Don’t look now but there’s a burgeoning defensive culture in El Paso. In his first season, defensive coordinator Mike Cox helped bring the UTEP defense from bottom of the sport to middle of the pack in total defense. The bar has risen.

“When you get some confidence and start getting used to making some plays, good things are going to keep happening,” Cox said.

The scoring defense still sits in the bottom top 25. But in many ways, those numbers are misleading. UTEP allowed 393 total points a year ago. More than a third of those came off of offensive turnovers – 11.3 points per game, to be exact. There’s upside still left to be tapped.

But now, Cox is tasked with replacing the majority of his production. Linebackers A.J. Hotchkins and Jamar Smith are gone, along with three out of five defensive backs. In fact, the Miners rank last in adjusted returning production by SB Nation. Six players with 30 or more tackles are gone.

With the departures, defensive tackle Denzel Chukwukelu has to become an all-conference player. He posted 6.5 tackles for loss and seven QB hurries a year ago; those need to become double-digit numbers. Chris Richardson will help take some pressure off. Nickel Justin Rogers has to take that leadership role in the secondary.

However, a slew of new faces will join the roster. The Miners signed seven junior college transfers. Five of them enrolled early and have a shot to compete for starting jobs. Four of the transfers — Robert Corner, Duron Lowe, Ty’Reke James and Miles Banks — came at defensive back. There will also be a push from existing players on the roster who know the system. Five of the six starters who graduates had an underclassman backing them up.

“With A.J. and Jamar, until last year, they had nev- er done anything in their career,” Dana Dimel said. “This is where player development has to come in.”

UTEP’s defense kept the Miners in several games that they had no business being in. Before November, the Miners only gave up more than 31 points once. With what should be an improved offense coming back, Cox’s group has to find a way to do it again.