The Cougars used a proficient running attack to put away the UTEP Miners in Friday’s 54-24 win at Robertson Stadium.
However, a head injury to quarterback Case Keenum put a damper on the victory.
Keenum threw an interception late in the third quarter to UTEP cornerback Trauvan Nixon and was shaken up when he attempted to tackle Nixon. He walked off the field under his own power but would not return. Backup quarterback Cotton Turner took the remainder of the snaps at quarterback, while Keenum sat on the bench surrounded by his teammates with a towel draped over his head.
Head coach Kevin Sumlin did not know the details of Keenum’s injury.
Sumlin credited Keenum, who was held out as a precaution, for trying to make the play, saying that Keenum was in good spirits after the game.
“I talked to Case, he was smiling in the locker room,” Sumlin said. “But that’s the kind of guy he is, he’s going to run in there and try to make something happen. Obviously, I haven’t spent enough time coaching that area of the game. You can see why some of those NFL guys just run off the field.
“The way Cotton was playing, there was no need to do anything. We just let it go. We’ll see where it is tomorrow and update throughout the week.”
Keenum also earned some respect from his teammates.
“That’s Case. He’s a warrior,” running back Bryce Beall said. “It didn’t surprise me at all.”
Turner was effective, completing nine of 10 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown. He said he was prepared for the time his number was called upon.
“It’s kind of the old cliché – you always prepare yourself like you’re the starter,” Turner said. “Throughout the week, you take mental reps when you’re not in. When you get in, hopefully you just respond and make some plays.
With an offense prone to passing, the Cougars surprised the Miners as the running back duo of Beall and Michael Hayes had three touchdowns apiece with 272 combined yards.
“It was fun. Our o-line did a great job,” Beall said. “We knew coming in we would get a chance to run the ball. It was fun picking the holes to run through and just hit them and go out hard.
“I think today we started fast. That’s what we try to do.”
The Cougars came out of the half with an eight-play, 73-yard drive, when Hayes scored from 2 yards out, extending the lead to 37-10.
UTEP responded with a nine-play, 83-yard scoring drive, when quarterback Trevor Vittatoe threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Donavon Kemp to get the Miners within 20.
On the Cougars’ next possession, Turner led the Cougars the length of the field, ending with Beall running it in from 2 yards out to make the score 44-17.
The Miners scored one more time to pull within 44-24.
A 34-yard field goal from UH kicker Matt Hogan and a touchdown pass from Turner to James Cleveland created a 30-point cushion for the Cougars with 3:52 remaining in the fourth quarter.
UTEP was without running back Donald Buckram, who was sidelined with a bruised left knee. Buckram warmed up and dressed for the game but did not play.
The Miners drew first blood in the first quarter with a nine-play, 60-yard drive that concluded with Vittatoe’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Pierce Hunter.
The Cougars responded in a hurry. Keenum and Patrick Edwards connected on a 61-yard completion which moved the offense to the 4-yard line. Hayes found paydirt, and Hogan made the extra point to tie the game at seven with 8:47 in the first quarter.
The Cougars reeled off 10 unanswered points before UTEP scored again, making it 17-10 with 6:04 left in the second quarter.
UH managed to score two more times before the half and had a commanding 31-10 lead at halftime.
Shake it off, Case!