Changes to UTEP football coaching staff; Ohara named new offensive coordinator
EL PASO, Texas - UTEP Head Coach Dana Dimel finalized his 2023 football staff, announcing Scotty Ohara as the new offensive coordinator, Josh Brown returning to the program as the defensive pass game coordinator, and James Bain being promoted to assistant offensive line/assistant special teams’ coach.
Ohara replaces Dave Warner, who retired following the 2022 season.
Brown, who coached at Hawai’i last season, returns for a second stint after serving as the secondary/safeties coach at UTEP during the 2020 and 2021 campaigns.
He will replace Trevin Wade, who served as the cornerback’s coach from 2020 thru 2022.
Bain was quality control on defense during the 2022 season.
"Scotty has been with us for a long time. He knows the offense inside and out, so his experience will be invaluable at the coordinator position,” Dimel said. “Having an assistant coach for both the offensive line and special teams will really help us in those two areas. Getting Josh Brown back is so important. He’s someone who understands our system and had a lot of success the first time he was here."
Ohara has served as the wide receivers coach at UTEP and will enter his sixth season with the staff.
Under Ohara, the program produced back-to-back 1,000-yard receivers for the first time in program history.
Jacob Cowing gained 1,354 yards in 2021, while Tyrin Smith tallied 1,039 yards last season.
Rey Flores gained breakout numbers in 2022, piling up 534 yards on 49 receptions and scored a touchdown.
UTEP ranked third during the 2021 season in pass defense during Brown’s second year on the staff.
The Miners allowed 210.0 passing yards per game, while chalking up seven wins and a New Mexico Bowl appearance.
Brown brings back more than 20 years of coaching experience after most recently serving as the safeties coach at Hawai’i during the 2022 season.
Bain joined the UTEP staff in July 2021 as a graduate assistant for offense and special teams.
He was then hired full time as the quality control coach on defense prior to last season.
