As the spring portal window opens, the UTEP staff is in the midst of exit meetings with members of their football roster. Thus, over the next few days, it's reasonable to expect that there will be several entries into the NCAA transfer portal, and announcements of pending departures began to roll out Tuesday.

Redshirt freshman quarterback JP Pickles, who was thrust into a starting role at one point in 2024 due to injuries to Skyler Locklear and Cade McConnell, announced via social media that he's leaving the program. The Tallahassee (Fla.) native will retain all four years of eligibility, and the Miners still have five scholarship quarterbacks in the wake of his departure. He threw for 226 yards, no touchdowns and one INT in his limited action throughout 2024, adding 39 carries for 133 yards and a TD on the ground.

With Locklear and McConnell battling Boise State transfer Malachi Nelson for the starting job, and youngsters Shay Smith and Chad Warner waiting in the wings, Pickles was the odd man out in the QB room. The former two-star recruit, who flipped his commitment from Austin Peay to UTEP in order to follow Scotty Walden, will likely look to play out the remainder of his college career somewhere closer to home.

Meanwhile, another notable entry into the portal is embattled kicker Buzz Flabiano, who connected on just 20 of his 31 career field-goal attempts in the orange and blue. He'll be perhaps best remembered (albeit ignominiously) for misfiring on a pair of short field-goal attempts in UTEP's 27-24 overtime loss to Southern Utah, which came in the Miners' home opener of the 2024 season. After the campaign concluded, UTEP brought in Utah State transfer Tanner Cragun to compete with Flabiano for the kicking job, and word out of camp had been that Cragun had the upper hand. Flabiano's departure seemingly confirms that reality.

Also in the portal as of Wednesday is safety Dillion Williams, although his intent to transfer had been known for some time. Williams recorded 34 tackles and an interception for the Miners in 2024.

Want to know the who, what, when and why of all things UTEP football and recruiting? Now is a great time to subscribe to MinerInsider.com. Don't miss out on your opportunity to get inside access to UTEP football like never before!