UTEP Football 2024: Setting Expectations and Goals

In less than two months, the UTEP football team will kick off its 2024 season. Optimism is sky high under new head coach Scotty Walden, who delivered the top overall recruiting class in Conference USA. Earlier this week, my 600 ESPN El Paso colleague Adrian Broaddus asked fans what they expect from the Miners football team this upcoming season.

Of the 20 initial responses that he received, the total number of wins ranked from four all the way to nine. As someone who picked UTEP to win nine games in 2023, I will not make that same mistake again this season. In fact, I think the team's win total will be much closer to four than it will qualifying for a bowl game. And I am perfectly okay with that, and here is why.

First off, their schedule will not be easy no matter what the experts have to say. UTEP plays only five home games this season, while they have seven road contests, including a pair of Power 4 heavyweights in Nebraska and Tennessee. Even though the Huskers and Volunteers are not expected to finish near the top of their respective divisions, they will still be a handful for Coach Walden's new-look Miners. Even their first home game will be a test, when FCS opponent Southern Utah comes to the Sun Bowl. Last season, Austin Peay was able to defeat the Thunderbirds 48-45 in a shootout. That game will not be easy as fans might expect it to be. It will, however, be a terrific indicator as to what we can expect from the Miners in 2024.

The UTEP roster is completely overhauled and about only a handful of starters are returning from the Dana Dimel era. The Miners staff was aggressive in the transfer portal, and they will have plenty of newcomers when the season starts on August 31st. It could take a while for everyone to get comfortable in their new system. They are also a smaller team than in prior years, especially on the line. It will be interesting to see how they will hold up when they start conference play.

I am still expecting a fun season with lots of excitement on both sides of the football. In fact, I have been on the record for years begging for an high tempo offense. Scotty Walden will bring that and hopefully much more to his UTEP Miners. I do believe that the football program needed a young coaching staff on the rise and I am optimistic that this group will inject some life into the UTREP fan base. However, I am not ready to predict six or more wins and a trip to a postseason bowl game in year one. Rather, all I want to see is an entertaining brand of football that is highly competitive each week. If that happens, then UTEP is headed in the right direction and fans can finally get excited about the future of Miner football.