July 24, 2007

The UTEP football team has been picked to finish fourth in Conference USA's Western Division in 2007. The preseason league coaches' poll was released on Tuesday.

Houston is predicted to repeat as Western Division champion, securing 63 votes overall. Tulsa is projected second (62 votes), with SMU third (48), UTEP fourth (37), Rice fifth (30) and Tulane sixth (12).

Southern Miss is the preseason favorite in the Eastern Division (69 votes), followed by East Carolina (48), UCF (47), Marshall (39), Memphis (30) and UAB (19).

Rice junior wide receiver Jarett Dillard is the preseason C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, and Marshall junior defensive end Albert McClellan is the preseason league Defensive Player of the Year. The preseason C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year is UCF junior punt returner Joe Burnett.

UTEP senior safety Quintin Demps was tabbed to the All-Conference Defensive Team. Demps was a first team all-league honoree in 2006 when he tied for fifth in the country in interceptions. The San Antonio native had 67 tackles and seven picks on the year.

The Miners begin practicing on Aug. 6 and open the season at home against long-time rival New Mexico on Sept. 1.