CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Thunderbirds will be on the road again this week in El Paso, Texas. On Saturday, September 7, 2024, Southern Utah will take on Conference USA's UTEP in the Thunderbirds' second FBS matchup of the season. The game will kick off at 7:00 p.m. MT and will be available to stream on ESPN+.

Check out this Week's Coaches Show

Senior wide receiver Mark Bails joined head Football Coach DeLane Fitzgerald on the show this week. They talked with host Jon Smith about last Thursday's Utah game and previewed the upcoming matchup against UTEP.

The Game

The Thunderbirds opened the season with a tough road loss to #12 Utah, while the Miners fell 40-7 on the road to the University of Nebraska. The T-Birds have been picked to finish third in the United Athletic Conference after finishing tied for second in 2023. UTEP is under new leadership this season as Coach Scotty Walden takes on the task of bringing the Miners out of the bottom half of Conference USA. 

This will be the first-ever matchup between these two programs. The T-Birds are looking to secure their first win against an FBS opponent since the 2013 season when Southern Utah downed the University of South Alabama.

Key T-Birds to Watch:

Though Southern Utah struggled to finish drives last week against the Utes, the Thunderbirds saw some offensive success from a few key players. Senior running back Targhee Lambson led the team on the ground with 44 yards on six carries, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt. Through the air, senior Mark Bails stood out, picking up 42 yards on three catches and a long of 22 yards. Redshirt junior quarterback Jackson Berry threw for 54 yards on six completions with one interception in the game. The Thunderbirds will attempt to build on these performances in week two. 

Lambson delivered standout performances last season as well, notably securing three touchdowns and over 100 yards against ACU. During the 2023 season, Lambson totaled 483 net yards on the ground, with six touchdowns. Lambson also found the endzone twice through the air, picking up 95 yards on 11 catches. 

The Thunderbird defensive effort was led by redshirt junior Darrian Feazell, who tallied six total tackles in the game at Utah. Three of Feazell's tackles were solo tackles. Junior linebacker Kohner Cullimore pulled down the most solo takedowns against the Utes with four, assisting in one other tackle in the game. Redshirt senior defensive back Lacarea Pleasant-Johnson had three tackles to go with one interception in week one, while freshman defensive back Jayden Robertson added an interception and two tackles to the cause. 

Miners to Mull Over:

In UTEP's game against Nebraska, a few standout players emerged despite the team's struggles. Skyler Locklear, making his first collegiate start at quarterback, showed promise by completing 11 of 17 passes for 115 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown pass to Kam Thomas. Thomas, in his UTEP debut, was also impressive, leading the team with 71 receiving yards on seven catches, including the team's only touchdown.

On the defensive side, Dorian Hopkins and Landon Hullaby were vital contributors. Hopkins, a senior transfer from Tulsa, made a significant impact with a career-high 16 tackles and recovered a crucial fumble. Hullaby also contributed to the defense by forcing the fumble that Hopkins recovered. Senior linebacker Kory Chapman added ten tackles, marking his fifth collegiate game with double-digit tackles, while Jaylon Shelton and AJ Odums both set career highs in tackles, with eight and seven, respectively. Additionally, Sione Tonga'uiha recorded his first career sack, highlighting the defensive effort despite the tough loss to the Cornhuskers.

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