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	Sunday, August 13 UTEP offering more bang for the buck
	By Stephen Tsai Special to ESPN.com Texas-El Paso Miners 1999 record: 5-7 (3-4 WAC) Coach: Gary Nord Starters returning: 14 (8 offense, 6 defense) Outlook In this border town, the Miners are looking for an edge. The Miners averaged crowds of nearly 40,000 for home games in 1999, and they hope to draw more this season to the Sun Bowl. Anxious to boost their attendance, the Miners are targeting the Juarez market (population 1.7 million) with family-friendly offers. The top ticket price for a UTEP game is $8 -- the most inexpensive in the league -- and a family season pass (for two adults, two children) goes for $75. Perhaps the biggest selling point is the new offensive bravado, which replaces the belief that the punt team is the answer to fourth-and-1 situations. Rocky Perez, who rarely throws interceptions, has enough weapons in the Big Three: tight end Brian Natkin (59 catches in 1999) and wideouts Lee Mays (60 catches, 881 yards) and Allan Ray (16.2 yards per reception). The Miners have scrapped the 4-3 defensive alignment in favor of a blitz-thirsty, eight-man front. Keep an eye on ... Perez, who averaged one interception every 44 attempts last year. During one span, he went 116 passes without an interception. It's a good season if... The Miners can remain consistent. Last year, they beat Rice but were smoked by Texas Christian.		AROUND THE WAC Fresno St. Hawaii Nevada Rice San Jose St. SMU TCU Tulsa UTEP ALSO SEE WAC Preview: Ever-changing landscape full of potential