As the UTEP football team heads off to play its final-ever Conference USA game at Delaware to close a disappointing season, coach Scotty Walden insists that despite the 2-9 record, a year after a 3-9 season, his “program has gotten better.”
They have certainly gotten closer to winning a game the last four weeks, as the Miners trailed those four games by a combined three points going into the fourth quarter, including going to the fourth quarter tied 21-21 against New Mexico State last week. That marked the third consecutive game where UTEP was tied after three quarters.
As a result, UTEP is looking to break a four-game losing streak.
UTEP coach Scotty Walden: Close to a breakthrough
“That’s the hardest thing for the fans to understand, and I totally empathize with that, this program has gotten better in the course of the year, no question,” Walden said. “Fans are going to look at the bottom line, the win-loss record. Is this where we want to be? Absolutely not.
“I don’t think, I know, we are closer than we ever have been before for breaking through. We’re going to grow, we’re going to evolve, we’re going to get better.”
One thing Walden pointed to was the program-wide emphasis against New Mexico State of getting off to a faster start, and UTEP won the first quarter 21-0. That marked the first first quarter the Miners have won against FBS competition this year.
The next point of emphasis becomes rather obvious.
UTEP’s focus vs. Delaware: Winning a close game
“Winning a close ball game,” Walden said. “We know it’s going to be a battle (against Delaware). The average deficit we’ve faced this season going into the fourth quarter this year is 4.8 points. We have been in so many close games.
“Our focus this week, zone out external factors, don’t worry about anything else and let’s get better at finishing games when we have leads. Overcoming the fear of failure, overcoming thinking about what can go wrong instead of what can go right, focus on the job and finishing a game.
“What would be the perfect way to go into the offseason? That would be the perfect way to go into the offseason. Finish in that tight bowl game and accomplish something we haven’t accomplished this year.”
Then Walden added this: “After the Missouri State game I’d give my left arm for a fast start. We had a fast start. Now I’d give my left arm to win a tight ball game in the fourth quarter. It comes down to focus and execution.”
Win would be big for young players
Getting some momentum going into the postseason is big because of how young UTEP is. Walden’s two recruiting classes have been the two highest-rated classes in program history and those players are starting to play. Now they need some success.
“For the young guys, we looked at it, out of the freshman class we signed last year, 70% of those guys are playing,” Walden said. “If you add the redshirt freshmen into that, 70% of those classes are playing.
“Right now, 40-50% of our team is redshirt freshman and freshmen who are playing. Winning that game will give those guys a ton of confidence as they head into the offseason.”
Scouting Delaware
UTEP will have to do that as a 4 1/2-point underdog against a 5-6 Delaware team that has had some modest success in its first season.
“They are an explosive, explosive group,” Walden said. “They are full of trick plays, explosives, they do a great job calling the plays. They’ve got two Go Daddy receivers that we’re going to make sure we know where they’re at. Their quarterback (Nick Minicucci) is leading the league in passing, they average more than 300 yards per game throwing the football (301.4, tops in Conference USA), they throw it 70% of the time.
“They’re pushing the ball downfield.”
Defensively, “they do a great job mixing up the front,” Walden added. “They are as diverse as anybody we’ve played. Snap to snap, it’s hard to tell where they’re at. In the kicking game they have to of the most explosive return guys that we’ve seen all season long.”
That adds up to another tall test for a UTEP football team that wants to close the season on a high note.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP coach Scotty Walden sees improvement as Delaware looms
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
