Micheal Comer has always had strong family values.

Following his senior year at Odessa Permian High School in Texas, the two time all-state athlete just wanted to do what was right for himself and family.

He was a stand-out linebacker but at only 5-feet-9inches, his height made him a risk.

He had offers from Texas, Texas Tech, Rice, UTEP and Penn State.

Penn State with all of its tradition of great linebackers and national fame was half way across the country, in a foreign place to Comer, a place far from his parents and brothers.

He grew up in Texas, his traveling stopped at the state line, he had no reason to leave his family.

At UTEP, he would only be three hours from home and at a school where he could make an impact immediately.

It wasn't a hard choice after all.

As a freshman he was second on the depth chart, only an injury or coaches decision kept him from the field. Barron Wortham, the senior linebacker, was having a great season, racking up double-digit tackles on a regular basis. Then in the fifth game at Nor th Carolina, with Wortham injured, Comer got his chance. He recorded 14 tackles in a game that came down to the wire before the Tar Heels prevailed 45-40.

The team had lost, but Comer had grown. He went on to finish the season with 33 tackles and a sack. Wortham, his mentor, set the school record with 151 tackles, a record that Comer would break.

"I don't have any regrets coming to UTEP, it was the right decision at that time," Comer said.

It was UTEP that made the decision to take a chance with the stocky linebacker.

Comer started his sophomore year and led the team with 142 tackles, 89 being solo. He was honored with a selection on the All-Western Athletic Conference second-team.

Last season, he took over the reins as defensive leader on his way to breaking Wortham's record with a 152 tackles, 98 being unassisted. Coming from the WAC, a conference only known for its offense, Comer is probably one of the nation's top linebackers th at no one has ever heard of.

This season improvement is a great deal to ask.

"That is a lot of tackles to make, I always hope to improve, but it is all is based on winning," Comer said. "If we win eight games and I get 100 tackles, I would consider that a successful season for myself."

The last time the Miners won eight games was in 1988 (10-3), in the seven years since they have won a combined 16 games. Comer has been there for six of them.

He was around last year when the Miners gave up an average of 496.4 yards-per-game to go along with the 40.5 average-points they surrendered.

Entering tomorrow night's game, the Miners are a 26-point underdog. Nothing new to Comer and his defense. But this is a new season, a new family for Comer to be the father figure to.

"Our expectations are high, if we upset Arizona that would be great, but we go into every game with the expectation that we can win," Comer said.

Arizona's new offense will be relentless, with the pressure of getting off on the right track.

Comer and his crew will have to be huge, especially the senior that everyone looks too.

"Being a leader takes a lot of responsibility, I take it in hand," Comer said.

Last season he took Arizona State by the hand, finishing with 21 tackles in the 45-20 loss. He had his best game and they still gave up 45 points, it kind of put a damper on his afternoon.

Returning home after that loss, it was easy to question why to go on. But the moment after every loss, he sees his wife Sherlonda and two-year-old daughter Alexandria, and it no longer is a thought.

"She (Sherlonda) has been the backbone of my career, we have had some hard times, poor seasons here at UTEP and she has always been the one person I coud lean on," Comer said. "To able to go home to them, she has always been my support and brought me back from being down."

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