The UTEP football team needs many things to go well to make the jump the Miners need on offense.
That all starts with the players taking the snap.
Kai Locksley had nice moments last year, as did his backup, Brandon Jones, but Locksley was gimpy much of the season with two bum ankles. There was also the typical give-a-year-to-get-a-year that happens with junior college transfers, who often spend their first season learning teammates and systems.
Mostly, Locksley, a transfer from Iowa Western — where he was the NJCAA offensive player of the year in 2017 — showed potential, as well as some toughness to play through injuries that required two offseason surgeries.