UTEP at Socorro Camp 2009

SOCORRO, N.M. -- Through the first week of fall workouts, the UTEP football team talked about continuity and the natural improvement curve of experienced veterans.

Plenty of that was on display in a long Saturday scrimmage, but two of the biggest stars were players making their first big splashes: receiver Evan Davis and safety Wiston Jeune.

Davis, the team's No. 4 receiver last year, caught three passes for 93 yards and a touchdown and added another touchdown on a punt return, while the junior college transfer Jeune enhanced his reputation as the team's big hitter.

"Whooo," Davis said of Jeune, who broke up a pass when he levelled Tufick Shadrawy on a route across the middle. "Vicious, big, scary."

"Yes sir, yes sir, yes sir," Jeune said of his role as a hitter. "Definitely. What I have to work on is my cover skills. When I get that figured out, I'll be firing on all cylinders."

The scrimmage was won by the first-team units, though the second defense on which Jeune was playing did have occasional success against the first offense. The Trevor Vittatoe group scored touchdowns on three of five possessions and managed 233 yards on 26 carries.

The second-team offense managed just 74 yards in 31 plays against the defense's first unit and failed to score in seven possessions. Four of those were three-and-outs.

Vittatoe led the team on three 75-yard scoring drives, one of which was mostly a 69-yard jump ball to Davis, who beat Antwon Blake on the leap, then kept his

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feet and sprinted to the end zone.

The first-team offense opened with a nine-play scoring drive, culminated on a 5-yard pass to Jeff Moturi and closed with an eight-play scoring drive that finished on Jason Williams' 4-yard run. A play earlier, a fourth-down stop by the second-team defense was given away with an offsides penalty.

The second-team defense did have a pair of three-and-outs against the Vittatoe-led offense.

"It went well," said Vittatoe, who was 8-of-16 passing for 152 yards and three touchdowns. "Execution was what we talked about and we've done that since the beginning of fall. Evan Davis stepped it up. If he gets his mind right and goes 100 percent every play, he'll make plays."

"This is just the beginning," said Davis, whose one touchdown last fall was UTEP's last of the season. "I've got a long ways to go. I've got to be consistent. As a whole it was a good day."

On the long touchdown reception, "It was supposed to be a run, but the defense audibled so we audibled," Davis said. "Trevor threw a nice ball, and I had to go up and fight for it."

Jeff Moturi finished with four catches for 53 yards and Jason Williams had six rushes for 45 yards. Donald Buckram started the game at tailback but was held out after the first series after taking a big hit.

The first defense was almost perfect, though James Thomas, alternating with Kyle Wright on the second team, did move the offense a little bit. He was 3-of-5 passing for 23 yards and had a long option run negated by a penalty. No other quarterback completed more than two passes.

The best news of the day was that Braxton Amy participated in 12 plays as he recovers from an injured hamstring.

"For the most part, the (first team) did well," Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith said. "Braxton Amy, Steve Riddick, we have a lot of senior leadership."

So far that's added up to an impressive start to the fall.

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; 546-6359.