The UTEP Miners saw their fair share of success under Dana Dimel, even if it was for one season. However, after six middling years of unsustained play, UTEP has fired Dimel, and will start the search for a new head coach for 2024 and beyond.
UTEP Fires Dana Dimel After Six Seasons
Dimel joined the Miners for the 2018 season and took UTEP to their first bowl game since 2014 in the process. The New Mexico Bowl appearance in 2021 was, unfortunately for Dimel, the pinnacle of his success with the program.
The Miners went 20-49 under Dimel during his six seasons, never winning more than seven games and fielded a winning record in just that 2021 season. UTEP won just 10 Conference USA games under Dimel’s leadership and recruiting never picked up.
In 12 seasons as a head coach, Dimel’s career record stands at 50-88, finishing with a winning record at just one institute, Wyoming, where he cut his teeth as a head coach in the late 90s.
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“We would like to thank Dana for the dedication and hard work that he has put in over the last six years, and we wish him the best in the future,” UTEP athletic director Jim Senter said in a prepared statement. “Under his leadership, our football program has shown improvement in all the academic metrics, and we have had minimal off-the-field issues.”
“When he was hired, UTEP Football was coming off a winless season, and he built a more competitive team. However, we have not seen the kind of improvement necessary to compete for and win championships. We determined that a change in leadership was needed for the program to move forward.”
Dana Dimel Career Coaching Resume
- Kansas State – Grad Assistant (1987-1988)
- Kansas State – Offensive Line (1989-1992)
- Kansas State – Run Game Coordinator/OL Coach (1993-1994)
- Kansas State – Offensive Coordinator (1995-1996)
- Wyoming – Head Coach (1997-1999)
- Houston – Head Coach (2000-2002)
- Kansas State – Grad Assistant (2005)
- Arizona – Tight Ends Coach (2006-2007)
- Arizona – Tight Ends/Running Backs Coach (2008)
- Kansas State – Offensive Coordinator, Running Backs/Tight Ends Coach (2009-2017)
- UTEP – Head Coach (2018-2023)