University of Texas at El Paso DigitalCommons@UTEP

The rP ospector Special Collections Department

10-2-2012 The rP ospector, October 2, 2012 UTEP Student Publications

Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.utep.edu/prospector Part of the Journalism Studies Commons, and the Mass Communication Commons Comments: This file is rather large, with many images, so it may take a few minutes to download. Please be patient.

Recommended Citation UTEP Student Publications, "The rP ospector, October 2, 2012" (2012). The Prospector. Paper 104. http://digitalcommons.utep.edu/prospector/104

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections Department at DigitalCommons@UTEP. It has been accepted for inclusion in The rP ospector by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UTEP. For more information, please contact [email protected].

PAGE 11

October 2, 2012 editor sports Daniel Ornelas, 747-7445 Football Pirates raid the Miners UTEP loses 28-18 to East Carolina in C-USA opener, fall to 1-4 By EDwin DElGADO with the score at 10-7. at put a stop rushing defense and they played bet- to ECU’s potential scoring drive. The Prospector ter in the secondary. We let a couple Aer the 80-minute delay, Carden’s balls go high and they made plays on Lack of execution, a sloppy second pass attempt on the rst play back, them but they could have batted them half and turnovers doomed the Min- was intercepted in the end zone by down or even recovered them too or ers in their Conference USA debut freshman safety Shan Huhn. intercepted so give them credit.” against East Carolina, as the Pirates Huhn was starting in place of the edged UTEP 28-18 in a game that injured senior Richard Spencer. Freshman running back Autrey was delayed for over an hour due to “at’s tough, you get psyched and Golden returned the ensuing kicko weather on Sept. 29 in Greenville mentally prepared and then we have 96 yards for the touchdown and La- N.C. to come back out for just about 10 maison connected with Leslie for the “I’m really proud of all of our guys. minutes,” McNeill said. “at’s why 2-point conversion to put the game I’m so proud of my guys. We started We talked about playing on all three 28-18 with 4:39 le in the game. sides of the ball,” ECU o really sluggish, but we ended up putting together some things and I e Miners recovered the onside Ru n McNeill said. “ere were kick in an attempt for a comeback, some positive things, there were some was really proud of the way it turned but Lamaison was intercepted for a negative things, but it was a win. And out .” it was a big win—a conference win. e Miners failed to convert the third time in the quarter, enabling turnover into points, going three- All wins are hard and that was a test East Carolina to seal the 28-18 win. and-out following the interception. of the team. UTEP played tough com- Lamaison, who had played 19 full With 12 seconds le in the half, petition and we know we took our quarters without throwing an inter- Carden found sophomore wide re- best shot.” ception, accounted for four turnovers ceiver Justin Hardy in the edge of the On their second drive of the game, end zone for a 3-yard touchdown pass against ECU. UTEP started from their own 2-yard to give the Pirates a 14-10 halime With the win, East Carolina is now line, but the Miners still managed to lead. 4-2 (2-0 in C-USA), and the Miners drive the ball 98 yards on 12 plays e Pirates then scored 14 unan- dropped to 1-4 (0-1 in C-USA). e capping it o with a touchdown pass swered points to begin the second UTEP Miners will be back in El Paso from senior Nick Lamai- half. e last touchdown, coming o to face SMU in their last meeting as son to junior wide receiver Jordan a Lamaison interception, placed ECU conference rivals Oct. 6 at the Sun Leslie for the 7-0 rst-quarter lead. in good eld position and allowed ju- Bowl. e Pirates had a quick response. nior running back Vintavious Cooper Sophomore quarterback Shane to score on a 24-yard run for a 28-10 “I feel good about this whole team,” Carden called his own number and fourth-quarter lead. Price said. “Character wise, desire, ran six yards for the touchdown to tie “We certainly are not in our rhythm commitment, toughness, they played the game at seven with 1:26 le in the and I don’t know why that is, but we hard the whole way and both teams rst quarter. are certainty going to evaluate it. It showed the warrior spirit there is no JUSTIN STENE / The Prospector Aer a UTEP eld goal, the Pi- has to do with whom we are play- question about that. I will say the Head coach Mike Price is in his ninth season at UTEP and currently holds a 46-56 rates responded by driving the ball to ing,” UTEP head coach Mike Price same thing about their team.” record with the Miners. Price’s team is still looking for its first conference win after UTEP’s 6-yard line, but the game had said. “ey are pretty good and I falling to East Carolina 28-18 on Sept. 29 in Greenville, N.C. to be delayed due to a thunderstorm mean they rank in the top three in Edwin Delgado may be reached at [email protected]. Home-grown talent coaches physical group By EDwin DElGADO les Harbor College, and led them to a Central West Conference champion- The Prospector ship in 2010, just before transferring Robert Rodriguez, former Miner to UTEP. linebacker and El Paso native, is en- “e coaches brought me in, they tering his third season as the line- want to make it a winning tradition backers coach, tutoring players at the out here, I also came because the position he once played and for which players are like brothers. I am a family he earned Western Athletic Confer- man and I wanted to come and estab- ence defensive player of the year hon- lish a new family and I think I have,” ors in 2004. Ropati said. “It has been an extreme “He takes a lot of pride in coming honor and pleasure to work with from UTEP,” senior linebacker Josh coach Rodriguez, he made me into Fely said. “at’s why he takes this job a better player, better person. It has so seriously and that makes us better been fun working with him.” not as individuals but as linebackers For senior middle linebacker Jamie t o o.” Irving, El Paso felt like home, the at- Fely transferred to UTEP from San mosphere is similar to the one in his Diego Mesa College aer two sea- hometown in Riverside, Calif. Aer sons. He led his team in tackles on having a stellar 2010 campaign, he both years and earned All-State hon- was redshirted in 2011 due to a shoul- ors in 2009. der injury, but said he’s determined to “e coaches, the players, the whole make the best of his h year with the atmosphere welcomed me with open Miners. He said he feels honored to arms,” Fely said. “e facilities and all work with his team and coaches. that was a plus, (head) coach (Mike) “He (Rodriguez) wants the best out Price and (defensive coordinator) of you,” Irving said. “He doesn’t care Patterson sold it to me and my fam- whether you can do it or not, he wants ily, in the end it was an easy decision.” your full eort every play, every time Junior linebacker A.J. Ropati who you do anything.” DANIEL ORNELAS / The Prospector was redshirted for the 2011 season, Linebackers coach Robert Rodriguez tutors one of his players during preseason drills at Camp Socorro. started his college career at Los Ange- see COACHES on page 12