Coach Mike Price should begin playing freshman quarterback Garrett Simpson. Forget about red-shirting; that move looks to have been a mistake.
Yes, it means Simpson would be a sophomore next year instead of still having four years of eligibility. A sophomore with half a season's experience is better for a team than a freshman with no experience.
This year Price has senior Nick Lamaison and junior Carson Meger at quarterback. Meger doesn't look to be the answer for next season, based on his play the last two years filling in for the oft-injured Lamaison.
Take the red shirt off Simpson. Play this 6-foot-6, 240-pounder and give him five games of experience in this already lost season (1-6). Five games is a lot of playing time.
And it would make the outlook for next season brighter.
Let's see what Sullivan has...
Posted by: Thomas Carrasco | October 18, 2012 at 04:39 PM
I'm with Joe. Play Simpson. It will give us a better chance to win in 2013.
Posted by: Edward Santiago | October 18, 2012 at 04:55 PM
Why waste the red-shirt when Blair Sullivan is available. Better to give him the experience. Just a plain dumb suggestion.
Posted by: madmangunner | October 18, 2012 at 08:26 PM
I say let's see what Sullivan can do before you go pulling the redshirt. Do your homework Joe!
Posted by: Vincent | October 18, 2012 at 09:48 PM
Sullivan is just a taco. Simpson is a full combination plate. I need a full combination plate NOW!
Posted by: Jerry Wordsworth | October 18, 2012 at 10:23 PM
A 1-5 record and you guys are worried about burning a red shirt? How about 1-11 and wondering why the coach didn't try every player, every possibility sometime in the year.
Yeah, let's save the red shirt and ensure the upcoming recruiting class is filled with the type of recruits that will be impressed with this year's stellar record.
Good thing we aren't worried about getting into a better conference.
Posted by: Donte1990 | October 18, 2012 at 10:50 PM
It will never happen (pulling a red shirt QB). Coach Price does not "punish" players that do horribly. We've seen it after a bad play, he just pats them on the back instead of getting in their face. Lamaison and Meger are both his pets and he will not substitute either. I wish we could pull a red shirt Coach!
Posted by: JB | October 19, 2012 at 05:08 AM
Joe, are you trying to tell us that Price will be back next year? Why screw up the kids head learning a system that isn't going to be used next year unless Price is going to be back. If Price is back it will be the death nell of the program. Several of the Houston area alumns that I have talked to are already not going to attend the Houston game. Why bother. If Price it is back, forget the future. It won't matter.
Posted by: georgeofthedesert | October 19, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Get rid of Price now.
Posted by: miner maniac | October 19, 2012 at 10:44 AM
That's a good point George of the Desert, why would Price plan for the future, if he might not even have a future at UTEP???
Posted by: Prospero | October 19, 2012 at 04:40 PM
UTEP has had five winning seasons since 1970. Why is another losing season a surprise? In that time, UTEP is one of the bottom 20 of teams in nation. Guess what.
NMSU is just as bad. What do these teams have in common? Three things:
Lack of funding
Mediocre recruiting
Posted by: Been there seen that | October 20, 2012 at 08:44 AM
Add soft fan support to the above list.
Posted by: Been there seen that | October 20, 2012 at 08:45 AM
Get rid of Joe now! Keep Price.
Aren't both Sullivan and Simpson freshmen? If so, doesn't it make sense for one to redshirt and space their eligibility out a year? At this point in the season, it makes sense to leave the redshirt in place - and it is probably most fair to the player (assuming a full season of starting vs 1/2 season of limited playing time). You have to think about 2012 - and 2013 - but also beyond. I'm not in favor of borrowing from 2015 and 2016 to benefit 1/2 of 2012 - especially given we only have 1 win at the mid-point. It isn't like adding one player is going to put us in contention for the conference championship.
Posted by: Canaima | October 20, 2012 at 08:56 AM
Sit Price's fat a/$/$ at home for the rest of the season. Have one of the assistants take over as head coach for the rest of the pathetic season, then clean house! Oh and a real smart move by jUTEPia to start serving beer to the borrachos of El Chuco! This town sure knows how to handle their liquor!
PRICE = EMBARRASSMENT!!!
Posted by: jUTEP | October 20, 2012 at 02:04 PM
I say you do whatever you need to do to win for the players that are there today. Laying back for next year makes no sense when the team needs to win this year.
Posted by: A Fan | October 20, 2012 at 05:23 PM