August 2009
OSR ARCHIVES
TODAY'S REPORTS |
| OSR 8/25/2009 | | SEASON STORYLINES | | The UTEP football team will start their season in less than three weeks away from their Sept. 5 season opener from Buffalo. Before... |
| | | | OSR 8/25/2009 | | AMAZING AMY | | Anxious.That’s the best way to describe the way Braxton Amy feels about getting on the field. Since injuring his knee last season ... |
| | | | OSR 8/25/2009 | | OSR Q&A: STACIE TOWNSEND | | After completing another season in which she pitched 252 innings, you’d think senior pitcher Stacie Townsend would want to tak... |
| | | | OSR 8/25/2009 | | WALK OFF WIN | | It seemed impossible.Scoring opportunity after scoring opportunity would not go to the back of the net for the UTEP women’s soccer... |
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
- 8.28, Soccer (W), Stephen F. Austin, 7:30p
- 8.30, Soccer (W), Texas Tech, 2:00p
- 9.4, Volleyball, Idaho St., 10:00a
- 9.5, FOOTBALL, Buffalo, 7:00p
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| Trevor Vittatoe and the Miners will have another tough non-conference schedule this year with Kansas and Texas on the slate. |
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Official Sports Report: August 25, 2009
SEASON STORYLINES
Top 5 Miner storylines to keep tabs on this year |
by Carlos M. Silva Jr., Managing Editor
The UTEP football team will start their season in less than three weeks away from their Sept. 5 season opener from Buffalo. Before the Miners take the field, the OSR staff will give you some storylines, positive and negative, to follow throughout the season.
1. Difficult schedule, again
The Miners have another game against the Texas Longhorns, but must not overlook a home opener against the Buffalo. It’s tough not to look forward to the game in Austin, Texas, but the Miners must focus on the Sept. 5 game against the Bulls. So far it seems the coaches are making sure the team doesn’t forget last season’s “Buffalo Blowout.”
Many of the team meetings that have occurred behind closed doors have harped on the Buffalo game and many of the players, though they aren’t admitting it, have that game circled on their calendar. A win against the Bulls could go a long ways, considering the Miners have games scheduled against Kansas, NMSU and Texas following.
A loss could start a downward spiral, fan wise at least, that could affect the team’s play in the long run. It’s always good to start on the winning side of the equation, but for the Miners it is crucial they win their first game this season.
2. Short-yardage shortcomings
Can the Miners improve their running game with the addition of Leilyon Myers? It could be awhile before that question is answered because of the tough non-conference schedule the team plays this year.
Minus New Mexico State, the three other teams (Buffalo, Texas and Kansas) have stout defenses that will challenge the Miners’ offensive line. UTEP averaged 122 yards per game last season, ranking them ninth in the conference. The Miner will need to balance out their offense this season if they plan to have any bowl aspirations because the defense cannot go another year of marching onto the field after 3 and outs by the offense.
3. Replacing Martinez
It’s a huge advantage when anytime you cross the 50-yard line that you can get three points off a field goal. That’s what Jose Martinez brought to the Miners last season. This season Logan Barrett, Mike Scott and Kevin Lopez are vying for the starting spot.
None of them possess the powerful leg of Martinez, and that may put more pressure on the Miners offensively because they’ll have to reach the 30-yard line, rather than the 40.
4. Punting controversy?
The biggest competition during spring and fall practice was between punters Greg Hiett and Kyle Peterson. Peterson has been the favorite to start at the position but was been in and out of Mike Price’s doghouse last season, leading the way for Hiett to sweep in and control his destiny.
Currently it looks as though Hiett is the frontrunner, but with a few weeks left before the start of the season, it is anyone’s guess as to who will be the starter. The only thing for certain is that the Miners will instill a directional philosophy when it comes to punting.
5. Will second year of 3-3-5 equal success?
It’s the biggest question going into the season. After last season’s experiment, watching players play out of position and get beat on long balls, Osai Lewis and the defense are ready to prove that last season was a fluke. With an offseason to study and learn the defense, many of the UTEP players feel more confident and are in better position to make plays.
The proof was in the practices, as the defense was forcing interceptions and sacking the quarterback. Granted, that was against the team’s second-team offense, but it should go along way to seeing how much it could confuse defense this season.
Carlos M. Silva Jr. is the Managing Editor for UTEP’s OSR Report. If you have a question, comment or story idea, you may reach him at utepeditor@officialsportsreport.com.
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