UTEP Is Embarrassed And Shutout 17-0 By SMU

The last time the Miners were shutout at home was in 2003 when they lost 34-0 to San Diego State.  Nearly a decade later SMU accomplished the same feat by defeating UTEP 17-0 at the Sun Bowl.  It has been the same old song for UTEP all season long, they played a solid game defensively, but continue to have no offensive rhythm at all.

As for Coach Price, being shutout is not something that he is used to, it was only the second time in his coaching career that this has occurred.  The last time he was shutout was in 1984 while he was the head coach at Weber State. His squad lost 48-0 to Montana State.  SMU has a good defense, and proved it by shutting out the Miners.  Recently the Mustangs held #14 TCU to just 24 points.

The Miners were flat all night long, anytime they started to establish any offensive consistency, they found some way to remain scoreless.  Coach Price decided to flip flop quarterbacks Nick Lamaison and Carson Meger, which was rather ineffective as well.  It is sad to say, but this team seems to have little motivation.  It is as though Coach Price knows that this is his final season with the Miners and perhaps his lack of concern is rubbing off on his players too.

In the past Coach Price seemed to have things in order, and even though times have been tough these past few years, it seemed like he was still in good spirits.  After last night, Price had no answer as to why his team's offense performed so horribly, nor could he explain why his play calling was so mediocre as well.

Following the loss Coach Price was dissapointed with his team's performance, he mentioned

UTEP running back Nathan Jeffery, who had 70 yards rushing during the contest had this to say when he was asked about the Miner's lack of offense,

The common consensus was that the Miners' difficult non conference schedule would help them do well in C-USA play.  So much for that idea, UTEP has played dismal in both of their conference games thus far.

It won't get any easier for UTEP as they travel to Tulsa, who is 5-1 next Thursday.  The Miners must  find a way to play a more evenly balanced game, and most of all score points if they want to win another game this season.