Football season begins

The UTEP football team opens its 93rd season at home Sept. 4 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. While UTEP hasn't won a home opener since 2007, they are 3-3 in season openers during the coach Mike Price era.

The Miners come off a 2009 season in which they were 4-8 overall and 3-5 in Conference USA.

UTEP has never faced the Golden Lions before. The Miners who play in the Football Bowl Subdivision don't have to look too far to know that playing a team in a lower division can still be a challenge.

"New Mexico State beat us a couple of years ago and beat Pine Bluff by only three points so I'm the most concerned with us," said Price. "I want to see us play to our best against every team and play the best we can every time we come out. Its just different colored uniforms, it doesn't matter if its Pine Bluff or Fayetteville (University of Arkansas) you have to play the best you can."

Trevor Vittatoe is one returning starter who brings his extensive experience, heading the offense at quarterback, into his senior season. Vittatoe has 36 career starts the most of any UTEP offensive player. This season he should easily surpass Jordan Palmer as the school's all-time passer and set the record for career passing touchdowns.

"We're looking to win this first game and get our season going in the right way and give us some momentum going in to the next game," Vittatoe said. "I don't let personal records affect me mentally, I have to do what I can to put my team in the position to win."

Much of that experience also comes from the Miner offensive line. Eloy Atkinson, Tanner Cullumber, Roy Huntley, Anthony McNac, Will Osolinsky and Alex Solot are all returning offensive linemen who made appearances as starters last season. They hope to improve on a 2009 season in which they gave up 25 sacks for 191 yards to opposing defenses.

"We worked hard all spring and summer, so I think you will see a lot of improvement on the line," said senior guard Huntley. "The first game will set the tempo for the whole season."

Vittatoe is confident that the men protecting him this year will give the Miners what they need to get over that hump.

"The offensive line is a strong unit now, they have a strong bond with each other and they give me a lot of confidence that they are going to be able to protect for a while," said Vittatoe. "But I don't feel I was rushed a lot last season I just wasn't making the right decisions and I feel like we're more consistent now."

Vittatoe also hopes that last year's breakout performance by senior running back Donald Buckram will lead to a more balanced offense, while at the same time opening up the passing game even more.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff will be facing a Division I opponent for the first time since the 20-17 loss to NMSU in 2007. Last season the Golden Lions were 3-4 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, posting a 5-5 record overall. UAPB's top returning player this season is quarterback Josh Boudreaux who passed for 974 yards and nine touchdowns in the ‘09 season.

UTEP's new defensive coordinator Andre Patterson hopes to use his extensive professional and collegiate experience to stop Boudreaux and the UAPB offense. This season the Miners will switch from a 3-5-5 defensive scheme to mainly using a 4-3 defensive front.

"It's a little bit easier (getting players to buy in) when I can throw on pro tape and they can watch those guys execute this defense," said Patterson. "I can show them examples of playing this defense and executing it correctly and I think that's helped the players grow faster."

Patterson, who has coached under Price before at both Weber State and Washington State, also brings with him 10 years of coaching experience at the professional level. He believes he has the players this year at UTEP to make a significant improvement.

"The talent level and the make up of the team is made for (the 4-3)," Patterson said. "I'm blessed to have the people that I think can execute it. I have five defensive ends that are fast enough and strong enough to give us some heat coming around the edge."

Fans will get their first look at the 2010 UTEP football team when they kickoff against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 7:05 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Sun Bowl. Admission for students is free; tickets are available through the UTEP Ticket Center, located next to the Don Haskins Special Events Center.

David Acosta can be reached at prospector@utep.edu.