UTEP MINERS
Doing It For The School, City & Supporters: Lee Helping With Miners’ Turnaround
By Mark Brunner Strategic Communications The UTEP football team (5-1) is off to its best start in 11 years, and one of the biggest reasons has been the play of unheralded offensive linemen like second-year starter Darta Lee. Quietly the Miners’ offensive line is turning in a banner year. UTEP leads Conference USA and ranks 12th nationally by only allowing 1.00 sacks per contest. That’s a point of pride for Lee. “(It means) a lot,” Lee said. “Going against guys like Praise (Amaewhule) every day (helps). We love to compete and we don’t like to lose. OLP, o-line pride, is about having pride and doing your job every play no matter what.” The Miners are also second in the conference and rate 12th in 8
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the country with time of possession (33:00 average per game). For some offensive linemen playing 33 minutes (55 percent of the contest) would be an issue, but not for Lee. He has put in the work, but he also credits UTEP Director of Strength and Conditioning, Coach Kevin Schadt. “Body by ‘Schadt’ is how,” Lee said. “I mean a lot of 300 yards shuttles, you know just the way we work. Every day we came out here it wasn’t ‘here we go again, let’s get through this.’ It was let’s attack today. Let’s get better today, let’s work harder, let’s keep going. “The practices in the summer, it was never about us,” Lee said. “It was always doing it for the people that supported us, for the coaches that spend their time with us, for the people on Twitter that were supporting us when nobody else was. We’re doing this for y’all.” And that work put in when no one else was looking has paid dividends, with UTEP just one win shy of bowl eligibility heading into Saturday’s contest against LA Tech. Lee couldn’t be happier, but his motives aren’t just for his own personal success. He possesses a
much bigger perspective. “It’s my senior year, and I just want people to know that ‘hey, come out and support us because we’re doing it for you’,” Lee said. “We’re doing it for the city, we’re doing it for the school and not for the individual accolades or individual success. It’s bigger than us. “I’ve been here for three years,” Lee said. “Most of the guys who came in and started this are just giving it their all to turn this around for the city, for the school and for the people that come out as supporters.” His play on the field cannot be questioned, but his teammates like center Andrew Meyer notices other attributes as well. “(Darta) has a lot of leadership,” Meyer said. “I’ve been here, but he’s got more experience than me. He has a lot of knowledge. When we run PRPs (player run practices), he’s the first one to step up and take charge and lead us in the right direction. He’s always got a positive work ethic. He’s just an awesome guy to be around.” Even guys on the defensive side of the ball take notice of Lee. “He’s got a lot of experience (continued on page 10)
