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| Monday, August 13 Updated: August 14, 10:17 AM ET Miners think they've found gold in QB Phillips By Stephen Tsai Special to ESPN.com |
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UTEP Miners 2000 record: 8-4 (7-1). Coach: Gary Nord (2nd year, 8-4). Returning starters: 6 offense, 7 defense. Outlook: The last place you would expect to find UTEP was at the top of the standings. But Nord, who was virtually run out of town as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator three years ago, helped give the edge to the school near the border. The Miners lost the WAC's best tight end (Brian Natkin) and quarterback (Rocky Perez), but Nord insists Joey Knapp is a superior tight end and Wesley Phillips, the son former Buffalo Bills coach Wade Phillips and the grandson of former NFL coach Bum Phillips, has the tools to orchestrate the pro-set offense. New defensive coordinator Bob Wagner, a two-time WAC Coach of the Year at Hawaii, will call the plays of a 5-3 defense that relies on pressuring quarterbacks. Keep an eye on: Wide receiver Lee Mays, who was so proud of his WAC championship ring that he wore it during NCAA track meets. "It was a great accomplishment," Mays said. For a sprinter, Mays' journey to a title was relatively slow. The Miners did not have a winning season for more than a decade until last year. "To do what we did, I can't put it into words," Mays said. "I'm going to try hard to win again. We don't want to be Cinderella." Key game: In weather that could make the mercury turn blue, Boise State chilled UTEP to win the Humanitarian Bowl. The Miners' shot of redemption is Sept. 22, and Mother Nature should not be a factor. It's a good year if... The Miners, seeking national respect, can play well in non-conference games against Texas Tech and Alabama. Last year, the Miners were competitive against eventual national champion Oklahoma before imploding. But the Humanitarian Bowl loss was an emotional setback, and the recovery won't be easy if Phillips struggles. Stephen Tsai covers the WAC for the Honolulu Advertiser. |
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