Joe on utepia | The place for commentary for UTEP athletics

UTEP - It's still bright

You give up 49 points, and lose. And your record goes under the line, 2-3.

HOWEVER!

UTEP's football team, as it did at nationally ranked South Florida last week, kept scoring in a 49-42  home loss to Houston. Kept at it. Didn't fold. Check the record books. Check recent history. Check ancient history. Ask your grandfather!

It was a game of yards gained. Get out the calculator.  If this was counting toward air mileage, each team's next road-game flight would be free.  Defense? No defense. In fact, UTEP's senior running back, Joe Banyard, a journeyman 3-yarder, got some 240 yards. The total offense of both teams was at about 1,300 yards. Was this football, with defense, or was it  the distance of a horse race?

UTEP was supposed to lose, based on all the pre-game, pre-season and last-season data. But UTEP was not supposed to keep coming ... and coming on offense.  Good news for Utepia.

Houston won this game by seven points, and it scored on eight of its last 10 possession going back into the first half.  No stopping Houston QB Case Keenum.

But the script for UTEP, which reads el foldo - el forever - changed on this night. The real deal,  QB, Nick Lamaison, kept coming at Houston and there was to be no blowout in the Sun Bowl.

Bottom line: UTEP doesn't have to play a South Florida or a Houston again this season. The opponents get more down to earth. UTEP can start playing kind-of UTEPs.

What if ... good things happen and future UTEP opponents, that are not quite on the level of the last two opponents ...?

What if?

 

Well, almost OK for UTEP; almost

UTEP's football team didn't break ... didn't break ... 00000h in the fourth quarter it broke in a 52-24 loss at No. 18-ranked South Florida Saturday. Nice going for a while.

The oddsmakers had this one just about right-on pegged. But it wasn't until late that UTEP's river levee breached - two late interceptions and no real second-half offense against the Bulls, now 4-0. UTEP is 2-2 and its levee is againin peril when Houston comes to the Sun Bowl Thursday for a made-for-TV game.

Coach Mike Price was wise to not play starting quarterback Nick Lamaison, who is mending his passing arm. This wasn't to be a win, anyway. In fact,  the Big East's South Florida scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, then got a field goal by halftime.

UTEP was in it only because of Lamaison's replacement for this game, sophomore Carson Meeger. In the first half he  matched South Florida  almost score-for-score  - pass for pass. And UTEP had a semblance of a power running game. 

But as the game wore on, this Bulls team that has won at Notre Dame this season, just poured on the rush against UTEP's offense - and stifflied it.

Bottom line: UTEP lasted ... lasted ... still lasted ... oooooh. It was a Mr. Bill after all.

 

UTEP: Don't play Lamaison at QB yet

Don't play Nick Lamaison Saturday at No. 18 South Florida, or against "getting-Top-25-votes" Houston Thursday in the Sun Bowl.

If he's not still hurt, Coach Mike Price should find a reason that he is.

UTEP's only chance at a decent season is if quarterback Lamaison has a good year. Even then prospects of .500 are iffy.

Right now Lamaison is not healthy (That's gotta be your story, Coach).  So don't take a chance with his throwing arm against these two tough opponents. Odds are too strong that one of the two  will pound that tender arm/shoulder into shattered china, and he'll be lost for the season.

I'm all for giving UTEP every chance to win at South Florida and at home vs. Houston. And Lamaison is the best quarterback. Until he got hurt late at SMU, he was the only bright spot on the offense, connecting on 61 percent of his passes.

Problem is, I can't find anything that indicates a chance to win, not even if Lamaison was in perfect health.

South Florida (3-0) won at Notre Dame. Houston (3-0) won a home game vs. UCLA.

UTEP (2-1) needed overtime to beat lower-class Stony Brook 31-24 at home, lost at SMU 28-17 and barely defeated the just-awful New Mexico State Aggies 16-10 last week in Las Cruces. UTEP's record is limping even more than Lamaison's arm is dangling right now.

Nobody will be able to blame UTEP for chickening out.  That's because UTEP Coach Mike Price is an expert at camouflaging if a player is too injured to play, or not. He did that almost all last early season with star running back Donald Buckram. His star was usually "day-to-day" until --- well, he was still too hurt to play. Buckram saw action in only seven games. UTEP needs Lamaison for this season's  last seven.

Let's help Price out here, in case South Florida or Houston ask: Yes, we swear Nick Lamaison is too injured to play for two more weeks. We wouldn't lie to you, South Florida or Houston.

We hope and pray, though, that he can start at  Tulane and vs. Colorado State.

Bottom line: There's no chance for many more wins without Lamaison. And no one with a logical mind can project wins against either South Florida or Houston.

What sports conferences want when they expand

This is now a game of who's a traitor working undercover in your NCAA conference.

And the answer would be — any school with a chance to move up. Pitt and Syracuse leaving the Big East for the ACC has started not just a rumor of a snowball effect, but a scare of an avalanche.

So there's no prognostications of who's going where in today's post (by the way it's good to see John C is back posting again).

Anyway, if you do start theorizing on new alignments  consider what bigger conferences want when they expand.

1 A University Of, or a  State that's actually named for the state.

2. A good academic institution; there's more to conferences than just football and basketball.

3. Lots of TV sets in your area for advertising-revenue reasons.

The now-Pac-12 expanded with The University of Utah and the University of Colorado.

The Big Ten, which is 12, expanded with the University of Nebraska.

Note that of the 12 Big Ten schools, only two are not University Ofs or the State. Those are Purdue and the academic all-star, Northwestern.

Bringing us to Conference USA. No member of the 12-team league is a University of or a State of the state.

And in UTEP's division, it is the only directional - the University of Texas at El Paso. Others are private schools Tulsa, Tulane, Rice and SMU; along with the University of (not a state) Houston (a city).

Just to finish the litany, here are the other members of C-USA: Marshall, Central Florida, Memphis, East Carolina, Southern Miss and University of Alabama at Birmingham.

So, yes, it would be better, I think, if UTEP somehow got into what will be left of the Mountain West after the avalanche. The MWC is about the last of the major conferences to have some Ofs and States: Colorado State, University of Wyoming and University of New Mexico. Add in Boise State because it is THE major university in the state of Idaho.

Perhaps the biggest conference that isn't mainly all University ofs and States is the ACC, which just took "Citys," Syracuse and Pittsburgh. But nobody's going to criticize its lineup of non University ofs or States: Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and the University of Miami. There's a lot of academics in that group.

Yes, you posters can poke a lot of holes in the above thinking, but this is just some food for thought.

And some answers to previous posters' posts:
The NCAA still runs college football, not the BCS. It's the NCAA that puts schools like Ohio State on probation, not some BCS.

And my prediction in the previous post is that the new big-four conferences will leave the NCAA, thus being able to make up their own rules and regulations, such as paying players.

That is unless the president steps in. Remember, the NCAA was formed/mandated  by President Teddy Roosevelt when college football had becomed violent and thug-ridden.

A four-conference future; no Big East or Big 12?

Now conference realignment is getting scary. So much for where UTEP might wind up. Because, if you listen to the breezes, maybe even the NCAA may not rule college sports as it has because four big conferences would be in command?

This is just sporting's version of a "Big Bang" theory.

It appears a four-conference power group is aligning, slaying the Big 12 and Big East.

The ACC announced it has taken Pitt and Syracuse away from the Big East. And as of today, there was talk that Texas and Oklahoma could bolt the Big 12 for the ACC, too. Or they could go to the SEC.

That means the only strong conferences in the land would be:
ACC
SEC
Big Ten
Pac-12.

The Big East, as of now, will be reduced to six teams, with only West Virginia having a big football name. Others still remaining are: U-Conn, Rutgers, South Florida, Louisville and Cincinnati.

If Texas and Oklahoma bolt the Big 12 for one of the new "bigs," that conference is down to:  Oklahoma St., Kansas, Kansas St., Texas Tech, Iowa St. and Baylor. That's not "elite," anymore.

The Big 12 has already lost Nebraska and Missouri to the Big Ten and Texas A&M is a goner to the SEC.

I'm guessing that the remainder of the Big 12 might take Houston, but after that the pickings are not on the "big" level.

Case in point: UConn is already saying it won't be happy (basketball) in what's left of the Big East.

Bottom line: If this is not the "Big Bang," it's a fact that there have already been some little bangs, and chances are more bangs are coming.

As most of us know, this is about getting bigger "big" conferences, splitting into two divisions (like SEC already does and others are following) and going toward a national playoff in football.

What if the perceived Big Four left the NCAA and took all the TV football money?

A whew! win

It was a win. It might be one of the last for UTEP this season (now 2-1).

UTEP  is amid a dreary forcast for a 2011 season - not much on offense - but it did manage to defeat New Mexico State 16-10. It was Dreary defeated perennial Dreg.

Neither team had/has an offense Saturday. UTEP gave up only a field goal in the second half, and still hasn't been scored upon in the fourth quarter. That can't last since the Miners play at nationally ranked South Florida Saturday and then come home to play potent Houston. And the rest of the season remains a lot tougher than the wins over Stony Brook and New Mexico State, and the kinda-close loss at SMU.

With QB Nick Lamaison out (shoulder), redshirt freshman Javia Hall - didn't/might not have it. Too many long bombs, that didn't connect, were called instead of establishing a running game.

Suggestion: Keep Lamaisonon the bench the next two weeks because this team does not look capable of beating top-20 South Florida or Houston. Give Lamaison a chance later on. UTEP won't win the next two two games no matter who plays quarerback.

Suggestion 2: Redshirt freshman Nathan Jeffreys, really quick, had three carries of 10 or more yards. Saturday was his first chance. Perhaps he should be the running back?

Alas and alack! UTEP won't have any more New Mexico States to beat this season.

Surely UTEP will be better vs. Aggies

I'm predicting UTEP's running game looks pretty good Saturday against New Mexico State because:

1) UTEP's new (not good) offensive line opened the season against some big bellies on the Stony Brook defensive line. Thus fewer than 40 yards on the ground. The UTEP line will be a problem all year.

2) UTEP's new (not good) line had no chance to move around SMU (or probably a lot of teams coming up on the schedule). Again, no running stats. In fact, the Miners simply didn't try to run much when they found out they couldn't.

3) New Mexico State has an even harder time finding quality linemen than does UTEP. For decades now, UTEP has had the better athletes.

4) Jay Hall, the UTEP fill-in quarterback, is a much better scrambler than is starter (injured) Nick Lamaison. Lamaison ran for his life in the first two games. Hall may run for yardage. They may even call his number on running plays.

So who wins this game Saturday?

I can't pick NMSU on the basis of having won at Big Ten Minnesota last week, although that was a historical win. It was the Aggies' first win ever against a Big Ten team. Remember, NMSU lost at home to Ohio University 44-24 in Week 1.

I'm going with UTEP by 6 1/2 points.

UTEP gets points on heart

What an unfortunate loss for UTEP, 28-17 at SMU Saturday. It  was billed as an SMU blowout, but UTEP put forth some good play many never expected.

First this: UTEP's offense, whick is  quarterback Nick Lamaiason, was hurt (passing shoulder) early in the second half. Yes, he IS the offense. There's still not running game, and sub Jay Hall showed he's not ready to pass, at least yet. 

Now:

1) For the second straight week, UTEP's defense gave nil to the opponent offense after halftime. SMU's only score of the second half came when Hall got stripped of the ball in the end zone and SMU fell on a TD.

2)  UTEP was a near 3-TD underdog, but the Miners were never kicked to "put-away" status."

3)  Oops. The offensive line is still bad. No running game again - and Lamaison was beaten to a pulp because opponents crashed through UTEP blockers to attack him. Did he hurt his passing shoulder on one play, or did it get worn into an injury like a steak pounded like it was put through a meat-hammer? UTEP can't afford to have a "tendorized" Lamaison passing arm.

The future:

UTEP's pre-season numbers showed a terrible team a-comin.' That terrible team has not showed up after two games. Perhaps Andre Patterson's defense really is ... holy cow, the first decent defense at UTEP in a long, long time?

Ah, the future:

If Lamaison is out out for a while ... it's bad. There was still no running game. Exlamation Point - no.ooo running game. No hint, even. And maybe no passing game if Lamaison is out.

Next week, with a 1-1 record? You probably know by now that New Mexico State won at Big Ten Minnesota Saturday, 28-21, and UTEP travels to ... New Mexico State Saturday.

Bottom line: On Saturday, UTEP hung in there; UTEP played much better than expected. Now, without its offense, Lamaison, what's up against NMSU ... or anybody else?

Defense is surprisingly upscale. Offensive line? Zero for two.

 

 

 

 

UTEP: Run for it's life at SMU

For UTEP to have a chance at a fair showing vs. SMU Saturday evening it will have to make some ground yardage early. Perhaps quite a lot . Anyway, a whole lot more than the 1.6 yards-a-rush average against Stony Brook.

This is no revelation. But let's just get it down in print:

If SMU finds out early that it's really true — that UTEP's line isn't capable of sustaining a running game — it will shut down UTEP quarterback Nick Lamaison with blitzes and/or a packed defensive secondary, and the Miners won't be able to pass, either. UTEP's passing game can't be tha.aat good, at least yet. And it's the same line that blocks for the pass as blocks for the run.

That's why a dual attack is so important; the defense can't know what you're going to do, or can't do, or else you're scoreboard dead meat.

SMU is already a 2-TD plus 1 FG favorite over UTEP.

The positive news is that UTEP may be better in the blocking department this week. A couple of linemen return from injuries (how come UTEP always has so many linemen hurt?).

SMU, which plays with UTEP in the Fooball Bowl Subdivision (big schools) is a whole lot better than Stony Brook, which is a Football Championship Subdivision school (the next level down; the one that has a playoff for a national championship in its division).

Remember, UTEP 's division is allowed a maximum of 85 scholarships. The Stony Brooks get only 63.

And remember that SMU Coach June Jones is known for using all kinds of rooten tooten, wild-eyed pass-it-around offenses, and UTEP's defense did give up 24 points to the much-less scholarshipped Stony Brook.

UTEP doesn't have it; pray it's only injuries

You can't improve on what you don't have. And UTEP doesn't have an offensive line to block for its running backs.

 Mistakes, yes. You can improve. But the offensive line losing to a lower-division team's defensive line?

UTEP averaged 1.6 yards a rush Saturday against Stony Brook. If there was any kind of running room, a back could fall farther than that. UTEP had 36 ground yards, Stony Brook had 231 — which doesn't look good for UTEP's defense, either.

Maybe UTEP will be better when some of the injured linemen come back?

UTEP didn't beat Stony Brook 31-24 in overtime Saturday. Stony Brook's lower division (fewer scholarships allowed) and the Chihuahuan desert beat the little guys from Long Island, N.Y.

There was no putting a good face on this one. "A win is a win" does not apply.

Can UTEP quarterback Nick Lamiason pass on every down?