Mike Price: “We’re down. Now is the time to come out and support this team.”

Mike Price, the interim head football coach of the UTEP Miners, urged the community to show up at the Sun Bowl to support its team.

“We’re down. Now is the time to support this team,” Price said as he was officially introduced Tuesday, “There are 30 kids from El Paso on this team. Come out and support them … Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party.”

UTEP Athletics Director Bob Stull announced Monday Price will coach the team for the remainder of the 2017 season. Price said he has no intention of coaching the team beyond this season.
He will take over for Sean Kugler, who stepped down on Sunday following the loss to Army.

Price said Kugler’s resignation stunned Stull but “Bob moved fast.” Price further stated, “I love this place. This place gave me a job when no one else would. This community was very embracing and warm and I’m living here.”

There are only a couple of coaches on the staff he does not know, Price said. Unlike his first stint with the Miners, the head coach will take a hands-off approach this time around.

“(Back then) I was hands-on with the offense, but I’m not going to do a lot of tinkering. (The current coaching staff) has recruited to a certain style of offense and a certain style of defense and I’m not going to change much,” Price said, “That’s not the best thing to do: change everything. I don’t think Bob would have hired me if he thought I would come in and change everything.”

Price served as UTEP’s head coach from 2004-12 and took the Miners to three bowl games in 2004, 2005 and 2010. He guided the Miners to back-to-back eight-win seasons in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, Price was a finalist for National Coach of the Year.

The head coach said the current team has talent and the staff needs to help them shine on the field. “Inside every one of those kids is a winner and we have to reach in and pull it out,” Price said, “It’s not easy for these guys, it’s tough. These players are really good people. Come out and see us and let’s have some fun.”

The Miners are 0-5 this season. The coach said he’ll do his best to turn things around. “I’m not a magician. I’m here to help and you can help us a lot by supporting these players,” Price said.