'We're not here to not play football.'

Previewing Nebraska's 2024 season-opener against UTEP

Image courtesy Nebraska Athletics

Scotty Walden is very football coach. I don’t know how else to describe a guy who on Monday, at his first game-week press conference as UTEP’s head coach, called a donation that secured new locker rooms “elite.” Nobody calls donations elite except football coaches, who might call anything elite.

Further evidence: Walden seems to have names for each of the units in his “shop”—blue blaze (offense), orange swarm (defense), wefense (special teams). He wears an armful of silicon wristbands, and I have to assume most of them are inspirational. He has a slight Texas drawl.

This is good. This is what UTEP needs.¹ No Miner coach has left El Paso with a winning record since Bob Stull went 21-15 between 1986–88 and got the Missouri job.

Walden, on the other hand, has yet to have a losing record² as head coach. If he keeps that streak alive, he won’t be in El Paso long.

“Coach Walden is a winner,” Matt Rhule said. “I’ve knew him all the way back at East Texas Baptist. He’ll bring elite³ energy. He’ll bring a dynamic offense and an aggressive defense. They’ve got excellent players, so it’s going to be quite a challenge.”

The oddsmakers see less of a challenge with the Huskers holding on as about a four-touchdown favorite midweek. But there’s something more to Rhule’s impressions of Walden than just professional courtesy.

Nebraska losing the opener in Lincoln would be an absolute shock, but it’s not hard to see how this game could be more uncomfortable than the odds would suggest.

Let’s break it down.