Last season was a long one, full of what-ifs and could-have-beens for a UTEP football team beset by injuries.
That was true for players and fans, but for one group of Miners in particular, the long season seemed interminable, the what-ifs extra poignant.
"Man it was tough, watching on the sidelines, I had never sat out a whole season before," said tailback Aaron Jones, one of 11 returning players who had a season-ending injury in 2015.
He missed the year with a foot injury.
"That was pretty tough. I'm very hungry, I can't wait to get out on the field.