UTEP Miners
Recruiting
2004 Spring Lookahead
Spring Practice Starts: March 29 Spring Game: April 24
What needs working on ... New head coach Mike Price is known for his ability to improve offenses, and UTEP's needs some help, but he and his staff have to focus on the abysmal defense that allowed over 38 points per game last year. The Miners also have to work harder on keeping the ball losing it an amazing 40 times last year.
The most important position to watch is ... The offensive line. Everything needs work and all the positions are pretty much up for grabs, but the biggest losses come on the line hurt most by the departure of OT Trey Darilek. If the line isn't working, the rest of the offense won't either.
Spring attitude... It's time for a breath of fresh air. Price isn't going to turn things around right away, but he should changed the losing attitude the program has had over the last few years as it seemed like no one on the team actually believed it could win. Price will reenergize things and make spring practice interesting
Star of the Class
Tyler Ebell RB 5-9 180 Ventura (UCLA), Ca
UCLA transfer who will be eligible to play for UTEP in 2005…posted spectacular numbers for the Bruins over the last two years with nearly 1,500 yards rushing…in 2003 rushed 116 times for 501 yards (4.3 avg.), scoring a pair of touchdowns…also had 10 catches for 68 yards (6.8 avg.)…added one punt return for 22 yards and 12 kickoff returns for 226 yards (18.8 avg.)…posted 234 carries for 994 yards (4.2 avg.) and 10 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2002 …also a second team All-Pac 10 choice…led the team in rushing yardage and scoring (10 TDs)…rated fourth in the Pac-10 in rushing (76.5 ypg), fifth in punt returns, ninth in all-purpose yards (106.3 ypg) and 13th in total offense despite not earning much playing time until the fifth game of the season…caught 12 balls for 72 yards (6.0 avg.)…had 24 punt returns for 273 yards (11.4 avg.), and two kickoff returns for 43 yards (21.5 avg.)…his 1,382 all-purpose yards marked the 10th-top total in school history…ranked seventh in the country among freshmen running backs…had six straight 100-yard games, the second-longest one-season streak in school annals…averaged 108.3 yards rushing in conference action…picked up a season-high 203 yards on 29 carries at Oregon State, including 124 yards in the fourth quarter…also had a career-long 73-yard run versus the Beavers…redshirted in 2001
Instant Impact Players
Andre Bailey CB 6-3 195 Phoenix (McClintock), Az
Will have two years of eligibility at UTEP beginning in 2004…played the last two years at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz…chosen first team All-East Valley, first team All-City and first team All-Region following the 2003 season…tallied 57 stops (37 solos), 15 pass break-ups and three interceptions in 2003…posted 40 tackles and two picks in 2002…compiled 40 tackles and six interceptions as a junior…also scored three times on offense (two receptions, one rush)…as a sophomore, was tabbed second team All-Conference and second team All-Region…four-year letterwinner in basketball, as well as track and field…All-American, first team All-Region, first team All-Conference and All-East Valley choice in basketball…state champion in the 100 meters and 4x100 meter relay as a senior…also competed in the 200 meters, 4x400 meter relay and high jump
Marcus Thomas RB 6-2 185 Phoenix (Tolleson), Az
Named to Parade Magazine's 2002 All-America team…as a senior, he rushed for 3,573 yards and 47 touchdowns, averaging 10 yards per carry…top performance was a 426-yard, seven-touchdown effort versus Moon Valley High School…also had 10 catches for 350 yards and three scores his senior year…two-time All-State choice as a junior and senior…an All-Region pick on both sides of the ball as a junior and senior while splitting time at running back and free safety…had seven interceptions in his career at Tolleson…team offensive MVP as a senior…junior statistics included 2,087 yards rushing with 27 touchdowns…also snared 25 receptions for 580 yards as a junior…helped Tolleson to an 11-win season his sophomore year and 12-win season his senior campaign…Tolleson won the conference title and reached the state semifinals his senior season…earned three letters in track and field and two in basketball…member of a track and field team which won state his sophomore year, and finished second his junior year…competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 4x100 meter relay, high jump and long jump…took first place in the 4x100 meter relay, second in the long jump, third in the 200 meters and fourth in the high jump at the state meet as a junior…also recruited by Arizona, Arizona State, California, Idaho State, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State, UCLA, USC, Utah, Utah State, Vanderbilt, Washington and Washington State
Rest of the Class
Jayson Boyd WR 6'4 200 Riverside (John W. North), Ca
Anthony Casey OL 6'4 295 Compton (Long Beach Wilson)
James Delgardo CB 5'11 175 Seattle (Pima CC), Wa
Michael Eddy OL 6'6 310 Layton (Northridge), Ut
Kedaron Franklin DE 6'4 220 Sulphur Springs, Tx
Jamar Hunt TE 6'7 250 Mesa (Mountain View), Az
Brandon Jackson RB 6'0 215 Houston (Booker T. Wash.), Tx
Justin McNeese RB 6'2 228 Houston (North Shore), Tx
Ricky Porter DB 5'11 182 Austin (Reagan), Tx
Tyler Ribitzki OL 6'5 285 Burleson, Tx
