What? Did Price just announce his retirement?

Did you notice that Mike Price, in so many words, looks to have announced his retirement as UTEP's football coach?

That is, effective at the end of the season - a season where the Miners will have even more trouble posting a winner than in the six seasons past.

This pseudo announcement came Wednesday as the Miners' 2012 schedule was released with Oklahoma added to already scheduled games with Ole Miss and Wisconsin.

Had Price planned on staying in Utepia past next season, he would have been crying bloody murder at this schedule instead of saying, "It's the opportunity of a lifetime ... it's where we want to be. Our players are really jacked up about it, and our fans should be excited."

Aw c'mon!

Price's teams have had six straight losing seasons. Fans still like him, but holy smokes already! And here comes three guaranteed losses. (No, don't say they'll win at Ole Miss). This means to finish above .500 in 2012 the Miners will have to win seven of their other nine games.

It appears that adding Oklahoma to the home schedule was made for ticket selling in 2012, not for finally giving the fans a winner.

The Miners will likely draw nearly 50,000 fans for Oklahoma, then have the usual bigger-then-normal crowd two weeks later for rival New Mexico State.
Other home games: SMU, Tulane, UCF and Rice.

UTEP 2012 Football Schedule

Sept. 1 Oklahoma (10-3)

Sept. 8 at Mississippi (2-10)

Sept. 15 NM State (4-9)

Sept. 22 at Wisconsin (11-3)

Sept. 29 at East Carolina* (5-7)

Oct. 6 SMU* (8-5)

Oct. 13 at Tulsa* (8-5)

Oct. 20 Tulane* (2-11)

Oct. 27 at Houston* (13-1)

Nov. 10 UCF* (5-7)

Nov. 17 at Southern Miss* (12-2)

Nov. 24 Rice*# (4-8)

*Conference USA game

# Combined "Senior Appreciation/Farewell to Mike" game

Comments

[Brad]

Hey Joe,

This is gauranteed to make you happy. News is coming out that Tanner Brock, Cooper Brock's older brother, got busted along with three other TCU players for dealing hard drugs. It would be surprising if Cooper was not aware of his older brother's activities and I wouldn't be surprised if the authorities turn their eyes toward the younger brother (who just happens to reside next to an important drug corridor). Considering he was considered an up and coming player, the Miners will likely lose another potential star to suspension.

[jUTEP]

"Don't take this a/s/s whoopin' personally!"
Jack Jenkins
Harlem Nights (1989)

FIRE PRICE NOW!!!

[A fan]

Brad,

If the kid was slated to go to the Miners, then that's where he'll be; it won't matter what he's involved in. Guys don't get thrown off the team when there is a perfectly good excuse for not doing so. (Remember two coaches pulled over for DWI --- Charges dropped because they both took prescription drugs. Remember a basketball player breaking another player's jaw --- one game suspension. Remember the basketball player who harbored a fugitive cousin wanted on a murder charge --- no punishment. Remember the football player who got into a tussle with a police officer --- charges dropped. The list goes on...

As far as the schedule, I'm happy for the football team. If you are going to lose, lose to a great team. Who cares what the final point differential is.

The reality of the schedule is that this schedule is just window dressing for the future MWC/CUSA merger. Now UTEP can say, "We play the big boys, we deserve to be here," when the reality is that the MWC wouldn't consider UTEP if it didn't happen to be part of CUSA. This is the same conference that wouldn't give UTEP the time of day when it formed, and took Hawaii, Nevada, Fresno, and Boise first.

So, good for UTEP. Play well, and who knows, you might just win one of those three unwinnable games.

[mike g]

Do you really think ppl in El Paso love him??? I really the players ready. There going to need it. I love football love UTEP. Get rid of price now!!!! don't wait till the end of the season. Honestly, is it going to make a difference???

[Miner Fan]

Brad,

Just because there happens to be one bad apple in a trio of brothers (yes, there's another one who attended and played football for TCU and is currently preparing for the draft) does not, in any way, mean that Cooper also affiliated with the aforementioned drug scandal. People make mistakes, not that what Tanner was doing was a small one, it's a pretty huge screw up if you ask me. But throwing the younger brother, who goes to school 700 miles away, under the bus is just plain idiotic. Cooper is a stand up individual. He doesn't drink, do drugs, or hang out with people who do. This is coming from a personal friend, so it's not just speculation. The fact that he HAPPENS to live in a dorm close to the one where the female basketball players got busted is pure coincidence. You don't choose where you live in the dorms, you are assigned a residence. Simple as that. Get your facts straight before you start making wild accusations and pointing fingers at people who aren't even guilty. I'm sure the Brock family is going through enough right now as it is, so give the kid a break.

[bill]

hmm looks like 2-10 to me

[Macho Camacho]

Jutep will start the season 0-4. Yes, a loss to NMSU is in the works!

[Han Cholo]

The schedule looks good. I honestly see another losing season, but hey, to the fickle and bandwagon fans, it doesn't matter to them since they always have a negative attitude. I will always support the Miners, and yes, I like Mike Price. This may be his last season and I will go to every game just so I can see the Miners play competitively. Once he leaves, we may see the ugly curse of UTEP football come back again. The curse of being blown out by 40+ points by Division I-AA schools. Yes, that used to happen A LOT. 0-12 seasons were a guarantee so I'll take a 5-7 season any day. Win or lose: Go Miners!

[Tiotomas]

UTEP will take a whipping of epic proportions this year. But the loses to ou, Wisconsin, ole miss will make them stronger against the others in the cusa I still think price is lazy as all get up and he needs to go so why not go out in flames. This schedule is to recruit a coach, while giving price a modest payday on his way out the door. Will I travel to Wisconsin, you bet and catch a packer Sunday game while at it.and the final bonus is we will be upfront on the ESPN score ticker not behind hofstra and Leigh.

[Brad]

Miner Fan,

I know about the third brother, I actually follow state prep football very closely since it is part of my job. Regardless, the comment was a jibe at Aggie Joe if anything, since my post was an attempt to preempt Joe from writing a potentially negative story that can be connected to UTEP, (one of his particular habits). By the way, Cooper may be a stand up guy but I have also observed his attitude in the classroom and it is not laudable. If his attitude toward his education is any indication of his character then maybe my speculation may not be that far from the mark.

[youknowwho...]

JUtep... off the barstool again Bud? Nice, wonder where you had gone?

JUTEP ME LA PELA!!!!!

[jUTEP]

Coach Captain Kangaroo's final season at jUTEP:

Sept. 1 Oklahoma (10-3) - A/s/s kickin' loss
Sept. 8 at Mississippi (2-10) - A/s/s kickin' loss
Sept. 15 NM State (4-9) - Too banged up, embarrassing loss
Sept. 22 at Wisconsin (11-3) - A/s/s kickin' loss
Sept. 29 at East Carolina* (5-7) - Loss
Oct. 6 SMU* (8-5) - Loss
Oct. 13 at Tulsa* (8-5) - Loss
Oct. 20 Tulane* (2-11) - Possible win, if the Mineros still care by this point
Oct. 27 at Houston* (13-1) - A/s/s kickin' loss
Nov. 10 UCF* (5-7) - Loss, possible a/s/s kickin'
Nov. 17 at Southern Miss* (12-2) - A/s/s kickin' loss
Nov. 24 Rice*# (4-8) - Usual end of season loss

Coach Cupcake rides off into the sunset.

Why wait?

FIRE PRICE NOW!!!

[Bill]

What will be bad is getting slobberknocked in the first game, and going into the second game banged up, which will lead to more banging.

Gonna' be great the first season of the new conference being the worst football team.

As bad as that is, the fans will come to see OU. After that showing, expect an average in the 20K range.

[Morgan]

I'm predicting that the Sooners hang 70+ points on the Miners.

Hope the slaughterfest is worth it.

[Stahala]

Sooners -70? I'll take that bet! I for one love the schedule. I dont care if we get our butts kicked. I'd rather see UTEP lose by 50 to Oklahoma, than see UTEP win in OT against, what was that school, Stony something?

[Minerfan4life]

LOOK FOR UTEP TO GET THEIR BIGGEST BLOWOUT WIN OF THE 2012 FOOTBALL SEASON NOVERMBER 10 VS. UCF! THE LAST MEETING IN EL PASO WAS A 58-13 VICTORY!