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Q&A with MinerRush.com

Aaron Jones looking for running room against Southern Miss last week. (USA Today Sports Images)

MinerRush.com's Alex Nicolas answered a few questions for us ahead of tomorrow's showdown in Ruston between Louisiana Tech and UTEP in Tech's annual Red Out game.

[RELATED: FILM STUDY: UTEP]

1. Who do you think the quarterback will be tomorrow for the Miners in Ruston?

I have this hunch that it will be Zack Greenlee, but I feel he will have a quick hook because for 1) he's not fully healthy, and 2) he's struggled mightily due to those injuries (slightly torn MCL, separated shoulder, broken finger).

Normally, Sean Kugler doesn't have a quick hook with his QB's, but UTEP is looking for any sort of boost offensively, and I think Ryan Metz can bring it as he's UTEP best pure pocket passer and he can also move around the pocket when pass-pro breaks down.

If I'm betting on UTEP's starter though, I'm all in on Greenlee.

2. With this 3-4 defense of the Miners, they very well may drop 8 in coverage. If they drop 8 with Tech's veteran offensive line and a veteran running back in Jarred Craft, what does this mean for Tech's rushing offense against UTEP's rush defense?

UTEP has done a good job of mixing in those type of coverage's with run blitzes and solid run fits, and their linebackers have done a good job of coming up to help around the line of scrimmage. Getting Alvin Jones back will also help. Middle linebacker Dante Lovilette and outside linebacker Nick Usher have been UTEP's main run stoppers inside the second level.

UTEP's defensive line is very green, and up until last week were pretty much not existent. Keep an eye on defensive ends Mike Sota, and Gene Hopkins, both are young but have shown flashes of strength in fighting off blocks and stopping the run. Tom Mason really relies on his front three to stop the run, and they have improved over the past two weeks and they are really high on Hopkins and Sota after strong performances the past couple of weeks in stopping the run.

3. UTEP's offense, or Aaron Jones, is multi-talented. Does UTEP prefer any one thing with him - whether it be running between the tackles or outside or throwing it to him out of the backfield? Or, since he's the entire offense it seems, do they do all of the above?

Yeah pretty much all of the above as simple as that sounds.

Sean Kugler has been known for conservative offense, but this year UTEP has been uber conservative with elementary single back, double tight end or unbalanced formations and simple dives between the tackles on early downs which parlays into their poor rushing success rate which ranks 115th nationally.

The most interesting aspect is UTEP hasn't used a fullback as much as they have in the past, which could explain the Miners inefficient running game. Aaron Jones told me after the Texas game he feels the running game is better with a fullback, but I've seen nothing but one back sets since that game.

It seems UTEP prefers Aaron Jones hitting home runs, because that's been UTEP's lone source of offense as you can pretty much pencil in Jones for a long touchdown run in each game.

4. Is Sean Kugler on the hot seat? Why or why not?

For some fans, most definitely, but as we've learned over the past couple of years AD Bob Stull won't put one of his former players, or close friends (Tim Floyd) on any sort of hot seat.

I believe it's warranted since UTEP's passing game has regressed on an weekly basis the past season and quarter, and also UTEP has been on the wrong end of some ugly blown outs in his tenure. But the big red flag is he still hasn't beat a team that finished the regular season with a winning record.

Now to Kugler's credit, the academic, culture, and discipline aspects are sky high, but the on-field the product has been subpar over the past two years.

He had a chance to reel in an extra 17,000 fans or so when the Miners hosted Army, but his chance to raise his approval rating took a major hit with that massacre of a game.

5. The more I look at this match up the more I think Tech tries to run the ball on the Miners to open up the pass. Given that, the score could be lower than some may expect. How do you see it playing out?

It's possible, but the Miners continued lack of offense as a far as just sustaining a drive with a few first downs has been a factor on the scoreboard the past few weeks.

UTEP's defense is legitimately above average and respectable and will keep them in the game early on even against that explosive Tech offense, but it's up the UTEP offense to put up points and actually make it a ball game and not another laugher.

That being said, I'm still not conceived they can turn that corner with the uncertainty at quarterback.

LA Tech 41, UTEP 14

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