I've been UTEP's biggest fan from afar"

Sean Kugler Returns to El Paso to Head Up UTEP Football Program

EL PASO, TEXAS – Former UTEP player and coach Sean Kugler was named the 25th head coach of the Miners on Monday.

Kugler, 46, returns to the Sun City following three seasons as the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has 11 years of NFL experience, also working with the Detroit Lions (2001-05) and the Buffalo Bills (2007-09).

Kugler was on the UTEP staff from 1993-2000, and was assistant head coach at Boise State in 2006, when the Broncos finished 13-0 and beat Oklahoma 43-42 in the Fiesta Bowl, unanimously viewed as one of the greatest postseason games in college football history.

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The Kugler File

Bio

Playing Career

Coaching Career

• Born: 8/9/66 (Age 46)
  Hometown: Lockport, N.Y.
  Alma Mater: UTEP, 1989 (B.S. from South Florida, 1991)
  Wife: Patsy
  Children: Robert (19), Patrick (17), Kali (11)

• Year	Team
  1981-84	Desales Catholic High School
  1985-88	UTEP
  1989	Pittsburgh Steelers
  1991	Sacramento Surge (World League)

  Playing Accomplishments
  

  • Four-year letterman at UTEP
  • helped the Miners to 21 wins his last three seasons as a starting guard – including 10 his senior year, with an Independence Bowl berth
  • second team All-WAC in 1988 … named to the all-time UTEP team by Athlon magazine
  • selected to the National Strength and Conditioning Association first team All-American Strength Team in 1987 and 1988
  • signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 1989 … started at guard for the Sacramento Surge in the World League of American Football in 1991.

• Year	Team	Position
  1990-91	Tampa Bay Vo-Tech HS	Offensive Line/Defensive Line Coach
  1992	Gaither High School	Offensive Line/Strength & Conditioning Coach
  1993	UTEP	Graduate Assistant/Defensive Line Coach
  1994	UTEP	Tight Ends/Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach
  1995-2000	UTEP	Offensive Line Coach
  2001-03	Detroit Lions	Tight Ends Coach
  2004-05	Detroit Lions	Offensive Line/Tight Ends Coach
  2006	Boise State	Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach
  2007	Buffalo Bills	Assistant Offensive Line Coach
  2008-09	Buffalo Bills	Offensive Line Coach
  2010-12	Pittsburgh Steelers	Offensive Line Coach
  2013-	UTEP	Head Coach

  Coaching Accomplishments
  

  • Part of a Tampa Bay Vo-Tech High School coaching staff that led the team to the winningest season in school history (10-2) in 1990
  • coached four All-WAC players at UTEP (Carey Clayton, Alan Gray, Jeff Seeton, Anwar White)
  • was the offensive line coach for the Miners when they had 1,000-yard rushers in 1995 (Toraino Singleton) and 1999 (Paul Smith)
  • the Miners had 15 games with 400+ yards of offense his last two seasons (1999-2000) and averaged 32.3 points in 2000, the year they finished 8-4 and won the WAC title
  • UTEP ranked 22nd nationally in scoring offense and 27th in passing offense (248.2 ypg) in 2000 en route to playing in the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl
  • spend three seasons as tight ends coach for the Detroit Lions (2001-03) before adding the offensive line to his list of responsibilities in 2004
  • returned to the college ranks in 2006 as assistant head coach and offensive line coach at Boise State
  • the Broncos were the only unbeaten team in Division I-A that year, fashioning a 13-0 mark with a thrilling 43-42 victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl
  • Boise State ended the campaign rated sixth nationally in rushing offense (222.8 ypg)
  • Bronco running back Ian Johnson rushed for 1,755 yards and 25 touchdowns in '06, totals that ranked second and first nationally
  • among Kugler's protégés at Boise State was offensive tackle Ryan Clady, a future Pro Bowler with the Denver Broncos, an All-WAC honoree Jeff Cavender
  • joined the Buffalo Bills' staff for the 2007 season, working primarily with the offensive tackles, and was elevated to offensive line coach in January, 2008
  • tutored left tackle Jason Peters to consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in 2007 and 2008 … Kugler's 2007 O-Line allowed just 26 sacks to establish a team record
  • the Bills' offensive line paved the way for three consecutive 1,000-yard rushers (Marshawn Lynch 2007 & 2008, Fred Jackson 2009)
  • hired on January 14, 2010 as the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line coach
  • the Steelers outrushed 17 of 19 opponents in 2010 and averaged 120.3 yards per game despite losing both starting offensive tackles to season-ending injuries
  • coached first-year center Maurkice Pouncey, who responded by becoming the first Steelers rookie offensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl since 1956
  • coached in the 2011 Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers … Pittsburgh posted its highest yards per carry average in 10 years (4.4) in 2011
  • with the offensive line setting the table, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for the second-most yards in franchise history (4,077) with the second-most completions (324)
  • in the last 10 games of the season, the Steelers converted on 36-of-42 red zone opportunities with 23 touchdowns and 13 field goals
  • Pouncey was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year and was voted first team All-Pro
  • Kugler was instrumental in Steeler linemen earning the Joe Greene Great Performance Award in back-to-back years (Pouncey in 2010, Marcus Gilbert in 2011)
  • the Steelers' offensive line has come on late this season after enduring a myriad of injuries
  • Pittsburgh has yielded 27 sacks, down from 42 in 2011, despite playing the bulk of the season without Gilbert (ankle) and first-round pick David DeCastro (torn MCL).