UTEP coach Scotty Walden frequently preaches consistency, perception in the course of and holding to requirements.
As such, what's popping out of the Miners as they head to Colorado State is just like final week earlier than Liberty and the week earlier than once they hosted Southern Utah.
UTEP travels anticipating to win. It is trying to proceed its enchancment curve. It must focus on itself. It will simplify the offensive sport plan to drill down on its strengths. This week's buzzword is “precision,” per week after it was “intentionality,” so change at this level is merely nominal.
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That leaves this query: Will all that be sufficient for the Miners to get the first win of the season as a nine-point underdog in a spot the place they're 3-14 all-time?
The odds say no, however realistically, in contrast to Liberty or Nebraska, UTEP has an opportunity on this sport. Per the cash line, that is a couple of 30% probability.
In different phrases, if UTEP wins turnovers, cleans up its errors on third down and in the purple zone, and its protection continues on the trajectory it started final week, the narrative can turn into happier earlier than they hit a stretch of much more winnable video games.
That left linebacker Nate Dyman straddling the line between sticking to the mantra and stating the apparent about the stakes this week.
“We want to win, we want to win so badly, that's the thing that drives us,” he mentioned Tuesday. “We want to win, our coaches want to win, we're doing everything we can to win. But honestly, we're not thinking about the game; we're thinking about today. Then tomorrow we'll think about tomorrow.
“But we wish to win badly.”
That process might get a little bit simpler if Colorado State's all-conference receiver Tory Horton can't play, and Colorado State has called him doubtful. For what it's worth, UTEP is preparing as if he will play and game-planning accordingly for an offense that also has other dangerous skill players.
“They have a terrific quarterback (Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi). He has as good an arm as we have seen,” Walden said. “He can actually throw it. No. 14 (Horton) is one of the high G-5 receivers in the nation, higher than most of the energy 5 guys.
“No. 1, you have to get pressure on the quarterback. You can't let him sit back and be comfortable, then you have to know where (Horton) is at. We can't sit there and lose sight of him because they do a good job of moving him around — putting him in the slot, putting him on the outside.”
That process is tough as a result of the Rams may run the ball behind tailback Justin Marshall, who had a 100-yard sport to open the season in opposition to No. 1 Texas. UTEP might want to duplicate its effort in opposition to the floor sport when it contained Liberty to its second-lowest dashing whole in the final 17 video games.
“I liked the response from Game 2,” Walden mentioned of his protection. “Game 2, we didn't play to our standard at all, but I liked the response Game 2 to Game 3. The thing they are learning is that level of consistency. They gave us a chance to stay in that game.
“That exhibits us, ‘Hey, we will do that. We must deliver it each day and be constant.'”
Walden wasn't done with that quote as he segued to the other side of the ball.
“On offense, you'll be able to see these glimpses of explosives, you'll be able to see it at instances, however we've to have these extra constantly,” he said. “It goes again to creating the routine performs nice, not attempting to do an excessive amount of. There are instances we're attempting to do an excessive amount of. Calm down, take that 5-yard run.”
Despite all the talk from UTEP about simplifying and executing, it ultimately depends on an offensive line that has only been playing together for less than a month. As they get better, and generally speaking, as all brand-new lines do over the year, everything about the offense will get better.
The Colorado State defense ranks 112th nationally. It has been mediocre against the run and poor against the pass, so there could be an opening. However, this is presumably a better defense than Southern Utah, which shut out the UTEP defense for 29 minutes and 59 seconds of the second half in that game.
If UTEP is going to turn around its offense, it needs to show improvement, particularly on the line.
“Continue to apply it,” guard Bennan Smith said. “Repetition makes perfection. We've completed an outstanding job all week. Last week we emphasised it, this week I felt like we perfected it.
“Every week is a big week to us. We have to start strong, come out with the first punch, then we have to finish the second half. We have to dominate in the red zone and score. This is a phenomenal team we're going up against, but we have a good game plan.”
Presumably, it is a sport plan that may proceed to streamline as UTEP appears to be like to excellent a smaller playbook.
“We're going to simplify our game plan,” quarterback Skyler Locklear mentioned. “We're going to make sure everybody knows what we're doing. We're going to rep the plays over and over, make sure we know exactly what we're doing. When we execute, we are a great offense.”
As for Locklear, he might find yourself working extra this week. Throwing out the (unacceptable) eight instances he is been sacked, he has 124 dashing yards on 24 carries. That works to five.2 yards per rush, greater than double the 2.3 UTEP has averaged as a workforce.
“He's really good at the zone-read stuff, reading the edges,” Walden mentioned. “He is a guy you can design runs for, he can keep you honest on the zone read, and the thing he's best at is extending the play. He's the one giving us a chance on third down.”
What Locklear can do to present his workforce a greater probability is avoiding interceptions. He had two final week in opposition to Liberty, and there was some extent in the third quarter the place the Miners might have been forward if it hadn't been for these. What's necessary is that Locklear learns from that and strikes ahead.
“Each week, I feel like I'm getting better, like the whole team is getting better,” Locklear mentioned. “Playing the position of quarterback you're going to have some mistakes, but I'm going to use those mistakes and use it to learn and get better.
“I'd wish to exit and be excellent; that is what I wish to do each time, however that is not going to occur. But I really feel I'm utilizing these issues to develop as a participant.”
Growth is the most realistic goal for this rebuilding UTEP football team as it goes to Colorado State.
Bret Bloomquist might be reached at [email protected]; @Bretbloomquist on X.
