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Who's next for Texas football: A look at the UTEP Miners

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook09/08/25josephcook89
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Scotty Walden -- Gaby Velasquez / El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two down, ten (or more to go). Who’s next for the Texas Longhorns? The UTEP Miners. Here’s a quick look at the players to know, the coaches on the opposing sidelines, the systems Texas will see, and more details on Texas’ upcoming opponent.

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Upcoming opponent: UTEP Miners

Head coach: Scotty Walden (2nd season at UTEP), 38-30 overall, 4-10 at UTEP

2025 record: 1-1

Last game: 42-17 win over UT-Martin

Star offensive performers last time out:

Star defensive performer last time out:

Quarterback: Malachi Nelson – 36-for-60, 456 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT

Offense: Walden is known for his “Pace and Space” offense. His publicized core beliefs on offense are ball security, tempo, execution, balance, and physicality. Walden has coached all over but the “Pace and Space” is a Briles-ian system. Walden brought in Mark Cala to be his offensive coordinator in the offseason. Cala worked with Kendal Briles for most of Briles’ post-Baylor career, including at TCU. Expect fast tempo, wide splits, and some shots from Nelson down the field.

Defense: The Miners brought in Bobby Daly in the offseason after he led the Montana State Bobcat defense to stellar performances over the past few years, including an appearance in the 2024 FCS National Championship. He runs a “3-3-5” system that will often just see three defensive linemen with their hands in the dirt. A linebacker will move around occasionally to create a four-man front.

Special Teams: They call it “wefense.”

Quote to know from the head coach: “Lot to clean up, lot to get better, but very proud of the win. Proud of the football team and our coaching staff in bouncing back from the first game loss in being able to defend the Sun Bowl.”

Texans on the roster:

  • A lot. More details here in the coming days.

Former Longhorns on the roster:

  • None

This guy is on their team?

Malachi Nelson washed out of both USC and Boise State before landing in El Paso. He wasn’t straight up given the job as he had to beat Skyler Locklear to become QB1 for the Miners. That he did, and Nelson has posted quality numbers in the first two games of the season.

All-time series: Texas leads 6-0

Last matchup: The Longhorns and Miners battled in non-conference play in 2020 as Texas’ lone out of conference game that season. Texas won 59-3, scoring 45 points in the first half. Joshua Moore scored a 78 yard touchdown via a pass from Sam Ehlinger on the first play from scrimmage. Ehlinger passed for five total touchdowns while Casey Thompson followed up with two scoring tosses of his own. Roschon Johnson added the only Texas rushing touchdown. The 689 total yards from the Longhorns was the third most accumulated in a single game in school history.

Upcoming matchup

  • Teams: Texas vs. UTEP
  • Date: September 13
  • Time: 3:15 p.m. CT
  • Location: Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium
  • TV: SEC Network

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