INSIDE SLANT

The befuddling year of strange UTEP losses continued with the Miners’ 30-29 setback to Rice.

Once again, UTEP was able to find a way to lose a game it looked like it should win, this time with a 29-17 lead in the fourth quarter and outgaining the Owls 395-227.

“I’m kind of feeling like we invent ways to lose,” UTEP coach Mike Price said. “Things happened that haven’t happened all year long. We lose three fumbles in 10 games all year long and we fumble three times in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t not being hit. Rice hit us. They delivered when theyhad to. This was another way we found to lose the game.”

Two of the fumbles lost in the fourth quarter came from the hands of RB Donald Buckram. The first was at the Rice 3-yard line and the second at the Rice 38 as the Miners were working for a game-winning field goal.

“They were hitting hard all night,” Buckram said. “I was able to hang on to it. Then my body started wearing down and I carried the ball looser and it came out.”

Buckram had 115 yards in the first half and only 32 in the second half.

Still, the Miners were up 12 but couldn’t hold back a Rice offense that had gained no yards on its two drives leading up to the comeback.

“The game went the way the whole month has,” Price said. “We shot ourselves in the foot every time we turned around.”

NOTES, QUOTES

• RB Donald Buckram rushed for 147 yards against Rice to set UTEP’s single-season record for rushing yards with 1,569. Buckram broke the record that was set in 1948 by Fred Wendt.

• WR Jeff Moturi extended his streak of consecutive games with at least one catch to 35 with his three catches for 57 yards against Rice.

• DL Bernard Obi had two sacks against Rice, establishing a career high. Of Obi’s 3.5 career sacks, three of them have come against Rice, a college he grew up just 20 miles away from.

Game Ball Goes To:   RB Donald Buckram—The junior is going for the national rushing title and he made a nice step towards it with his 147 yards rushing against Rice. Buckram scored three touchdowns against the Owls to give him 17 for the season, second on the UTEP single-season list.

Keep An Eye On:   DL Bernard Obi—The sophomore was a force against Rice, notching two sacks and finishing with three total tackles. Obi should be a solid part of the defensive line for the next couple seasons.

Quote To Note:   “Mental mistakes, like we’ve been doing all year. We knew we could stop them. It comes down to executing.”—DB Royzell Smith on the loss to Rice.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Looking Good:   RB Donald Buckram was solid for most of the game running the ball, rushing for 147 yards and three touchdowns. QB Trevor Vittatoe had a fairly accurate game, connecting on 17 of 26 passes with just one interception. The punting game was very good, both with punter Greg Hiett’s 49.0-ypk average and the punt coverage team, which only allowed one return for six yards. UTEP’s defense was very good against the pass, holding Rice to just 55 yards through the air.

Still Needs Work:   The Miners’ five fumbles lost, including two by Donald Buckram in the fourth quarter, really hurt the team. Because of the miscues, the Miners lost the game despite outgaining the Owls 395-227. UTEP also didn’t help itself with 12 penalties for 96 yards in the contest.

Roster Report:  

• The defensive line showed some strong play against Rice, with Aubrey Alexius notching his first career sack along with Bernard Obi’s two sacks.

• The Miners’ receiving corps showed its depth against Rice, with 10 different receivers making at least one catch. Jeff Moturi, Donald Buckram and Kris Adams tied for the team lead in receptions with just three apiece.

• P Greg Hiett has really come on at the end of the season, booming four punts for an average of 49.0 yards against Rice, including two that ended up inside the 20.