all of 5ft 7in... which is not much shorter than Doug Flutie and Zack Thomas, if memory serves right is only 5ft 10 in. Sometimes what matters is having the heart and the athleticism (and someone who believes in you) to make it happen.
Posted by: Brad | October 07, 2010 at 03:05 PM
A little pot is soon hot
Posted by: Best Jersey | August 06, 2011 at 01:19 AM