UTEP has put one of its more unusual springs in the books, carrying over two practices after the spring game with a roster that included a new quarterback, 31 other newcomers and a rebuilt coaching staff with four new coordinators.
The Miners had a lot to do over 15 practices, including breaking in an almost entirely new offense, as players (especially receivers and tight ends) who will be fall regulars were rehabbing injuries from last fall.
Mostly what spring did was throw down a marker on what needs grooming in the next four and a half months as UTEP angles toward its Sept. 5 opener against Oklahoma. Most of the questions they had going into spring will be questions in the fall and the point of spring was to start work on them.
“It’s the most physical spring we’ve had, the hardest working spring we’ve had since I’ve been here,” coach Scotty Walden said after his third one of these.
Here were the five questions heading into spring and how they are resolving.
Is EJ Colson the man at quarterback?
UTEP is going to be significantly better at quarterback with EJ Colson under center. His arm is better and more accurate than Malachi Nelson last year, his mobility and running ability at least matches Skyler Locklear from 2025.
His teammates have raved about his leadership. Colson was brought in to avoid throwing the ball to the wrong team (UTEP led the NCAA in that last year) and while he did throw an interception in the spring game, UTEP coach Scotty Walden said afterward that was just his second interception of the spring (UTEP closes its team portion of practices to the media).
UTEP also is settled at the position and won’t be dragging a competition into the fall. The Miners know Colson is their starter for now.
Expectations shouldn’t get overblown. Colson, like almost all quarterbacks, will have trouble being much better than the offensive line in front of him (more on that later), but he should be a solid starter in the new-look Mountain West. Being solid at quarterback, while avoiding interceptions, will represent a major step forward.
“I feel like as a team we’re trending the right direction, understanding everything the coaches want: good execution and preparation,” Colson said. “It was a great stepping point, we’ve got to take another step this summer and continue to grow into the fall with camp.”
How different is UTEP with new coordinators?
The answer here is that UTEP changes coordinators (every year now under Walden) without changing its systems, which are built around personnel recruited to play in these systems, so the Miners are pretty much the same in terms of Xs and Os.
The defense does look more like a true 3-3 under “new” defensive coordinator Kyle Beyer (this is his third year on the staff) but looks to be as good as it was last year.
The offense will always be Walden’s, and without a number of top pass catchers rehabbing injuries, it looked ground-and-pound in the spring game: Run, run, throw on third and long.
One thing that looks different on both sides of the ball this year is Shay Smith. The third-team quarterback last year, he has made a move to linebacker look seamless. He was a star in the spring game.
The last time a UTEP quarterback moved to linebacker was a decade ago with Jeremy Springer, who went on to be come a captain and is now the special teams coordinator for the AFC Champion New England Patriots, so there’s precedent.
“I felt reborn,” Smith said of his move. “That’s the best feeling in the world, it’s the best feeling. I get chills in my body. Obviously I still have a lot of work to do, a lot of improving.”
What is the biggest offensive area to fix?
This question was asked to point out how much better UTEP needs to get on the offensive line for all their changes and additions at quarterback, running back, receiver and tight end to matter.
This question will move to the top of the list in the fall, when UTEP reportedly is going to pick up two big, as of yet unannounced additions. They will be needed, as the Miners have much work to do.
Generally speaking defenses should be ahead of offenses in the spring, particularly one looking at five new starters across its front, and that sure showed in the spring game when holes were hard to come by and quarterbacks were scrambling away from pressure.
As UTEP finished spring, its line was, from left to right: 273-pound junior left tackle Jaymon Lamb, who is seeing his first collegiate action as a starter; redshirt freshman Preston Perkins; center Jayden Trapp, a transfer from Division II Texas A&M-Kingsville at a position where UTEP is reportedly looking to add, though Colson called Trapp the linchpin of the o-line; Livingston College transfer Omoruyi Aliu-Otokiti; and redshirt freshman Tyler Roberts.
Walden pointed to the line when he asked where his team made the biggest strides this spring.
“Offensive line, coming off the ball,” he said. “We’re coming off the ball vertically, we’re getting good movement up there.”
Roberts looks the part at 6-foot-8 and he and Walden both talked about how the offensive line had its moments in the spring. It could be new-look again in the fall and will need to have many more moments.
Circle this as the key to the entire 2026 season.
What’s UTEP doing at the kicker and punter positions?
This is all good. Kicker Cade Hechter and punter Brady Braun looked good this spring. Carlos Arreola was solid on kickoffs. This question can be considered answered unless something goes sideways.
What are the injuries and what does that do to the spring game?
UTEP did not have any significant injuries in the spring, which is unequivocally the best news of the 15 practices. As for all the injuries the Miners were dealing with going in, the players who were held out of contact but are expected to be full goes for fall camp looked good over with the strength and conditioning staff and had everyone excited about their prospects.
That included receiver Cam Thomas, receiver Jaden Smith, tight end Cash Cheeks, tight end Judah Ezinwa, safety Chase Biddel, safety Allen Gant and safety Xavier Smith, all of whom should be 100% by summer workouts. Every one of those can be a difference maker.
Moving forward, the No. 1 question in fall for the Miners will be the offensive line, then how much better they will be with four significant pass catchers returning to health. Between now and Aug. 6 when UTEP assembles for fall camp the work will continue with summer ball and more offseason conditioning.
UTEP now has a better idea of what exactly that work will be after a productive spring, and it will start on the offensive line.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: How did UTEP Miners’ football team do answering 5 spring questions?
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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