PREVIEW | LA Tech vs UTEP
Resuming conference play, Louisiana Tech (2-3) travels to El Paso to face UTEP (1-4) and earn their first road win since December 2020.
Game Time | Friday @ 8 PM
TV/Radio | CBS Sports Network/KXKZ 107.5 FM
Louisiana Tech HC | Sonny Cumbie (5-12 overall record in 2nd season)
Louisiana Tech OC | Jake Brown & Scott Parr (27.6 points per game in 2nd season)
Louisiana Tech DC | Scott Power (28.8 points allowed per game in 2nd season)
Texas El-Paso HC | Dana Dimel (18-44 overall record in 6th season at UTEP)
Texas El-Paso OC | Scott Ohara (17.4 points per game in 1st season as OC, 6th overall at UTEP)
Texas El-Paso DC | Bradley Dale Peveto (29.0 points allowed per game in 3rd season)
Bulldogs Projected Starters
*Offense
QB | RS Sophomore #10 Jack Turner (6’5 230/72.4 PFF Grade) or RS Senior #19 Hank Bachmeier (6’1 221/72.3 PFF Grade)
RB | RS Junior #4 Tyre Shelton (5’11 190/85.0 PFF Grade)
RB | Freshman #32 Jacob Fields (5’11 184/75.4 PFF Grade)
WR | RS Junior #9 Kyle Maxwell (6’3 200/69.5 PFF Grade)
WR | RS Senior #6 Smoke Harris (5’7 183/75.3 PFF Grade)
WR | Sophomore #1 Cyrus Allen (6’0 177/72.5 PFF Grade) TE | RS Senior #34 Ryan Rivera (6’3 234/55.8 PFF Grade)
LT | Junior #68 Dakota White (6’4 305/54.2 PFF Grade0
LG | Junior #79 Bert Hale (6’5 331/65.0 PFF Grade)
C | Graduate Student #62 Abe Delphin (6’1 310/49.8 PFF Grade)
RG | Junior #75 Jerren Gilbert (6’3 295/62.9 PFF Grade)
RT | RS Sophomore #65 Carson Bruno (6’4 312/56.7 PFF Grade)
*Defense
LDE | RS Sophomore #20 J’Dan Burnett (6’1 246/81.8 PFF Grade)
DT | Senior #93 Rason Williams II (6’4 280/56.2 PFF Grade)
DT | Senior #5 Deshon Hall Jr. (6’3 264/68.9 PFF Grade)
RDE | RS Junior #88 Mykol Clark (6’4 260/64.7 PFF Grade)
MLB | RS Senior #6 Brevin Randle (6’0 232/51.9 PFF Grade)
MLB | RS Senior #3 Jeslord Boateng (6’2 228/62.9 PFF Grade)
NK | Freshman #13 Michael Richard (5’11 180/74.1 PFF Grade) CB | Senior #1 Willie Roberts (5’11 190/77.9 PFF Grade)
FS | RS Senior #2 Cecil Singleton Jr. (6’2 210/63.3 PFF Grade)
SS | RS Senior #0 Myles Heard (5’11 201/57.3 PFF Grade)
CB | RS Junior #11 Cedric Woods (5’11 184/68.8 PFF Grade)
*Special Teams
K | RS Junior #35 Jacob Barnes (5’9 183/72.7 PFF Grade)
P | RS Senior #31 Blake Ochsendorf (6’6 220/69.2 PFF Grade)
KR | Sophomore #1 Cyrus Allen (6’0 177/74.3 PFF Grade)
PR | RS Senior #6 Smoke Harris (5’7 183/54.5 PFF Grade)
Miners Projected Starters
*Offense
QB | RS Senior #2 Gavin Hardison (6’3 215/75.0 PFF Grade) --<NMMI
RB | RS Sophomore #5 Torrance Burgess Jr. (5’6 175/77.3 PFF Grade) --<Tyler JC
RB | RS Junior #3 Deion Hankins (6’0 226/71.7 PFF Grade) --<
FB | RS Junior #43 Julian Lopez (6’1 246/43.6 PFF Grade)
WR | RS Junior #4 Kelly Akharaiyi (6’1 194/68.4 PFF Grade) --<Tyler JC
WR | Junior #7 Marcus Bellon (5’9 180/61.0 PFF Grade) --<Santa Barbara CC
WR | RS Sophomore #0 Jeremiah Ballard (6’3 205/64.3 PFF Grade)
TE | RS Senior #87 Zach Fryar (6’1 240/44.6 PFF Grade) --<NMMI
LT | RS Senior #68 Zuri Henry (6’6 293/63.7 PFF Grade)
LG | RS Junior #66 Justin Mayers (6’3 309/73.4 PFF Grade)
C | RS Senior #75 Justin Meyer (6’3 302/75.1 PFF Grade)
RG | RS Senior #79 Elijah Klein (6’4 319/82.9 PFF Grade)
RT | RS Sophomore #78 Aluma Nkele (6’6 355/54.8 PFF Grade) --<Long Beach City College
*Defense
LDE | RS Senior #23 Praise Amaewhule (6’3 250/70.1 PFF Grade)
DT | RS Senior #54 Keenan Stewart (6’1 294/79.8 PFF Grade) --<Iowa Western CC
DT | Junior #99 Sione Tonga’uiha (6’0 295/60.3 PFF Grade)
RDE | Junior #0 Maurice Westmoreland (6’2 235/72.8 PFF Grade) --<Kilgore College
MLB | RS Senior #10 Tyrice Knight (6’2 235/76.2 PFF Grade) --<Independence CC
WLB | RS Junior #5 James Neal (6’0 223/55.2 PFF Grade) --<Tyler JC
NK | Junior #22 Josiah Allen (5’10 179/55.5 PFF Grade) --<Sacramento City College
CB | Junior #1 AJ Odums (5’11 175/54.0 PFF Grade) --<New Mexico
FS | Junior #2 Kobe Hylton (6’0 205/75.1 PFF Grade) --<UL-Lafayette
SS | RS Sophomore #16 Tyler Wiliams (6’0 195/61.1 PFF Grade)
CB | RS Junior #8 Torey Richardson (6’0 183/63.2 PFF Grade) --<Blinn JC
*Special Teams
K | RS Freshman #36 Buzz Flabiano (6’0 175/58.7 PFF Grade)
P | Junior #13 Joshua Sloan (6’2 189/79.9 PFF Grade) --<ProKick Australia
KR | RS Sophomore #5 Torrence Burgess Jr. (5’6 175/56.7 PFF Grade)
PR | Junior #7 Marcus Bellon (5’9 180/61.0 PFF Grade)
Scouting the Bulldogs
All signs have indicated that Jack Turner will make his second career start this week in El Paso after his impressive debut in Lincoln. Bachmeier is still recovering from injury but will likely serve as the backup quarterback this week. Big pieces are expected to return at running back in Tyre Shelton and possibly last year’s leading rusher Marquis Crosby, who has yet to make his 2023 debut. At receiver, Kyle Maxwell and Koby Duru will travel with the team, but will probably play in a limited role.
Despite being 2-3, the Bulldogs still have everything to play for in the 2023 season. From the early part of the season, Liberty looks like the favorite to win CUSA, but there are no excuses for Tech to not be in the thick of the championship game race in November. Defensively, J’Dan Burnett remains out, and transfers Jayden Gray and Ezekiel Durham-Campbell will continue to fill his role. With Cedric Woods banged up, Keyshawn Paul will start and add much-needed physicality to the secondary.
I expect to see continued aggressiveness from the offense, heavily leaning on stars Smoke Harris and Cyrus Allen to carry the load. With Tech getting some key running backs to play this week, the Bulldogs should be able to maintain a more balanced attack versus the Miners. Brevin Randle and Jeslord Boateng as well as the Bulldogs’ defensive line will be crucial this week, as UTEP is a run-heavy team that likes to rotate fullbacks and double tight end sets.
Scouting the Miners
The reeling Miners enter this game with a 1-4 record, with the only win being over Incarnate Word and losses to Jacksonville State, Northwestern, Arizona, and UNLV. UTEP’s goal of running the ball all over teams has not exactly worked so far this season, but 5’6 running back Torrance Burgess Jr. has emerged in the backfield alongside power runner Deion Hankins. Senior quarterback Gavin Hardison has not exactly lived up to preseason expectations, completing just 56.6% of his passes, throwing 5 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.
UTEP’s offensive line remains the strength of their team, as four out of the five starters on the line have a PFF grade of 70.0 or higher, with guard Elijah Klein having the highest grade at 80.4. At receiver, outside playmakers Kelly Akharaiyi and Jeremiah Ballard lead the team in receiving with 253 and 207 yards respectively. Fullback Julian Lopez sees significant playing time mostly as a blocker but also will catch passes occasionally. 6’1 tight end Zach Fryar has 1 receiving touchdown and also lines up at the h-back position as well.
Defensively, Tyrice Knight is the clear standout for the Miners. Knight has a team-high 66 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 pass deflection, and 1 fumble recovery. On the line, defensive tackle Keenan Stewart has earned the highest PFF Grade at 81.1. Allowing 29.0 points per game, the Miners' defense has progressively regressed, highlighted by allowing UNLV to score 45 points a week ago.
Special Teams Duel
K Jacob Barnes (LA Tech): 14/14 on extra points, 7/9 on field goals, long of 46
P Blake Ochsendorf (LA Tech): 23 punts, 42.1 yards per punt, long of 57
K Buzz Flabiano (UTEP): 12/12 on extra points, 1/3 on field goals, long of 25
P Joshua Sloan (UTEP); 22 punts, 42.0 yards per punt, long of 57
Matchups to Watch
1) Deshon Hall vs. Elijah Klein
2) Tyre Shelton vs. Tyrice Knight
3) Jeslord Boateng vs Torrance Burgess
4) Keyshawn Paul vs. Kelly Akharaiyi
5) Smoke Harris vs. Josiah Allen
Prediction
I expect this game to be far from the prettiest, due to the Miners’ ball-control offense. It will be interesting to see if Turner can play back-to-back good games as the starting quarterback now that the opposition has more film on him. With Shelton and possibly Crosby back, I expect the Bulldogs offense to do just enough to outscore a lackluster UTEP offense.
Final Score: Bulldogs 26. Miners 21.
ESPN FPI
Louisiana Tech #114
Texas-El Paso #125
University Comparison
Louisiana Tech | Location: Ruston, Louisiana | Conference: CUSA | Enrollment:11,037
Texas-El Paso | Location: El Paso, Texas | Conference: CUSA | Enrollment:29,652
Stadium History
Sun Bowl
Opened in 1963
Capacity of 45,971
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