miners

The Cats are still on the prowl for perfection.

Third-ranked and undefeated Arizona came to El Paso and beat the UTEP Miners, 60-55, in front of UTEP's first sellout crowd in four seasons Friday night. Watch head coach Tim Floyd talk about the loss in his post-game press conference.

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There are plays that change seasons and even programs, but rarely has one play challenged the mindset of an entire fan base. Until Saturday night in the Sun Bowl.

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It took just 16 carries for El Paso native Aaron Jones to earn 177 yards, becoming the first Miners RB to break 1,000 yards in a season since Donald Buckram in 2009.

More significantly, it took Sean Kugler just 22 games to get his alma mater bowl-eligible for the first time since 2010.

The highlights from FOX Sports' national telecast tell the story. 

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UTEP's offense may have reflected the change in the local weather. Ice cold.

The Miners' defense, on the other hand, was too long, too tall, too Vince Hunter-y.

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Two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns. Crunching tackles. Pressure defense.

UTEP.

Yeah, you're reading that correctly. UTEP. The school that used to play matador defense is now fastening that red cape around its collar. 

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Slowly, but surely, Sean Kugler has been trying to teach his team. Toughness. Pride. Teamwork.

But maybe the biggest lesson is that those are only words unless you work to give them definition.

The Miners may not yet fully comprehend, but after dominating UTSA for their first road shut out since their coach played here, you can safely say they've cracked open the dictionary to find out.

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Sean Kugler was as good as his word. After getting thrashed, 55-3, at Louisiana Tech, the Miners head coach promised changes in lineups and procedures. There were, and UTEP beat Old Dominion in its centennial homecoming game, 42-35.

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What Louisiana Tech did to the UTEP Miners Saturday looked worse than what Kansas State did the weekend before. "Blowout" doesn't begin to describe it. Miners head coach Sean Kugler acknowledges every aspect of the Bulldogs' 55-3 win. He also acknowledges that responsibility lies mainly with him. 

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The list of things Sean Kugler believes his team is doing well is lengthy, and he has the stats to back it up. But good stats are just symptoms of something else he hopes his Miners are catching -- something Kugler knows UTEP's opponent Saturday caught a long time ago.

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UTEP head coach Sean Kugler made no bones about it when he returned to his alma mater -- his Miners would put it all on the line. As in the offensive and defensive line.

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