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CUSA Announces 2024 Preseason Watch List (UTEP)

DALLAS, Texas (KVIA) -- UTEP’s RB Jevon Jackson, DT KD Johnson, CB AJ Odums, OL Otis Pitts III and LS Angelo Tejada were announced to Conference USA’s 2024 Preseason Football Watch List as announced by league officials on Friday.

Jackson, a transfer from Austin Peay, was named a 2023 FCS Football Central Second Team All-America after rushing for a team-high 1,373 yards on 252 attempts (5.4 avg.) and 10 touchdowns. The first team All-United Athletic Conference performer added 78 yards on 11 receptions with a TD. Jackson recorded eight career 100-yard efforts including seven last season. Jackson amassed a career-best 197 yards on 26 attempts (7.6 avg.) and a TD against SFA.

Johnson played in all 12 games in his first season as a Miner in 2023. Johnson tallied 22 tackles (13 solo) and a QB hurry from the interior defensive line. He concluded the campaign with a career-high eight tackles against no. 22 Liberty. Johnson added three tackles and a hurry against UNLV and recorded a trio of stops against I-10 rival NM State.

Odums, who transferred to UTEP from New Mexico before the ’23 season, started in all 12 games at the cornerback position during his first season with the Miners. Odums racked up 36 tackles with a team-tying high eight breakups and a 0.5 TFL. Odums concluded the campaign tied third in CUSA in pass breakups. He registered a season-high six tackles and a PBU at Middle Tennessee. Odums matched his season best with six more stops against no. 22 Liberty and tallied a season-high three pass breakups against rival NM State.

Pitts III enters his final season as a Miner playing in all 12 games in 2023 as a redshirt junior. Pitts III added two starts at right guard – at Sam Houston and against WKU. UTEP gained 222 on the ground with a trio of rushing scores during a come-from-behind victory at Sam Houston. His efforts on the line helped the UTEP rushing game gain over 1,700 yards and score 16 touchdowns.

Tejada returns for his fourth season with the Miners. Despite injuries late in the season, the senior started at long snapper in 10 games. Tejada played in 43 career games and has posted two tackles on special teams. He was named to the 2022 All-CUSA second team.

The Scotty Walden Era kicks off on Aug. 31 in a nationally televised game at Nebraska (1:30 p.m. MT) on FOX, while the Miners’ first home game is Sept. 7 against Southern Utah with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. in Sun Bowl Stadium.

OFFENSE

QB Keyone Jenkins, FIU

QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty

QB Jack Turner, LA Tech

RB Quinton Cooley, Liberty

RB Monte Watkins, NM State

RB Jevon Jackson, UTEP

RB Elijah Young, WKU

WR Gabe Benyard, Kennesaw State

WR Omari Kelly, MTSU

WR Kordell David, NM State

WR Noah Smith, Sam Houston

TE Sean Brown, Jax State

OL JD Lee, FIU

OL Clay Webb, Jax State

OL Ethan Newman, Kennesaw State

OL Jordan White, Liberty

OL Bert Hale, LA Tech

OL Ethan Ellis, MTSU

OL Canaan Yarro, NM State

OL Ethan Hagler, Sam Houston

OL Otis Pitts III, UTEP

OL Quantavious Leslie, WKU

DEFENSE
DL Jeramy Passmore, FIU

DL Darrell Prater, Jax State

DL Pooda Walker, Kennesaw State

DL CJ Bazile, Liberty

DL Jessie Evans, LA Tech

DL Andy Nwaoko, MTSU

DL Buddha Peleti, NM State

DL Jevon Leon, Sam Houston

DL KD Johnson, UTEP

DL Hosea Wheeler, WKU

LB Reggie Peterson, FIU

LB J-Rock Swain, Jax State

LB Kolbe Fields, LA Tech

LB Kavian Gaither, Sam Houston

DB Sidney Porter, Kennesaw State

DB De’Arre McDonald, MTSU

DB AJ Odums, UTEP

DB Upton Stout, WKU

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Colby Sessums, Sam Houston

K Lucas Carneiro, WKU

P Jack Dawson, Jax State

KR Julian Gray, Liberty

KR Demarcus Griffin-Taylor, LA Tech

PR Dean Patterson, FIU

PR Gabe Benyard, Kennesaw State

PR Jordan Smith, NM State

LS Brody Butler, MTSU

LS Angelo Tejada, UTEP

Article Topic Follows: UTEP

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Bea Martinez

UTEP Athletics

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