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21
Den / Re: OPT: UTEP vs NMSU Sat 2pm
« Last post by SisyphusMiner on December 01, 2024, 07:47:17 AM »
Good points.  I don't think we'll know what this year portends until the end of next year.  If we win 6 games and see that we are convincingly beating the lower tier teams that's one trajectory.  If we struggle against FCS and lower tier CUSA teams that's a different one.
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Den / Lieb Wins the NMSU OPT 11/30/24
« Last post by Austintacious on December 01, 2024, 07:44:55 AM »
UTEP 42 - 35 NMSU
NEXT: @ UTAH St, August 30

UTEP   OPP   ********   Differential
30      23   liebestraum     24
27      21   Austintacious   29
24      21   Miner91          32

28   34   SisyphusMiner   15
23   27   ATL-Miner   27
17   28   kyyote   32
14   24   Minermojo   39
17   14   MinerInWisconsin   46
6   3   zyxwvutsru   68
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Den / season end feels
« Last post by SisyphusMiner on December 01, 2024, 07:42:26 AM »
When was the last time at the end of a football season you were legitimately excited about the next year.  Not cautiously optimistic -- legitimately excited about the future and trajectory of the team?  I am currently cautiously optimistic about football due to recruiting.

Same question for basketball.  I am currently pessimistic about basketball.

Football -- last time I think was when Kugs 2nd season he went from 2-10 to 7-6 and went bowling.  We had Aaron Jones and I thought Kug was going to get it done (2014).  Before that -- Mike Price.  Before that -- Stull.

Basketball -- last time was when Barbee took us to the tourney, got hired away, and we hired Tim Floyde (2010).  I thought Tim could build on that and bring us to a new era.  I was excited the whole Barbee era because I could see what he was doing and it appeared to be working.


Which were the last coaches that were hired away by larger programs?  Football -- Stull.  (I think Price was courted by other programs).  Basketball --  Barbee.
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Den / Re: OPT: UTEP vs NMSU Sat 2pm
« Last post by kyyote on December 01, 2024, 07:29:28 AM »
Having watched a few games, I have seen what one expects from a coach and their team. I have coached a few, myself. Teams take on the personality of their coach. UTEP football has done exactly that. They play with the same energy and passion as their coach coaches. Attitude is a huge part of the game. But, if you put UTEP up against UT attitude is not going to be enough. What is the difference?  Talent?  Skill?  You decide, but the undeniable fact is that there is a difference. So, why UT and not UTEP?  The degree?  A criminal justice degree from UTEP is as good as one from UT. That ain?t it. It?s to play big time college football. Coaches may come and go but playing big time football is the draw. Oh, and winning helps, too. But the Purdue quarterback would rather be losing in the big ten than winning in cusa.

So, how does cusa become big time football. Winning games against big time teams. And you can?t beat them if you don?t play them. Gonzaga and Boise State are the blueprints. But you don?t beat the best coaches using untried and unproven coaches. Unless you stumbled onto some genius. Nope, look at utsa and rich rodriguez in cusa. You get a big time football coach so that going into a game to lift you program you aren?t starting off at a disadvantage. This is not about coaching though. It?s about getting the best players to come play for a team that is trying to get to playing big time football. When utsa joined cusa after a couple of years and where they were going players had an easy choice to make if they were considering UTEP or utsa. One was looking to play big time football and the other was just fielding a team. Not trying to be a smartass. Honest. But, we sweat bullets for our highly spirited team to hang on for the nmsu win and lose 52 zip to a good team. Don?t get me wrong. If spirit and energy were all it took we might just have kicked Tennessee?s ass. And if bullfrogs had wings they wouldn?t scrape their stomachs when they jumped. But they don?t.

In my forty plus years of being a Miner and watching them play football we had one period where we were almost playing big time football. Why?  UTEP showed a desire to and players came to be a part of it. The next coach should have been another good coach and pay him accordingly. But we did what we always do.   We tried an unproven position coach. And then a golden parachute for an old friend. Those two gave us a dozen years of loser football as we free fell and we watched everyone we ever played move up in realignment while we pushed the down button in our elevator shoes. And our answer was to give a leaping unknown lower division coach a FIVE fucking year contract-at the same pay as the last coach, with head coaching and forty years experience. Was that a smart move?  Well, we have a year to look at to give us a clue. A three win season may be right at our standard, but is damned sure horrible especially considering the competition. So, do we call this year normal, a waste, a building year, or just another season at UTEP? 

FUCK!
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Den / Re: OPT: UTEP vs NMSU Sat 2pm
« Last post by SisyphusMiner on December 01, 2024, 06:42:55 AM »
It was a very good end to a disappointing season.  I didnt watch but happy to hear the results. 

My takeaways:
Impressive recruiting
Questionable playcalling
Learning the job on the job

I think people on this board, me included, tend to underestimate the importance of recruiting.  We still live in the memories of Haskins winning via his coaching.  But in all honesty, his coaching probably won 20% more games per season than his players were capable of.  We kind of sucked in the 70s and mid 90s, and our near 50/50 records were due to his coaching as we would have been 30/70 without him.  But even The Great One could only do so much with poor talent. 

Superior talent can make you look like a playcalling genius
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Den / Re: OPT: UTEP vs NMSU Sat 2pm
« Last post by liebestraum on December 01, 2024, 05:13:19 AM »
Oh my gosh...have you ever seen such an undisciplined bunch? So many screwups and that's only because the Miners can't keep their blankety blank mouths shut. No. 6, when he pushed an Ugglie and gave them the second first down after stopping them. Stupid rookie coach going for a first down with 3 and 7 at the 50 yard line with a 17 point lead instead of punting.

I can't believe this bunch won. Ay ya yay!

My wife was laughing at me for going ballistic in the first half.

Oh well, the MINUS won.

I am going to assume you meant 4th and 7.

As for the shenanigans, what happened during the NMSU game was was nothing compared to the stuff that went on during/after:

OSU vs Michigan
UH vs BYU
Arkansas vs Missouri
Auburn vs Alabama
 
to name just a few.

I am sorry to read you cannot seem to enjoy the Miners beating their #1 rival after being down 24-7.  Those two TD passes from Locklear in the second half were things of beauty.  A fantastic punt return, two scoop-and-score fumble returns.  And - more to the point - the team still having the fight to come back after a bad start and take command of the game.  If that is being undisciplined, I will take it.

lieb


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Den / Re: OPT: UTEP vs NMSU Sat 2pm
« Last post by Alaska Miner on November 30, 2024, 06:49:45 PM »
If you?d have told me when the Miners were down 24-7 that they?d score the next 35 points in the game, I?d have said you were high?
Well-done Miners!! It?s easy to complain when they screw up, but it?s just as important to give credit where it?s due! Picks up! 🤙🤙
I still think the future looks bright!😎
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Den / Re: 2024 Pre-Season Pick Contest
« Last post by kyyote on November 30, 2024, 06:47:44 PM »
The Miners were 3.5 point underdogs. Each of us did earn the 1 point for picking the winning team AND the 3 point bonus for beating the oddsmakers.

MIW and Austin tied for first place off by 20.
The divide the 3+2 points for first and second place = 2.5 each
And
Kidd was 22 away and got a point for third place

Kyyote Mojo and Sisyphus were 25 away ATL 35 and AK 36

So final score with the added are

Kyyote 36.5
Mojo 32
Sis 25.5
ATL 23.7
MIW 23.2
AK Miner 18
Kidd  16.2
Austin 15.7


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Den / Re: OPT: UTEP vs NMSU Sat 2pm
« Last post by Minermojo on November 30, 2024, 06:02:04 PM »
Oh my gosh...have you ever seen such an undisciplined bunch? So many screwups and that's only because the Miners can't keep their blankety blank mouths shut. No. 6, when he pushed an Ugglie and gave them the second first down after stopping them. Stupid rookie coach going for a first down with 3 and 7 at the 50 yard line with a 17 point lead instead of punting.

I can't believe this bunch won. Ay ya yay!

My wife was laughing at me for going ballistic in the first half.

Oh well, the MINUS won.
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Den / Re: OPT: UTEP vs NMSU Sat 2pm
« Last post by kyyote on November 30, 2024, 05:58:57 PM »
Congratulations to the Miners as the Aggies were as dangerous as a rabid dog and they took them down.
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