Conference USA released its preseason media poll on Tuesday and predicted the Miners to finish sixth in the West Division by media members across the league.
UTEP is coming off a 4-8 season last year and is only above UAB, who is recently returning back to football after the program was shut down and then restored.
Senior offensive guard Will Hernandez and senior linebacker Alvin Jones were both named to the 2017 C-USA Coaches Preseason Awards.
The team will leave to Ruidoso, N.M., on Aug. 7 for their summer camp and begin practice on Aug. 8. They will have two scrimmages in Ruidoso on Aug. 13 and 20, both beginning at 8:45 a.m.
Below is the poll released by the league and the list of players who received preseason awards:
EAST DIVISION
1. WKU (20)
2. Middle Tennessee (4)
3. Old Dominion (3)
4. Marshall (1)
5. Florida Atlantic
6. FIU
7. Charlotte
WEST DIVISION
1. Louisiana Tech (20)
2. UTSA (7)
3. Southern Miss (1)
4. North Texas
5. Rice
6. UTEP
7. UAB
(first place votes in parentheses)
2017 C-USA Football Coaches Preseason Awards
Offensive Player of the Year
Mike White, Sr., QB, WKU
Defensive Player of the Year
Emmanuel Ellerbee, Sr., LB, Rice
Special Teams Players of the Year
Kylen Towner, Sr., KR, WKU
Offense
QB Mike White, Sr., WKU
RB Ray Lawry, Sr., Old Dominion
RB Ito Smith, Sr., Southern Miss
OL O’Shea Dugas, Jr., Louisiana Tech
OL Will Hernandez, Sr., UTEP
OL Trey Martin, Sr., Rice
OL Austin Pratt, Sr., UTSA
OL Brandon Ray, Sr., WKU
TE Ryan Yurachek, Sr., Marshall
WR Richie James, Jr., Middle Tennessee
WR Jonathan Duhart, Sr., Old Dominion
WR Allenzae Staggers, Sr., Southern Miss
Defense
DL Marcus Davenport, Sr., UTSA
DL Jaylon Ferguson, So., Louisiana Tech
DL Chris Johnson, Sr., WKU
DL Oshane Ximines, Jr., Old Dominion
LB Emmanuel Ellerbee, Sr., Rice
LB Alvin Jones, Sr., UTEP
LB Josiah Tauaefa, So., UTSA
LB Anthony Wint, Sr., FIU
DB Brandon Addison, Sr., Old Dominion
DB Nate Brooks, Jr., North Texas
DB Joe Brown, Sr., WKU
DB Kishawn McClain, Sr., North Texas
Special Teams
K Canon Rooker, Sr., Middle Tennessee
P Jake Collins, Jr., WKU
KR Kylen Towner, Sr., WKU
PR Nacarius Fant, Sr., WKU
LS Matt Bayliss, Sr., UTSA
