Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith News

On Saturday the 14th, a UTEP football team that had resurrected itself more times than a horror-movie villain finally took a fatal bullet.

When the UTEP defense isn't playing elite passing offenses, it has shown improvement this year.

For all the mistakes and stumbles and struggles, the UTEP football team could be the envy of the entire Conference USA by the end of this evening.

This week of preparation presents an interesting contrast between Tulsa and UTEP.

The impatience of a fan is nothing compared to the impatience of an 18-year-old football player.

UTEP players got together to watch Tulsa take No. 5 Boise State to the wire in a 28-21 loss and obviously left impressed with their next opponent.

One area with which UTEP doesn't need help is its running game, and besides, their guest at Wednesday's practice is out of eligibility.

The schedule says the UTEP football team plays Memphis today, but ask the Miners and they just play dumb.

Both UTEP and Memphis were missing key starters Saturday night, though the Miners were slightly healthier than they were against Houston.

The good news on the injury front for UTEP is that defensive backs Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith and Braxton Amy are healthy enough to travel to Memphis.

UTEP running back Vernon Frazier could have anterior cruciate ligament surgery later this week, and he almost certainly is out for the season.

UTEP's trophy case will be a little more full this week, and the biggest award is the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week.

UTEP coach Mike Price is making the unusual move of not talking about injuries this week, and it's easy to see why: Thirteen players missed practice Tuesday, including three of the four tight ends and four defensive backs.

Texas-El Paso gets good mileage out of senior Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith, which makes sense.

For two straight years, the New Mexico State Aggies have beaten the UTEP Miners.

Series Record: UTEP leads 49-35-2. Last Meeting: 2008, New Mexico State 34-33. What's at Stake UTEP is trying to avoid its second consecutive 0-3 start.

Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith was supposed to be the leader of this UTEP defense. He's the Miner back, the hybrid safety/linebacker who is the featured player in the 3-3-5 defense, the spot dubbed the "Brian Urlacher position" after the Chicago Bears star who brought it some attention at the University of New Mexico.

Donovan Kemp's 75-yard touchdown reception that got UTEP on the board was its longest play since an 85-yard Kris Adams touchdown reception in Week 10 against SMU last year.

Jake Sharp ran for 104 yards and three touchdowns while No. 24 Kansas got two big punt returns from Daymond Patterson to beat Texas-El Paso 34-7 on Saturday night.

This is the game fans dread and players dream about. One of the most feared quarterbacks in the nation, Kansas' Todd Reesing, is bringing the No.