Early football talk

This is just to get off the conference-realignment topic. It's so early in the summer (two days in)  to be talking football. In baseball they call it the "Hot Stove League," when talking the sport in the winter. This can be the "Swamp Cooler League."

I'm saying picking the Miners for sucess or failure in 2010 is betting for or against QB Trevor Vittatoe. A much better picture will emerge in August's two-a-days. Recall he had the almost-can't-be-tackled Donald Buckram last year, and it was not a winning season.

I see two for-sure wins: Pine Bluff and New Mexico State. It's too early to tell if there are some really bad teams out there, or if UTEP is in fact one of them.

As usual, it will be UTEP's mental health, more than anything else, that determines how things go later in the season. Mental health has been the team's demise through these four straight losing seasons. The last two games are likely losses at Arkansas and Tulsa.

There's no telling if Vittatoe will be the Vittatoe his first two years predicted he'd be, or if last season's dud as a junior is what's to be.

With Buckram, UTEP goes into the season with a running back picture brighter than in several/many/lifetimes of years?  I'm saying he's better going in than Tyler Ebell, Marcus Thomas and Howard Jackson of the 2000s. And Paul Smith and Toraino Singleton of the 1990s.

Perhaps John Harvey of the 1980s was the best in modern times? His off-the-field problems led to his demise, though.

Got any backs better than Harvey? And don't say Ivory Durio.

2010 UTEP SCHEDULE
Sep. 4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (N) 
Sep. 10 *at Houston (N)
Sep. 18 New Mexico State(N)
Sep. 25 *Memphis (N)
Oct. 2 at New Mexico (N)
Oct. 9 *Rice (N)
Oct. 16 *at UAB (A)
Oct. 23 *Tulane (N)
Oct. 30 *at Marshall (TBA)
Nov. 6 *SMU (N)
Nov. 13 at Arkansas TBA
Nov. 20 *at Tulsa TBA

Comments

[Toasted Whitebred]

I said it early last year and the off season surgery proved me right I think. The main reason for Trevors problems last year came from an injured shoulder.

He was noted for working out and having a strong arm but lifting weights is not necessarily great for a quarterbacks throwing arm.

If you're going to do some heavy lifting, you better be stretching a lot and throwing a lot. It's better just to throw...and throw and throw.

He went from a guy who could throw 50 yards off one knee in 2008 to a guy who could barely get it 50 yards downfield and often out of bounds. Hopefully the surgery went well and he's all healed up. Even if its not, his experience will help us win 8 games I believe.

I think with the strength of the Offensive line and the additional year of growth for the defensive line, we'll have a really good season. The schedule lends it self to it.

[Toasted Whitebred]

BTW, we won't be playing UNLV nor 13 games per the schedule Joe posted.

[Not an idiot]

Solid work by the EP Times again. 9/10 at Houston and then a home game vs UNLV on 9/11. Great job Joe, where did you get your information. Hopefully Price has the team in great condition to play on back to back nights.

[John C.]

Dave Campbell----Texas Football 2010 Edition:

Has UTEP projected with a 6-6 season which would qualify for a bowl selection. The following is his projection for UTEP:

Wins: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (H)
NMSU (H)
Memphis (H)
New Mexico (Away)
UAB (Away)
Tulane (H)

Losses: Houston (Away)
Rice (H)
Marshall (Away)
SMU (H)
Arkansas (Away)
Tulsa (Away)

Dave Campbell states that Vittatoe could have his best season ever along with Buckram(Buck-Train) and Kris Adams. In fact all three should produce over 1,000 yards this year.

The defense is the key to a successful season with a new defensive cooridinator and a traditional 4-3 defense scheme that is not as confusing as the former 3-3-5. Lets hope that the defense puts up some contribution to winning and possibly UTEP could win the home games against Rice and SMU.

If defense comes through and offense performs as expected, then UTEP could and should win more than 6 games.

[Wild West]

My 2010 prediction: UTEP will go 7-5 and earn a trip to the New Orleans Bowl in early December; UTEP wins are Ark-Pine Bluff, NMSU, UNM, Rice, UAB, Tulane, Marshall.

I'm hoping 7 teams from CUSA go bowing ths year to help reperesnt our conference: UH, SMU, SMISS, UCF, UTEP, E Carolina and Tulsa.

Csnt wait to see the UTEP-UH game in early September on ESPN, friday night football; Both schools have changed their defensive alignments with new defensive coaches ........

[Stahala]

Haven't they predicted we would go to a bowl game the past 4 years? I have zero, absolutely zero expectations for this year's team. I will go to the games to enjoy the atmosphere of college football, and of course to cheer the Miners, but I wont be getting my heart broken, like I did last year. I wish we could just skip ahead to basketball season.

PS Joe, please, please do not ever again mention conference realignments.

Also, does anybody else think that title IX needs reform. Should UTEP push for a baseball team, or men's soccer team?

[Baskerville]

I will waffle on this prediction. Depending on the health of the QB, the ability of the O Line, and the ability to keep the defensive starters healthy for the entire season, I say 5-7 at worst and 7-5 at best.

I think UNM is in the bag, even away. NMSU will be tougher than last year. Pine Bluff is the only for sure victory.

[Andy Springer]

UTEP will lose one they should have won and will win 2 they should have lost. They always do. We should wind up with 6 or 7 wins. We might get lucky and win 8.

[Paul Rascon]

Well here go now UTEP 2010 seasons is what about a 2 months weeks away from a ttotally new begining of soemthing of what who knows let MIKE PRICES TEAM PLAY the way they want to play alright.IF they want to suck let them suck? they want to play like a SORRY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM INSTEAD OF A div 1 college power house!!! THATS MIKE PRICES problem especially that so called athletics director they have in BOB STULL who seems to hire way better BASKETBALL COACHES THAN FOOTBALL coaches? why is that Imean isn't MIKE PRICE so pose to be a power house of a coach who once coached PAC 10 POWER WASHINGTON ST. BACK IN THE DAY? OR WAS THAT ALL JUST BS? To me UTEP is no stepping stone of a college, at all? The main problem that i see is that not one prime time player wants to come down and play at a college that is near a very rough area of life that is a major drug war area of ugly gangs and killings, violence? THATS right MEXICO? THATS the problem, EL PASO is in a very unplessant area of life? in the USA? ITS REALLY SAD? WHICH IS WHY TEXAS IS the power house of TEXAS big 12 power? Not predicting UTEP'S season cause its up to the team how they play?

[Andy Springer]

The UTEP Coaching Staff has a very unique Traveling Football Camp. Taking UTEP Football to
the high school prospects is a great way to expose the players to the Staff. In the Dallas Metro-Plex I have heard nothing but good comments on the camps. I am excited about the prospects of this season. We have a tough road schedule beginning with Houston. If we can stay healthy and play good defense we have a chance for a good season. Support the Miners in 2010.

[Andy Springer]

Joe, you don't have much to say about early training camp. What is the reason you are not giving input?

[Andy Springer]

Camp Socorro is a neat idea. No Marine recruit ever said he was looking forward to boot camp. No sane football player looks forward to 2 a days. Joe you are already talking about firing Price or retiring the entire Athletic dept. Why don't you get off their butt. Everyone knows UTEP is not rolling in dough. UTEP has a tough road schedule and it is not going to be easy in the Sun Bowl. Fans make the difference in close games. Fill those seats up at home games.