Dana Dimel has set his UTEP staff, the program has announced.
Wide receivers coach Scotty Ohara has been promoted to offensive coordinator. Ohara is an original member of Dimel's staff and was promoted to passing game coordinator ahead of the 2021 campaign. The UTEP position was Ohara's first on-field coaching position at the Division I level, and this will be his first coordinator posting.
Ohara replaces Dave Warner, who retired following the 2022 campaign. UTEP averaged 5.47 yards per play and 24.4 points per game last season.
"Scotty has been with us for a long time. He knows the offense inside and out, so his experience will be invaluable at the coordinator position," Dimel said. "Having an assistant coach for both the offensive line and special teams will really help us in those two areas. Getting Josh Brown back is so important. He's someone who understands our system and had a lot of success the first time he was here."
On defense, Josh Brown has returned to the program as pass game coordinator. Brown spent 2020-21 with the Miners, then left to coach safeties for Timmy Chang's first season at Hawaii. UTEP boasted Conference USA's third-ranked pass defense in Brown's last season of 2021.
Finally, James Bain has been promoted to assistant offensive line and assistant special teams coach. Bain has worn a variety of hats in his two seasons on campus, serving as an offensive and special teams GA in 2021 and a defensive QC in 2022.
The 2023 campaign will be Dimel's sixth in El Paso. He is 17-40, but 12-13 with a New Mexico Bowl appearance over the past two seasons. The Miners should be instant competitors in a re-vamped Conference USA that lost Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and 2-time defending champion UTSA, and replaced those six by adding Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State, and Sam Houston.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.