Putting forth the effort

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Former Hornets football standout Adam Ayala works out in the weight room at Huntsville High School on Tuesday afternoon. A redshirt freshman at UTEP this past season, Ayala is working hard over the summer in hopes to get some playing time with the Miners in the fall. The Huntsville Item

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May 28, 2010

Former Hornet football star working way up depth chart at UTEP

By Tom Waddill Sports Editor The Huntsville Item Fri May 28, 2010, 11:24 AM CDT

HUNTSVILLE — Adam Ayala was back in the weight room at Huntsville High School. A redshirt freshman at UTEP, Ayala came back home after he finished his last final exam. While he’s here, Ayala is running and lifting weights, staying in shape for the upcoming college football season.

“Summer school starts on the seventh (of June), then we start our team workouts and go all the way to August when camp starts,” Ayala said surrounded by Hornets in the high school weight room. “I like it a lot at UTEP. It still feels like the place I need to be. I fit in well there.”

This spring, Ayala got to show Miners head coach Mike Price and his assistants that he’s ready to play. UTEP hired a new defensive coordinator after a subpar 2009 season, and according to Ayala, Andre Patterson made some major changes to the Miners’ defensive scheme.

“Coach Patterson put in a new system. We’re a 4-3 team now instead of a 3-3-5,” Ayala explained. “Basically, this spring was about learning the new system and new techniques. We were learning our jobs and our new assignments.”

Ayala said the Miners worked on pass-rush moves, stopping the run and blitz packages. A lot of the things Patterson brought to El Paso, Ayala did back in Huntsville during his senior season with the Hornets.

“I like what coach Patterson is doing, I like his scheme,” Ayala said. “I’m going to play the big end position, and that’s kind of the same thing I played in high school. That adjustment has been pretty easy for me.”

Ayala said the Miners made a lot of progress during offseason workouts this spring. Ayala also made some serious strides, moving up to the No. 2 slot on the depth chart at “big end.”

“I think I got considerably better in the spring,” Ayala said. “I got to show it in our scrimmages and in the spring game. I’m working with the number twos now. I’ve got a senior in front of me, but I’m learning a lot from him.

“If I keep working, I’m expecting to get a lot of playing time this fall. It’s up to me.”

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Putting forth the effort

Former Hornet football star working way up depth chart at UTEP

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