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Price big story in Reno

RENO, Nev. -- Mike Price strolled up to the podium, stood before the football press that covers the Western Athletic Conference, smiled his big Mike Price smile, and told a joke.

He hadn't been to one of these college football media days since August 2002, right before the start of the Washington State season that resulted in a Rose Bowl berth -- and about five months before the Alabama season that never really was after a much-publicized night out with strippers.

But Wednesday, it was as if he had never been away.

"I've been saying, 'Wait until next year' for a year," Price said. "Now, it's here. And I can't wait."

It's safe to say that Price, the 1997 national coach of the year who revitalized programs at Weber State and Washington State and who suffered through that grim saga with the Crimson Tide last year, was the star of the WAC show this week.

While members of the press corps came and went depending upon which WAC football coach was speaking, the small conference room at the Peppermill Hotel was a full house for Price.

And Price went through all the things that he's gone through in El Paso since he was hired Dec. 21, 2003.

He talked about the warmth and support provided by the people of El Paso and the tremendous Mexican food that can be found there. He talked about the responsive UTEP players. He talked about the fun he is trying to provide them since, he reasons, they haven't had much fun over the past few years.

He talked about his smallish offensive line. He talked about the quarterback situation that isn't cleared up yet. He talked about the 10 players who no longer are on the team from last season. He talked about Camp Socorro, which starts Aug. 7, with an emphasis on excitement. He talked about his new hip (he had replacement surgery in the offseason) and his new eyes (he had Lasic surgery, too, and no longer sports glasses).

And he talked about the importance of merging what was perhaps the best recruiting class in UTEP's history with the Miner veterans who have toiled away in an attempt to improve.

"Like Boise State," he said. "They don't necessarily have the biggest or the fastest, but they play together as a team very well."

He touched on his two offensive and defensive star players, tailback Howard Jackson and linebacker Robert Rodriguez, respectively.

He called Jackson the fastest athlete he has ever coached; he said Rodriguez was UTEP's "Dick Butkus."

Other WAC coaches have taken notice of UTEP's possibility of a big turnaround in 2004, including the coaches of the elite programs: Boise State, Hawaii and Fresno State.

Dan Hawkins, coach of the back-to-back WAC champ Broncos, calls UTEP's chances of a big comeback "awesome."

"I think they have a lot of great, young players, and coach Price obviously knows what he's doing," Hawkins said. "I would expect them to be the surprise team just from the standpoint of where their record was and what they can accomplish."

Warrior coach June Jones said he and Price go back a long way.

"I've always followed his career," Jones said. "I wanted to find a way to get him on my staff after that fiasco that happened. UTEP will be a better football team because of Mike Price. It doesn't take long to rally everyone up and he will do that there."

Fresno State coach Pat Hill said he, too, has known Price for years.

"He and (second-time Nevada coach Chris Ault) add more credibility to our conference," Hill said. "You can't get two more excellent, prominent football coaches. I think UTEP will be good. I thought they had good personnel last year. And when (a program) gets a new coach, there is a new excitement and a new cause. And that's the formula for success."

The buzz was that UTEP could possibly be the Tulsa of 2004. Last year, the Golden Hurricane rebounded from a two-win season to go 8-5 and make an appearance in the Humanitarian Bowl.

And this year, Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe thinks UTEP could be the surprise team.

"He is one of the great coaches of college football," Kragthorpe said. "He's done a super job everywhere he's been. He put Washington State in a position to compete. (Former Washington State quarterback and current Buffalo Bill) Drew Bledsoe has a tremendous amount of respect for Mike. His record speaks for itself. Pullman, (Wash.) was not an easy place to recruit to, and he did it."

When talk turned to Alabama, Price let it be known that that was the past. UTEP is his future. And he can't wait to get started.

"We'll work like Miners work. Get down and get dirty and get after it," he said.