CUSA announces six UTEP players to 2023 Football Preseason Watch List
(Courtesy: UTEP Athletics)
DALLAS, Texas - Six UTEP Miners were announced to the Conference USA 2023 football preseason list, as selected by the league’s nine head coaches on Friday.
Five student-athletes from each of the conference’s nine member institutions are recognized as key players to watch ahead of the 2023 season.
Additionally, each of the nine institutions has highlighted one academic performer ahead of the season.
On offense, QB Gavin Hardison and OL Elijah Klein were recognized, while on defense LB Tyrice Knight and DE Praise Amaewhule received the honor.
P Joshua Sloan was selected from the special teams’ group, and OL Andrew Meyer was named to the academic performer list.
Hardison returns for his final season, starting in 29 career games for the Miners.
The redshirt senior ranks third all-time on the program’s list in passing yards (7,015), completions (497) and is tied fourth with 35 career touchdowns passes.
Klein has been a rock on the offensive line since his freshman campaign in 2018.
For his career, the redshirt senior has started in 43 career contests at the right guard position.
He was part of a group that ranked in the top half of the nation in least sacks allowed per game (2.0).
Knight is coming off a 95-tackle season, while he’s amassed 197 over the last two years.
Knight was named second team All-CUSA after recording 6.5 TFL, a sack, INT, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble return for a TD.
The redshirt senior has started in 31 games at the linebacker position over the last three seasons.
Amaewhule was also second team All-CUSA after his solid campaign.
He’s ranked second on the program’s all-time list with 17.5 sacks, needing 3.0 to break the all-time mark at UTEP.
The redshirt senior has started in 41 career games.
Sloan is coming off his best season as a Miner, averaging a career-best 44.4 yards per punt.
Sloan booted 45 punts for 1,998 yards.
He added four touchbacks, 16 fair catches, 15 punts inside the 20, 11 50+ yard punts and no blocked kicks.
Sloan ranked fourth in CUSA in punting.
Meyer, who has started in 31 games at the center position over the past five seasons, graduated in December 2022 with his degree in history and maintained a 3.84 GPA.
Meyer is currently in graduate school.
The Miners kickoff the new campaign at Jax State on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 3:30 p.m. MT on CBS Sports Network.
UTEP will open home action on Saturday, Sept. 2 against Incarnate Word at 7 p.m. in the Sun Bowl. Tickets for the 80’s Night game are available at www.utepminers.com/tickets, by calling 915.747.UTEP, emailing tickets@utep.edu or by visiting the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office (500 W. University Ave., 79968
