Entering 2016, the expectation for the UTEP Miners was to make it back to a bowl game after nearly making it the previous year despite so many injuries. The season didn’t work out that way for the Miners, finishing 4-8. With star running back Aaron Jones gone to the NFL, the Miners are at a critical point in head coach Sean Kugler’s tenure.
With National Signing Day just a few days away, TexasHSFootball.com spoke with Alex Nicolas of Miner Rush to talk UTEP recruiting, how much pressure is on Kugler, and who will step in to replace Aaron Jones.
How much pressure is there on Sean Kugler to bring in a strong recruiting class?
Not much since there are only 12 scholarships to fill this cycle. The pressure should be to develop his past classes, which were poorly regarded nationally. Those classes now make up part of UTEP’s expected depth over the next 2-3 seasons. A main recruiting pressure could be to land a grad transfer or two, something Kugler said UTEP will be in the market for this coming summer. UTEP could use a linebacker, wide receiver, pass rusher, running back, and/or another offensive lineman from the transfer market in that exact order of importance.
Under Kugler, do you feel that the Miners have placed a greater emphasis on recruiting local talent?
No doubt he has, and it’s been paying off in some areas, i.e Aaron and Alvin Jones. Now it hasn’t been dominant, as a few of El Paso’s highest rated FBS recruits have gone to Power 5 schools in the past three classes, but UTEP does recruit El Paso first and is making every effort to keep FBS level talent in El Paso.
Who are some of the players coming in that have a chance to make an impact right away?
UTEP’s three early JUCO signings will make the biggest splash. Safety Kalaii Griffin is a prototypical hybrid safety who can be effectively moved all over UTEP’s 3-4 defensive packages. Fellow defensive back Kahani Smith will also help with coveted length in the secondary more as a cover guy. And former Boise State tight end David Lucero figures to be UTEP’s main pass catching tight end heading into the spring in replacing the graduating Hayden Plinke who will hear his named called in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Who do you project to be the best player in this class when all is said and done?
Close tie between Griffin and Austin Vandergrift quarterback Alex Fernandes. Griffin will help immediately this coming season, while Fernandes is projected to become UTEP’s quarterback of the future after junior-to-be Ryan Metz graduates.
Fernandes was a huge steal for UTEP in my opinion. His athleticism and the level of competition he went up against in that gauntlet of a district will pay off at UTEP.
Is there any player to keep an eye that might commit to UTEP on National Signing Day?
Keep an eye on El Paso running back Josh Fields. I think it’s between New Mexico and UTEP, and Kugler has made Fields a main priority since his sophomore year at Americas. Also, Kugler has had a surprise transfer announced on Signing Day so those would be my surprises.
Non recruiting question: Who replaces Aaron Jones next year?
I wrote a pretty in-depth article on what life without Aaron Jones would be like and it’s a really murky area right now. UTEP has a number of options to replace Jones, but the question is will it be a committee or will someone or a pair of backs take a lead. Quadraiz Wadley, Treyvon Hughes, TK Powell, and Antonio Dupree could be the leaders in the house on paper, but that’s a question spring and fall practices should answer ahead of September 2nd.
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