After a very average 5-7 record from the UTEP Miners last season, they are looking to make strides with the offense set to make improvements. The strength of this team is in their offensive and defensive lines which are seen to be one of the best in Conference USA.
With the conference ever-changing, this could be the season the Miners see themselves near the top of the conference, especially with these top 10 returning players in 2023.
UTEP Miners Top 10 Returners in 2023
Analyzing the returning players at every school is a difficult task in the transfer portal area. As such, we’ve included transfer-portal athletes that were included on each team’s roster page to open fall camp in addition to the rostered players from last year.
1) Deion Hankins, RB
Entering his fifth season, redshirt junior Deion Hankins continues to display improvement year after year for the team. Hankins finished last season second on the team with a career-high 701 rushing yards and added three touchdowns on the ground.
He earned Second-Team All-Conference USA honors for the 2022 season.
Hankins now takes control of the starting job at running back and is poised to have the best season of his career, especially behind the best offensive line in Conference USA. His 226-pound frame makes it hard for defenders to bring him down, as he can deliver shoulder hits when given the opportunity.
A 1,000-yard season isn’t out of the realm of possibility in 2023 for Hankins.
2) Praise Amaewhule, DE
The top defender on the team, Praise Amaewhule, will play a key role on the defense and help improve their 90th-ranked scoring defense from 2022. Amaewhule finished the 2022 season with 24 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass deflection, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 13 games played.
He earned Second-Team All-Conference USA honors for his performance.
Amaewhule has proven to be a great pass rusher but has seen his stats decrease from 2020 to 2022. He has quick feet and can use his hands well to shed blocks. While he may not possess blazing speed off the edge, this could be the season he returns to his seven-sack form from 2020.
3) Tyrice Knight, LB
The run on defensive players continues on this list as UTEP boasts one of the top linebackers in the conference, Tyrice Knight, back for his final season with the school.
Last season, Knight led the team in tackles with 95, which also ranked tenth in Conference USA. He added 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, five pass breakups, four quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. The conference named him to their second team.
Knight is a great open-field tackler and can make all the plays for UTEP. The Miners’ defensive leader at linebacker, Knight has been the team’s best tackler over the last two years. Expect more of the same this season as UTEP’s defense looks to improve with only four starters returning to the roster.
4) Elijah Klein, RG
Elijah Klein has been the model of consistency, starting 33 games at right guard since 2020, earning All-Conference USA Honorable Mentions in 2021 and 2022. He helped the offense average 159.4 yards per game, ranking fifth in the conference, and the team ranked ninth in the country in average time of possession per game with 33:34.
Klein has been mentioned in multiple outlets as a preseason First-Team All-Conference USA right guard, regarded as one of, if not the best offensive lineman in the conference. He’s a tough, aggressive offensive lineman who has great handwork and always looks for someone to block. UTEP will look to the senior guard to be the veteran on the line and push them to their expectations.
5) Steven Hubbard, LT
Steven Hubbard made his first starts as a Miner last season, starting nine of the 11 games he appeared in. Hubbard started at left tackle for the team, performing well enough to earn him an All-Conference USA Honorable Mention last year.
After two seasons as a backup for UTEP, Hubbard got his chance to protect quarterback Gavin Hardison’s blind side, which has proven to be a good move. Hubbard is just one of the many key players on the offensive line this season who should perform well if everything works out.
6) Justin Mayers, LG
Like Hubbard, left guard Justin Mayers was another new starter on the offensive line last season for UTEP. Mayers started all 12 games at the left guard position, landing him an All-Conference USA Honorable Mention for the 2022 season.
The redshirt junior has proven himself to be another key contributor to the offensive line, not only helping in pass blocking but also in the running game. Mayers is the lone projected starting offensive lineman who is not a senior, so he will be looked at as the future of the Miners’ offensive line next season.
7) Andrew Meyer, C
Marking one last offensive lineman on this list is the team’s center, Andrew Meyer, as he is heading into his fourth straight season as the starting center. Meyer started 11 of 12 games last season for the team, earning him an All-Conference USA Honorable Mention appearance.
The veteran center is the glue to an offensive line that went through changes last season but was able to help the unit’s performance. UTEP’s offensive line has been mentioned numerous times as a stout group, and Meyer will play a key role in their success this season, also being his last.
8) Keenan Stewart, DT
Shifting the focus to the defensive line, redshirt senior Keenan Stewart returns for his last season with the Miners. Starting 11 games at defensive tackle, Stewart had a career-low season with 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, and one block. He was still able to nab a second straight season on the All-Conference USA Honorable Mention list.
The 294-pound defensive tackle has seen a bit of a dip in his stats, but Stewart is still a force on the defensive line. Amaewhule is more of the pass rusher, while Stewart helps with stopping the run. The Miners should see a better performance from Stewart as he focuses on clogging the middle of the line.
9) Kobe Hylton, S
Safety Kobe Hylton showcased his performance in his first season with the Miners last season in their secondary. Hylton ranked third on the team last season in tackles with 91, while also adding 10 tackles for loss, three pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one block, and 0.5 sacks in 12 games played.
That was enough for him to land on the All-Conference USA Honorable Mention list.
What Hylton showed last season was how good he is in run support, being able to wrap up the ball carrier time after time. The honor of the top pass coverage defensive back goes to Torey Richardson, but Hylton is important to the secondary and should help the Miners’ defense in the next two seasons.
10) Joshua Sloan, P
For the last three seasons, Joshua Sloan has been handling the punting for the Miners and has shown great improvement from 2020 until now. Sloan had a career season with UTEP, averaging 44.4 yards per punt, pinning 15 punts inside the 20-yard line, and recording 11 punts of over 50 yards. He earned All-Conference USA Honorable Mention in 2022.
Some love must be given to the special teams as Sloan went from 39.1 yards per punt in 2020 to 44.4 yards per punt last season. His leg is getting stronger, and he is becoming more accurate in ball placement.
Should he continue to improve his numbers, the conference could see their top punter in El Paso.
