UTEP head football coach Sean Kugler and his staff will make a few final decisions regarding the depth chart, as the Miners wrapped up the final scrimmage on Saturday morning before the Sept. 5 kickoff at Arkansas on ESPNU (1:30 p.m. MT).
The offense tallied 411 total yards and scored seven touchdowns, but the defense was no slouch as it made key plays to halt the offense during different scenarios.
The game scenarios included: move the ball drill, which started at the offense’s own 25-yard line, the red zone offense at the 20-yard line, gotta have it (a fourth-and-six from the 50-yard line), the two-minute drill from the offense’s own 35-yard line, backed up at own one-yard line and the four-minute drill (running the clock out with 2:20 to play).
Garrett Simpson led the Miners to their only score during the move-the-ball drill. Simpson was 4-for-5 for 42 yards and a 10-yard touchdown strike to Cole Freytag.
UTEP quarterbacks combined for 231 yards on 24-of-48 passing and three touchdowns with zero interceptions. Mack Leftwich threw for 71 yards (8-of-18), Ryan Metz was 4-of-11 for 46 yards, and Kavika Johnson went 8-of-14 for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson mostly ran the red zone offense as he found Jaquan White for a pair of 20-yard scores. White caught three passes for 58 yards. Warren Redix paced the squad with four receptions for 51 yards.
Former UTEP basketball player Cedrick Lang, now playing tight end in his fifth year, hauled in a 10-yard pass from Simpson. Freytag tallied 28 yards on two catches while Autrey Golden registered 38 yards on three receptions.
The Miners’ rushing attack combined for 180 yards on 37 carries and four touchdowns. T.K. Powell led the charge with 57 yards on eight carries, including a three-yard plunge into the end zone. Johnson added two scores on the ground, one for two yards and the second for five yards. Metz found the end zone on a 20-yard sprint during a red zone drill.
Jeremiah Laufasa scored the first rushing touchdown of the day on a two-yard rush and Treyvon Hughes tallied 40 yards on five carries.
On the defense, Kalon Beverly led the squad with nine tackles, while recovering a fumble he forced. Adrian Hynson tallied five stops; Jimmy Musgrave registered four tackles, while Kelvin Fisher Jr. added three tackles and a pass breakup. Brain Madunezim recorded the only sack of the morning. Roy Robertson-Harris got into the action with two tackles for loss and Cooper Foster tallied a tackle, quarterback hurry and a pass breakup.
UTEP will open the home portion of the schedule on Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. against Incarnate Word. For season tickets, call 915.747.6150.
Author: UTEP
