As the UTEP Miners football team prepares for its first season in the Mountain West Conference in 2026, the most impactful movement may have came during a concentrated stretch in during the winter months that reshaped the offensive staff and modernized the program’s personnel structure.
This seemed to be a coordinated reset from inside the building.
OC departure shifts offensive structure
On Feb. 5, reports confirmed that offensive coordinator Mark Cala departed after one season in El Paso to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Missouri State. Cala had been hired ahead of the 2025 season and was entering Year 2 before making the move.
This forced head coach Scotty Walden to adjust play-calling structure while maintaining the offense’s tempo identity. Internally, the philosophy remains the same: pace, spacing, and quarterback rhythm. But redistributing responsibilities that late in the cycle adds pressure heading into installs and spring evaluations.
Jan. 7: Pardee adds pro-level versatility
On Jan. 7, 2026, Payton Pardee was officially hired as tight ends coach. Pardee arrives from the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas, where in 2025 he served as interim head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach. Maybe his gameplay and team management at the semi-pro level can prove to be very impactful.
Prior to that, Pardee coached tight ends and receivers at East Texas A&M University, strengthening his recruiting footprint across Texas. His hire points to a more dynamic tight end role in Walden’s system — not just attached blockers, but flexible pieces in motion and space.
Jan. 16: Offensive line reinforced
On Jan. 16, 2026, Andy Townsend was hired as offensive line coach, and this move carried weight immediately.
Townsend comes from North Texas Mean Green football, where he served as assistant offensive line coach for a 12–2 team that led the nation in total offense and scoring in 2025. That unit operated efficiently in protection and sustained high tempo — traits that directly translate to UTEP’s system goals.
With Mountain West defensive fronts presenting a physical challenge weekly, reinforcing the offensive line room before the OC change proved strategic. Townsend likes to emphasize depth, communication, and consistency in up-tempo structures. If the Miner’s can win the trenches, they may be able to win the west.
Jan. 21: GM structure becomes official
On Jan. 21, 2026, UTEP formally named Austin Furgatch as general manager, overseeing player personnel and scouting. Furgatch previously worked in personnel at TCU Horned Frogs football and served as a recruiting assistant at UCLA Bruins football.
This move signals that modernization, scholarship allocation, transfer portal evaluations, roster forecasting, and NIL coordination now operate under a centralized structure. In the current college football landscape, that alignment is critical.
James Brown, hired in January as director of recruiting, complements that shift. With more than three decades of Texas high school and college experience, Brown strengthens in-state recruiting relationships — a vital piece as UTEP balances high school development with portal additions. With more money coming in, will this staff be able to come up with a winning formula?
Defensive continuity anchors transition
While the offense absorbed change, the defensive staff remains intact under Walden’s leadership, preserving schematic continuity heading into conference transition. That stability allows UTEP to adjust offensively without overhauling both sides of the ball at once.
Continuity also extends to the strength and conditioning program and internal personnel operations staff, ensuring offseason development and roster management remain streamlined as the Miners prepare for a more demanding league schedule.
Those moves don’t dominate headlines. But during a conference shift, steadiness matters.
Walden’s public commitment
In early February, Walden announced he would donate 10% of his 2026 salary toward UTEP’s NIL and revenue-share initiatives.
During the offseason, at least Scotty is making moves for a different outcome. UTEP reinforced its trenches, expanded its personnel infrastructure, absorbed an offensive coordinator departure, and publicly committed financial leadership to roster competitiveness.
Props to UTEP staff for its deliberate groundwork towards a new conference era. Hopefully, miner fans will get a dose of winning this coming season.
