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    • UTEP Miners Football vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
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    UTEP Miners Football vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

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    The UTEP football team is about to enter a new era under coach Scotty Walden at Nebraska, where it is expected to sell out its 397th consecutive stadium at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

    Nebraska is a 27.5-point favorite as it enters a second season of high expectations under coach Matt Rhule.

    Both teams are coming off a season where they failed to make it to the league and are now looking to end their bowl drought.

    UTEP miners

    Where:El Paso

    2023 record: 3-9

    Stripe: Lost 3

    Coach: Scotty Walden, first season (34-20 career)

    Returning starters: 1 attack, 2 defense, kicker

    2023 Scoring Attack: 19.9 (116th)

    2023 scoring defense: 28.5 (85th)

    Miners Overview

    UTEP starts this season fresh, perhaps more than most teams, with a new coach and staff.

    The Miners hired Scotty Walden from Austin Peay as their 27th coach in December, following a mass exodus of players from last year’s 3-9 team that began when Dana Dimel was fired. Walden, in turn, brought most of his staff with him from Peay, as well as 11 players, beginning a transformation of the roster.

    UTEP has 31 new players and 50 new players on the roster, and is signing 65 new players, including the highest-rated recruiting class in program history.

    There is excitement surrounding the program that comes with change and curiosity to see how a star-studded roster from the Football Championship Subdivision can adapt to the step up in the FBS.

    Miners violation

    UTEP’s quarterback battle between incumbent Cade McConnell and Skyler Locklear went down to the wire before Locklear was announced as the starter, but there’s a chance either could play. Peay transfer Locklear (a reserve last year) represents more of a run-pass-option threat, while incumbent McConnell is the classic drop-back passer.

    The receiving corps for the “Blue Blaze” is comprised primarily of FCS transfers, with Austin Peay’s Kam Thomas, Trey Goodman and Ashton Nickelberry, and Eastern Kentucky’s Jaden Smith among the names to watch. Peay transfer Jevon Jackson is the workhorse tailback.

    The question mark will be the lineup: a mix of Peay transfers, returnees from last year and a true freshman all teaming up in a game for the first time.

    UTEP’s goal on offense is to throw the ball every 12 seconds, spread the field and get the ball to quick playmakers.

    Miners defense

    UTEP’s “Orange Swarm” has more of a holdover here, as they make a bit of a transition from last year’s 4-2 to this year’s 3-3, though the 3-3 is more of a hybrid with a 4-2.

    The Miners will figure to put their strength on the line with their pass rush, led by first-team All-CUSA returner Maurice Westmoreland. The linebackers (except Westmoreland, listed as a bandit, an edge rusher) and most of the secondary are new to starting at the FBS level, though Peay transfer Xavier Smith at safety was an FCS freshman all-American selection last year.

    Their weakness is in the ground game, while Nebraska performed well last year.

    The Miners want to build a defense that puts a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks.

    According to Nebraska coach Matt Rhule: Defensive coordinator JJ “Clark’s defense is very similar to ours: 3-down, 4-down, 3-5 hybrid. All the things they do, we do. So you have to be able to deal with their pressure packages and the way they attack you.”

    Players to watch

    Bandid Maurice Westmoreland. He was selected to the CUSA first team last year and led the league with 7.5 sacks. According to Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, “Westmoreland is a pro. He’s a pro. He’s very versatile, has a great arm to spare, and can affect pass rushers really well. He can rattle his pass, shake his shoulders, throw tackles off balance. He’s not afraid to make the inside move, which is the hallmark of a really confident pass rusher. He’s got a really great motor. He can also drop into space.”

    Lock Kam Thomas. He was a star receiver, punt returner and kickoff returner for Peay last year. He had two punt returns for touchdowns last season; UTEP has not had multiple kick returns for scores this decade. Offensively, he is listed as a Miner back, a hybrid receiver/running back.

    WR Trey Goodman. He was a first-team all-conference player at Peay last season when he had 721 yards on 34 receptions with seven touchdowns.

    Key Statistics

    128: That’s where the Miners ranked out of 132 teams against the run last season when they gave up 202.25 yards on the ground. Nebraska starts the year with a tailback-by-committee approach, and it could be successful.

    65: The Miners’ 115-player roster features 65 newcomers instead of 31 returning players.

    3: UTEP’s coaching staff is the third youngest in the nation at the FBS level, at 34.7 years old. Walden is the second youngest coach in the FBS, at 34 years old.

    Where:Lincoln, Nebraska

    2023 record: 5-7

    Stripe: Lost 4.

    Coach: Matt Rhule, second season (5-7 at Nebraska, 34-20 overall)

    Returning starters: 6 offense, 7 defense, kicker, punter

    2023 Scoring Attack: 18.0 (120th)

    2023 scoring defense: 18.24 (13th)

    One of the most storied programs in college football history hasn’t had a winning season since 2016, but optimism is high as they enter the second season under Matt Rhule, who joined from the Carolina Panthers after a successful stint at Baylor.

    In his two previous college stops, at Temple and Baylor, his teams won four and six more games, respectively, in his sophomore season than they did in his first, and there’s hope in Lincoln that will happen again this year. That hope is bolstered by a five-star recruit at quarterback and the fact that Nebraska didn’t lose a single starter to the transfer portal, a rarity these days.

    Cornhuskers Offense

    The focus, of course, is on real freshman quarterback Danny Raiola, whose father, Dominic, is a Cornhusker offensive lineman legend who played 14 years in the NFL. Raiola was the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the country, a five-star who swapped his commitment from Georgia to Nebraska.

    He is well-positioned to succeed behind an offensive line with 153 combined starts and 224 games played. The running game will begin as a four-man committee, most of whom have extensive experience.

    Last season, the Huskers didn’t have a receiver rush for more than 310 yards, so they expanded their receiver corps with transfers Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest) and Isaiah Neyor (Texas), along with returning tight end Thomas Fidone II.

    Cornhuskers defense

    Nebraska ranked 11th in total defense last year and 13th in scoring defense behind defensive coordinator and El Paso native Tony White, and he has a lot of that unit back.

    Their two most productive players, safety Isaac Gifford and linebacker Javin Wright, return, as do all four starters on the defensive line. That veteran defensive line will face a UTEP offensive line playing its first game together as a unit in the FBS.

    The Cornhuskers ranked eighth in the nation in defense of the run last season, and that’s where their defense comes in.

    Players to watch

    QB Dylan Raiola. How the true freshman handles his first start at the college level will determine that side of the ball in this game. An experienced offensive line puts him in a good position.

    S Isaac Gifford. He was the engine behind one of the nation’s best defenses last year when he had 86 tackles and eight pass breakups.

    RT Bryce Benhart. He is expected to make his 42nd career start for Nebraska, which would set a new record for career starts by a Husker offensive lineman.

    Key Statistics

    2: Dylan Railoa becomes the second true freshman from Nebraska to start at quarterback in a season opener. Adrian Martinez was the first in 2018 (a loss to Colorado).

    377: Back-to-back home game sellouts for Nebraska as Memorial Stadium is filled against UTEP. The stadium has an official capacity of 85,458. Nebraska drew 86,183 for its last home game last year against Iowa.

    153: Combined number of starts for Nebraska’s offensive line, fifth-most in the nation, heading into the 2024 season.

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