The UTEP football team began this season with some of the highest expectations in its recent history.
The Miners began it with an impressive victory over New Mexico State, had a historic five-overtime victory over a good UTSA team at the midpoint and ended it with a convincing 52-24 blowout over bowl-bound North Texas.
Those were the highlights. The lowlights were just about everything else in a 4-8 campaign that seemed to underachieve relative to the talent and certainly to the expectations. The defense didn't show playmaking ability, the offense started poorly and was uneven, though improved, late in the year
Coach Sean Kugler saw enough positives, particularly in a 3-3 finish after the 1-5 start, to feel the program is on solid ground and headed in the right0 direction, and he will get a chance to prove that next season.