UTEP Football: Kugler brings in energy, experience, and a perfect offensive fit

UTEP added three new coaches on Thursday, all three bring experience, character, and energy to a program with pieces already in place to succeed with plenty of returning producers.

Brent Pease was the biggest, and maybe the most important name introduced as he will now lead the UTEP offense.

This can be considered a home run hire in my book not because of the name, or where he has been, but the aspect of his past offenses' in maximizing personnel and the commitment to do the same here at UTEP.

Using numbers, leverage and grass, the UTEP offense will be labeled as a power run-spread type of offense, but in actuality UTEP will be just running plays without a true identity.

Pease shared a few things that could become staples of his offense at UTEP.

"Keys being creativity, physicality in the run game". Pease said.  "Having an explosive passing game and great quarterback play. I want to create those foundations and center that on the personnel that you have and go from there."

The potential of UTEP being a dynamic offense with plenty of variables is real, but Pease warned the approach of rapid installs might be a little more cautious than his previous offensive coordinator stint at Florida.

"I think we just have to be cautious in what we do." Pease said.  "There is some good things in place already here.  In one transition we went from Boise to Florida I was probably putting too much in, and put too much on the kids.  I just don't want to tax them too much that it doesn't put them in a successful situation."

That wise comment speaks volumes of what UTEP could be on the offensive side, and the experience he will bring.

Developing quarterbacks is another important aspect of Pease's hiring, but in Pease's offense, its about personnel and every one around, not just the quarterback, and Aaron Jones.

"First thing I have to get into is develop a relationship."  Pease said of the quarterbacks. "Get in the room, have a good feel for them and get to know what they can do and can't do. There's going to be a learning curve in everything they can do and how much they can handle. Like I told them the other day, create opportunities with their arms so they can throw the football; make good football decisions and then let their feet be a great part of their fundamentals."

"It's not always about them (quarterbacks)." Pease added.   "It's about the players around them and the multiplicity of using the personnel that we have, especially with this great running back we have, and big kids up front blocking. It's really how we blend all that. But the decision making is part of what can make us successful, putting us in a good place and keeping us out of a bad place."

Pease will also be in charge of recruiting areas in Phoenix, Dallas, and in East Texas and said the number one recruiting aspect he looks for on the recruiting trail is simply: speed.

UTEP used heavy personnel packages under Patrick Higgins, and from talking with Pease it appears UTEP will continue to maximize their personnel with a number of packages, but with way more creativity.

And of course Aaron Jones.

Yanowsky is a well traveled coaching veteran and the hope is he will bring a Chicago recruiting pipeline which is his hometown.

Originally, Yanowsky was thought become a full time special teams coordinator, but will coach UTEP's linebackers and help Brian Natkin with special teams.

Recruiting appears to be a big reason Kugler brought him in, also getting recommendation for Kug's old boss Mike Tomlin makes this hire a no-brainier.

Yano will be in charge of recruiting Chicago, Houston, and Northern California Junior College's.

He has 10 years of recruiting coordinator experience, and is looking forward to working with linebacker Alvin Jones.

"I think No. 16 is a pretty good player, good players make you a good coach, real fast."  Yanowsky said.   "I'm excited to have that opportunity. I've gotten a chance to watch a little bit of tape in the few days I've been here. We're going to find out what the others guys can do and we are going to let them play real fast and have some fun, and I'll be a good coach."

Aych is an upcoming name in Texas college football circles, and will bring high energy to UTEP's wide receivers room.

Running a prolific power-spread at Angelo State, his offensive philosophy meshes with what Brent Pease is going to do on the offensive side.

"Philosophically everything that I've tried to do really lines up with what they want to do as far as being physical in the run game as Coach said."  Aych said.  "Even though we did it with maybe a little different personnel package it's literally the exact same offense with what we've been talking about since we've been here."

If UTEP starts to grab productive athletes out of the Houston area, Aych will be that guy to reel prospects in from that fertile recruiting area into a possible UTEP territory for under recruited athletes.

Not that this is a bad thing, but Aych could really use this UTEP job as a stepping stone for a bigger job down the road after an impressive run as Angelo State's offensive coordinator.

Aych is another creative offensive mind next to Pease that UTEP is adding to the offensive meeting room.

UTEP has a balance of personalities, and tremendous experience on the coaching staff, but it seems Kugler's hires' all had the same vision, physicality, disciplined football, and adding creativity as a new thing at UTEP.

I would rate UTEP's hires as a B+ right now, with the high potential to continue on the path Kugler has laid out over the past couple of seasons.

"I just want to tell you these are all excellent football coaches." Sean Kugler said.  "But more importantly, excellent people with excellent families and people who will add to our program where we want to go."