2017 UTEP Miners football team explained
| Mode: | football |
| Year: | 2017 |
| Team: | UTEP Miners |
| Conference: | Conference USA |
| Division: | West Division |
| Short Conf: | C-USA |
| Record: | 0–12 |
| Conf Record: | 0–8 |
| Head Coach: | Sean Kugler |
| Hc Year: | 5th |
| Hc Games: | first 5 games |
| Head Coach2: | Mike Price |
| Hc Games2: | interim; remainder of season |
| Off Coach: | Brent Pease (2nd season; first 3 games)
Brian Natkin (interim; remainder of season) |
| Off Scheme: | Multiple |
| Def Coach: | Tom Mason |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Scheme: | 3–4 |
| Stadium: | Sun Bowl Stadium |
The 2017 UTEP Miners football team represented University of Texas at El Paso in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Miners played their home games at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas and competed in the West Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by fifth-year head coach Sean Kugler until his resignation on October 2 and then by interim head coach Mike Price, who had previously served at UTEP's head coach from 2004 to 2012. The Miners finished the season with a record, 0–8 in conference play to finish in last place in the Conference USA (7th in West Division) and winless for the first time since the 1973 season. UTEP averaged 19,548 fans per game.[1]
One bright spot for the Miners in an otherwise dismal season was the performance of senior offensive guard Will Hernandez, who was named First Team All-C-USA and would go on to become a second-round draft pick in the 2018 NFL draft, selected 34th overall by the New York Giants. Hernandez was the second guard taken in his draft class, after only Quenton Nelson.
Schedule
UTEP announced its 2017 football schedule on January 26, 2017. The 2017 schedule consists of 5 home and 7 away games in the regular season. The Miners hosted CUSA foes Louisiana Tech, Rice, UTSA, and Western Kentucky (WKU), and travelled to Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Southern Miss, and UAB.[2]
The Miners hosted one of the four non-conference opponents, Arizona from the Pac-12 Conference and travelled to Army who are independent from a conference, New Mexico State from the Sun Belt Conference, and Oklahoma from the Big 12 Conference.
Schedule Source:[3]
Game summaries
At No. 7 Oklahoma
See also: 2017 Oklahoma Sooners football team.
| Statistics | UTEP | OKLA |
|---|
| First downs | 11 | 35 |
| Total yards | 167 | 676 |
| Rushing yards | 73 | 180 |
| Passing yards | 94 | 496 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 25:24 | 34:36 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTEP | Passing | Ryan Metz | 10/18, 56 yards |
| Rushing | Walter Dawn Jr. | 7 rushes, 56 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Eddie Sinegal | 3 receptions, 20 yards |
| Oklahoma | Passing | | 19/20, 329 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Abdul Adams | 7 rushes, 53 yards |
| Receiving | | 7 receptions, 134 yards, TD | |
Rice
See also: 2017 Rice Owls football team.
| Statistics | RICE | UTEP |
|---|
| First downs | 22 | 12 |
| Total yards | 437 | 229 |
| Rushing yards | 306 | 26 |
| Passing yards | 131 | 203 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 34:22 | 25:38 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Rice | Passing | Sam Glaesmann | 10/18, 131 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Samuel Stewart | 16 rushes, 89 yards |
| Receiving | Aaron Cephus | 1 reception, 52 yards, TD |
| UTEP | Passing | Ryan Metz | 18/33, 203 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Walter Dawn Jr. | 9 rushes, 24 yards |
| Receiving | Kavika Johnson | 6 receptions, 67 yards | |
Arizona
See also: 2017 Arizona Wildcats football team.
| Statistics | ARIZ | UTEP |
|---|
| First downs | 29 | 12 |
| Total yards | 501 | 218 |
| Rushing yards | 326 | 17 |
| Passing yards | 175 | 201 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 36:02 | 23:58 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Arizona | Passing | Brandon Dawkins | 18/21, 155 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Brandon Dawkins | 14 rushes, 133 yards, 3 TD |
| Receiving | Tyrell Johnson | 4 receptions, 45 yards |
| UTEP | Passing | Zack Greenlee | 11/17, 104 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Kevin Dove | 5 rushes, 17 yards |
| Receiving | Terry Juniel | 4 receptions, 82 yards | |
At New Mexico State
See also: 2017 New Mexico State Aggies football team and Battle of I-10.
| Statistics | UTEP | NMSU |
|---|
| First downs | 15 | 21 |
| Total yards | 227 | 462 |
| Rushing yards | 135 | 179 |
| Passing yards | 92 | 283 |
| Turnovers | 5 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 30:25 | 29:35 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTEP | Passing | Ryan Metz | 6/18, 54 yards, 3 INT |
| Rushing | Quardraiz Wadley | 19 rushes, 77 yards |
| Receiving | David Lucero | 2 receptions, 29 yards |
| New Mexico State | Passing | | 26/43, 283 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Larry Rose III | 17 rushes, 144 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Jaleel Scott | 4 receptions, 74 yards | |
At Army
See also: 2017 Army Black Knights football team.
| Statistics | UTEP | ARMY |
|---|
| First downs | 16 | 22 |
| Total yards | 262 | 433 |
| Rushing yards | 152 | 353 |
| Passing yards | 110 | 80 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 28:27 | 31:33 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTEP | Passing | Zack Greenlee | 7/13, 88 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Quardraiz Wadley | 28 rushes, 156 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Tyler Batson | 5 receptions, 80 yards |
| Army | Passing | | 3/5, 80 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Andy Davidson | 14 rushes, 100 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Jordan Asberry | 1 reception, 42 yards, TD | |
Western Kentucky
See also: 2017 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team.
| Statistics | WKU | UTEP |
|---|
| First downs | 18 | 15 |
| Total yards | 282 | 287 |
| Rushing yards | 74 | 163 |
| Passing yards | 208 | 124 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 26:58 | 33:02 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Western Kentucky | Passing | | 24/37, 208 yards |
| Rushing | Jakairi Moses | 19 rushes, 50 yards |
| Receiving | Lucky Jackson | 3 receptions, 56 yards |
| UTEP | Passing | Zack Greenlee | 12/22, 124 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Kevin Dove | 15 rushes, 69 yards |
| Receiving | Erik Brown | 2 receptions, 32 yards | |
At Southern Miss
See also: 2017 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team.
| Statistics | UTEP | USM |
|---|
| First downs | 6 | 20 |
| Total yards | 147 | 423 |
| Rushing yards | 17 | 202 |
| Passing yards | 130 | 221 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 24:48 | 35:12 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTEP | Passing | Ryan Metz | 9/17, 67 yards, INT |
| Rushing | Joshua Fields | 6 rushes, 13 yards |
| Receiving | Terry Juniel | 5 receptions, 46 yards |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Keon Howard | 16/27, 221 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Ito Smith | 28 rushes, 120 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Jaylond Adams | 2 receptions, 104 yards, TD | |
UTSA
See also: 2017 UTSA Roadrunners football team.
| Statistics | UTSA | UTEP |
|---|
| First downs | 22 | 10 |
| Total yards | 393 | 243 |
| Rushing yards | 205 | 110 |
| Passing yards | 188 | 133 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 34:25 | 25:35 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTSA | Passing | Dalton Sturm | 18/30, 188 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Tyrell Clay | 15 rushes, 71 yards |
| Receiving | Kerry Thomas Jr. | 2 receptions, 49 yards, TD |
| UTEP | Passing | Zack Greenlee | 8/29, 133 yards, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Kevin Dove | 9 rushes, 46 yards |
| Receiving | Erik Brown | 3 receptions, 52 yards | |
At Middle Tennessee
See also: 2017 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team.
| Statistics | UTEP | MTSU |
|---|
| First downs | 6 | 18 |
| Total yards | 137 | 400 |
| Rushing yards | 89 | 210 |
| Passing yards | 48 | 190 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 30:07 | 29:53 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTEP | Passing | Ryan Metz | 10/23, 48 yards |
| Rushing | Joshua Fields | 17 rushes, 87 yards |
| Receiving | Warren Redix | 3 receptions, 19 yards |
| Middle Tennessee | Passing | | 13/30, 190 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Tavares Thomas | 9 rushes, 68 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Ty Lee | 6 receptions, 80 yards, TD | |
At North Texas
See also: 2017 North Texas Mean Green football team.
| Statistics | UTEP | UNT |
|---|
| First downs | 15 | 27 |
| Total yards | 231 | 472 |
| Rushing yards | 100 | 259 |
| Passing yards | 131 | 213 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 31:38 | 28:22 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTEP | Passing | Zack Greenlee | 13/25, 109 yards, INT |
| Rushing | Joshua Fields | 16 rushes, 45 yards |
| Receiving | Terry Juniel | 4 receptions, 38 yards |
| North Texas | Passing | | 23/35, 213 yards, 4 TD |
| Rushing | | 20 rushes, 144 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Rico Bussey | 3 receptions, 65 yards, TD | |
Louisiana Tech
See also: 2017 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team.
| Statistics | LT | UTEP |
|---|
| First downs | 28 | 18 |
| Total yards | 546 | 410 |
| Rushing yards | 343 | 164 |
| Passing yards | 203 | 246 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 32:24 | 27:36 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | | 15/28, 203 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Jaqwis Dancy | 14 rushes, 135 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Teddy Veal | 6 receptions, 66 yards, TD |
| UTEP | Passing | Ryan Metz | 8/16, 187 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Joshua Fields | 23 rushes, 137 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Tyler Batson | 2 receptions, 94 yards, TD | |
At UAB
See also: 2017 UAB Blazers football team.
| Statistics | UTEP | UAB |
|---|
| First downs | 10 | 23 |
| Total yards | 208 | 334 |
| Rushing yards | 101 | 175 |
| Passing yards | 107 | 159 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 26:49 | 33:11 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTEP | Passing | Zack Greenlee | 8/18, 107 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Kevin Dove | 11 rushes, 36 yards |
| Receiving | Tyler Batson | 2 receptions, 54 yards |
| UAB | Passing | A. J. Erdely | 15/25, 159 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Spencer Brown | 22 rushes, 98 yards |
| Receiving | Collin Lisa | 7 receptions, 76 yards, TD | |
Notes and References
- Web site: 2017 National College Football Attendance . NCAA.
- UTEP Announces 2017 Football Schedule. University of Texas at El Paso Department of Athletics. January 26, 2017. February 5, 2017.
- Web site: 2017 UTEP Miners Football Schedule. FB Schedules. February 5, 2017.
