Via UTEP Athletics: UTEP Football Head Coach Scotty Walden named Mark Cala the Miners’ offensive coordinator and Joshua Eargle the tight ends coach/offensive run game coordinator on Friday.

Cala comes to UTEP from TCU, where he served as the Horned Frogs’ quarterbacks coach for two seasons (2023-2024).

“Mark Cala is one of the brightest up-and-coming names in the profession,” Walden said. “I was extremely impressed with his football knowledge and philosophical alignment offensively In the interview process. His expertise in utilizing and getting the most out of our personnel will help our offense take the next step!”

Cala played collegiately at Puget Sound and began his coaching career there in 2015. Before TCU, Cala was the offensive analyst/assistant quarterbacks coach at Arkansas from 2020 to 2022, an offensive graduate assistant at Florida State in 2019, an offensive graduate assistant (quarterbacks) at Houston in 2018, an offensive analyst (quarterbacks) in 2017, and offensive quality control (running backs/special teams assistant in 2016 at Florida Atlantic, and a quarterbacks coach at Puget Sound during the 2015 season.

The Albuquerque, N.M., native returns to the southwest after helping La Cueva High School win a state title in 2009. Cala began his collegiate career as a defensive back at New Mexico before transferring to Puget Sound.

TCU ranked seventh nationally in passing yards per game in 2023 and 2024 while ranking 11th in total offense during the 2023 campaign. The Horned Frogs ranked 23rd in red zone offense in 2024 and 14th in third-down offense in 2023. The TCU QBs combined for 60 total touchdowns during Cala’s two seasons.

While at Arkansas, the quarterbacks tallied 85 total touchdowns and only 14 interceptions in three seasons. Cala’s efforts in 2019 helped elevate an offense that ranked 111th to 28th in total offense in 2021 and 16th in 2022. The Razorbacks ranked seventh in rushing yards per game in 2021 and 2022.

Cala received his Bachelor of Business Administration at the University of Puget Sound in 2015.

Eargle has over 20 years of coaching experience and hops over from the Sunshine State at FIU to the Sun City and UTEP.

“I’m really fired up to be reunited with Josh Eargle,” Walden said. “He gave me a shot as a young OC at East Texas Baptist and I could not be more appreciative. He and Kristen and their beautiful children have always held a special place in my family and I. Josh is a straight-up ball coach. With his Texas ties and experience, he will add a ton of value to our coaching staff!”

Eargle served as the Panthers’ deputy head coach/offensive line coach during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In Conference USA, FIU ranked no. 1 in the least sacks allowed (17) and sacks allowed per game (1.4). The Panthers’ scoring offense ranked third in CUSA at 26.3 points per game. Prior to being elevated, he also directed the tight ends in 2022. Tight ends Rivaldo Fairweather (28 rec., 426 yards, 3 TD) and Josiah Miamen (27 rec., 242, 1 TD) combined for 55 catches, 668 yards and four touchdowns in 2022.

Before South Beach, Eargle was an offensive consultant/quarterbacks coach at Memphis in 2021. He was on Kansas’ staff for two seasons (2019-2020), serving as the recruiting coordinator/tight ends coach in 2020 and an offensive analyst in 2019. Eargle acted as head coach for one game in 2020. Eargle coached at Austin Peay for three seasons – interim coach/offensive coordinator in 2018 and the run game coordinator/offensive line coach in 2016 and 2017.

Eargle brings head coaching experience as he was at the helm at East Texas Baptist for three years (2013-2015). Before that, Eargle was the defensive coordinator at Southeastern Oklahoma State.

He was a defensive coordinator at Hallsville High School in 2011, the offensive coordinator at Arkansas-Monticello in 2010, assistant offensive line coach/offensive quality control at LSU in 2009, recruiting coordinator/offensive line/tight ends coach at Nicholls State in 20007-2008, assistant offensive line coach at Southern Miss in 2006, recruiting coordinator/offensive line/tight ends coach at Ouachita Baptist in 2005, and offensive grad assistant (offensive line) at Southern Miss in 2003 and 2004.

Eargle was a three-year football letterman winner (1999-2001).

Eargle received his Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Memphis in 2001.