It's not Vittatoe

How can people think that it's UTEP quarterback Trevor Vittatoe who's off to a poor start? He's not completing passes because of all the other guys being off to poor starts.

The offensive line isn't living up to expectations. And the receivers drop passes, or aren't open. Recall that the pass catchers, including top man Jeff Moturi, were bumble-handed early in last season, too.

Saying Vittatoe is off to a slow start is just a ploy, even by Coach Mike Price, to divert fans' thinking. If everybody figures it's just one guy, and that he is ready to break out of his supposed slump, then people won't believe how bad it really is. The linemen are getting out-clobbered on the line and the receivers are being magnetized to the other teams' defensive backs to the point they're not running their pass routes well.

Don't blame Vittatoe, he's a proven good quarterback. If he had a safe passing pocket like this veteran line is supposed to afford, and his receivers were on the dimes they're supposed to be, when they're supposed to be, then passes would be completed.

Comments

[Pick Ax]

Regarding the last topic, the Pacific Rim is a good place to recruit. Have you seen these big Hawaiians or Samoans? You don't need to fatten them because they already come like that...

Hawaii is my second home and I often wondered why most schools don't go looking for linemen there. I know U of Hawaii and some PAC-10 schools have some Samoans/Hawaiian names on your lines but they can not take all of them. How about getting the good ones overlooked by the PAC-10 schools and U of Hawaii. Will they come to UTEP? I would say yes given the right offer and opportunity...

Pick Ax

[shyminer]

ok Joe, so how do you explain these same guys making catches, and the OL getting better coverage? It's TV, sad to say but he is in a funk, and needs to get back to the basics... or throw in the option with JT II

[shyminer]

referring to last year... these same guys

[dellcity]

The QB can't be blamed for all of the Miners' offensive woes, but for some, sure. The team relies so much on him that if he is having a bad game or two or four, so too will the team.

Pick Ax: The Aggies have four players from Hawaii on their roster and another four with Pacific islander surnames. Don't know that doing so has helped them so much yet. Of course the season is still young.

[Lorenzo]

Part of being a quarterback is getting all the glory when times are good, and all the blame when times are tough. I tend to agree with Joe about the offense's struggles being more about the o-line. We knew Vittatoe was going to be under heavy pressure against UT but our O-line got dominated by Kansas and let Buffalo get through more than a few times too. I don't care how good a quarterback is... if he doesn't have time, the passing game will just not work. Unfortunately for us, Price's offense has always been pass-first.

[shyminer]

lets see how they handle Houston, Miners are a bigger team. they should be able to run over them. tech was way bigger, but didn't get it done

[momma T]

I happen to know of one QB on the miners roster Who can run and pass and very well but trevior is the man so if he gets pressured don't blaim it on the O-line cause this person did't have much of a line in high shcool none of which plays D1 football at least. Thats what I mean about Mike Price useing his talent!!!

[Toasted Whitebred]

Are you talking about James Thomas or Corey Trisby? :-)

I think Trisby is red shirting but I'm sure cmp is thinking about pulling it right now.

[Mike P]

I rarely agree with Joe, but on this count he is right on the money. The O-line is simply dreadful. Funny thing is, that it is the same line as last year with one important exception, the center, who has been behind much of the troubles the offense has had these past three games.

[just a thought]

Let's go back to the start of VT's career. Low expectations. All-UTEP Jordan Palmer had just left. Face it no one expected Vittatoe to come out blazing out of the gates his freshman year. His high school never threw the ball in games.

Think about it, Vittatoe never had the sophomore slump and why not? Let's analyze it a little...

1) Eric Price is a QB guru. He made Palmer, yes the same Palmer that underperformed under Nord an all-conference QB with stats good enough to disregard nepotism in the Cincinnati Bengals. Eric Price built Vittatoe's foundation but that reinforcement has since left the building.

2) Vittatoe's sophomore year would have been his actual slump year with Aaron (not Eric) Price calling plays but the emergence of WR Kris Adams as a viable target stopped that from happening. Without Adams in 2008 Vittatoe would have forced the ball into double coverage to Moturi all year long.

3) UTEP has played veteran defensive units this year. No team replaced a bevy of starters on that side of the ball. Buffalo replaced offensive stars, Kansas replaced a couple on D and Texas just reloaded. NMSU is NMSU and Vittatoe performed well against them.

I'll worry when VT throws 4 picks against Tulane. Until then expect Vittatoe to return to form against C-USA opponents as early as Saturday.

[Toasted Whitebred]

You're all right. Its a combination of issues but it all boils down to coaching. TV is seeing much more pressure this year but coaches need to adjust to the pressure and start running plays that keep the Ds honest. Our running game is on point but we only run the ball 15-20 plays a game. Other teams are running 40 plays against us on the ground. Lets try and run the ball more and see if that helps the passing game. Do something!!!

Also, the Price offense is a little outdated. Most NCAA teams are going to mobile QBs that can run and throw. TV is not the most mobile QB and would rather throw than run. When facing a big rush your offense needs to be dynamic and ours has not been this year.

JT has rarely been used even though he is one of our best runners. He has an uncanny knack for find the hole. He should touch the ball 10-15 times per game on end arounds, direct snaps. I haven't seen on halfback pass with JT in the lineup.

Play calling, coaching, coaching, coaching. We could go on and on. The same line that blocked last years is not blocking this year, come on.

It boils down to coaching. Banks ain't getting it done, Connolly and A Price aren't getting it done.

The defensive coaches are getting done. Props to Osia, Burns and rest.

[Mike]

How exactly are the defensive coaches getting it done? We have a safety that is second in the nation for tackles, that puts the defense on its heels, the only reason the deflection is off the defense right now is that the offense is not performing either. I see no progress in the defense and it is not the kids fault, we do not have the athletes to run the 3-3-5. Coach Lewis is just lost behind the struggles of the offense.

[John Franco]

My prediction for Houston game:
UH 49
UTEP10
Houston has proven themselves to be a powerhouse this year, and is giving C-USA some good national recognition. Since I don't think Price will be coaching after this year(hopefully), Stull should take some notes on how to build a competitive football program. We can start small, how bout just making it to the New Mexico Bowl or Hawaii bowl?!

[Ed]

The Miners can not improve unless the plays called by the offensive coach improve. Everyone knows what play is going to be called. The defense is in horrible condition, and needs a coach that can coach defense and have the defense prepared to play aggresive football instead of arm tackling. The special teams coach must be in the locker room hidding when the special teams takes the field? These problems are sitting on Coach Price shoulders. He needs to step up and get the entire team and coachs motivated and prepared. Coaches that do not step up, should be sent home; players that play scared or poorly need to be off the team. No sense in seeing a bunch of football players in uniform standing on the sidlines and can't or don't play. Or maybe..... it's time for Price to leave? Something needs to happen soon becuase the team lacks in coaching and leadership.

[simon garcia jr]

how can you say its not vittatoe? yeah ok maybe the o-line hasn't protected the way they suppose too, and you can blame the receivers for not running the routes the correct way, but vittatoe has over thrown or missed wide open receivers is that the receivers fault? i dont think so, vittatoe is like tony romo in a way and the miners like the cowboys as long as vittatoe or romo dont throw interceptions and can take good care of the football the teams have a chance to win the game specially with the running attacks both teams have... if you have the running backs then use them and take pressure of your quarterbacks!

[Lowercase Ray]

Toasted, you certainly called out the way for UTEP to beat Houston; "Blast the smaller lines with our 6'8" linemen and use Dbuck to his optimum level". I was hoping that UTEP could take advantage of a good (easier) conference schedule to get them into the post-season, but I didn't think they'd start conference play by beating no.12 Houston. Unfortunately for UTEP and CUSA, Houston will not be no.12 for too much longer. GOOD JOB MINERS!!!

Now they need to put this win behind them and concentrate on the trap game that will be Memphis. Once again they had too many penalties (11); MP really needs to fix this on-going problem. After the Memphis game, they'll have one more rough game, that being against Tulsa. UTEP certainly has had many tough games this season. Other than the loss to Buffalo and the win against Houston, UTEP has started pretty much as I thought they would this season. The two mentioned games played themselves out pretty much opposite of how I thought they would play out. I believe the team has brought themselves back to where Fans thought they'd be at this point in the season. I'm now more optimistic that they'll reach a bowl game this season.