UTEP's New-Look Defense Dominates Sun Bowl Spring Game

Emerging stars shine as Miners prepare for 2026 season

Apr. 19, 2026 at 6:35am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a UTEP football game, with sharp, overlapping planes of orange, blue, and white representing the action on the field.UTEP's revamped defense showcased its potential, with new coordinator Kyle Beyer and local standout Shay Smith leading the charge in the spring game.El Paso Today

UTEP football fans got a preview of the team's hard-hitting 'Orange Swarm' defense at Saturday's spring game in the Sun Bowl Stadium. New defensive coordinator Kyle Beyer and El Paso native Shay Smith stood out, while transfer quarterback EJ Colson rebounded from early turnovers to lead a long scoring drive, promising to represent the 915 this fall.

Why it matters

UTEP is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season and the spring game showcased the potential of their revamped defense under new leadership. The performance of key players like Beyer, Smith, and Colson could set the tone for the Miners' 2026 campaign as they aim to compete in the competitive Conference USA.

The details

UTEP's new-look defense, dubbed the 'Orange Swarm', was the star of the spring game, dominating the offense throughout the scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Kyle Beyer and El Paso native Shay Smith were standouts, making several big plays to disrupt the offense. On the other side, transfer quarterback EJ Colson struggled early with turnovers but eventually led the offense on a long scoring drive, showcasing his potential to lead the team this fall.

  • The spring game took place on Saturday, April 19, 2026 at UTEP's Sun Bowl Stadium.

The players

Kyle Beyer

UTEP's new defensive coordinator, tasked with revamping the Miners' defense.

Shay Smith

An El Paso native who stood out on UTEP's new-look defense during the spring game.

EJ Colson

UTEP's transfer quarterback, who rebounded from early turnovers to lead a long scoring drive in the spring game.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to build on the momentum from this spring game and carry that into the fall. Our defense has the potential to be special, and EJ showed flashes of what he can do to lead our offense.”

— Dana Dimel, UTEP Head Coach

What’s next

UTEP will continue their offseason preparations, with the focus now shifting to their 2026 season opener against New Mexico State on September 5th.

The takeaway

UTEP's spring game provided an encouraging glimpse of the team's potential, with the new-look defense and transfer quarterback EJ Colson emerging as key storylines. If the Miners can build on this momentum, they could be poised to bounce back and compete in the tough Conference USA this fall.