Gabe Franklin Position: Defensive Backs Coach Alma Mater: Boise State 2004

Gabe Franklin joined the UTEP staff as cornerbacks coach on July 6, 2011.

In his first year with the Miners, Franklin served as a mentor to Antwon Blake, who started all 12 games at left corner and led the team with seven pass break-ups. Blake also posted 46 tackles, an interception and two blocked kicks before signing a free agent contract with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars. The starter at right corner during the 2011 season, Drew Thomas, contributed 49 tackles and six pass deflections.

Franklin served as cornerbacks coach for the University of San Diego during the 2010 season. He helped the Toreros forge a mark of 5-6, including a winning record (5-3) in the Pioneer Football League.

He mentored Al-Rilwan Adeyemi to an appearance on the 2010 All-PFL Defensive First Team. Adeyemi was second on the squad with 48 tackles, including 32 solo, while registering a team-high six interceptions. He also contributed four pass breakups.

Prior to his time at USD, Franklin spent two years on the Cal football staff (2008-09) as an administrative assistant on the defensive side of the football. Prominent players coached at Cal include 2011 NFL third-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears, Chris Conte, and two-time first team All Pac-10 and 2010 NFL seventh-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos Syd'Quan Thompson.

His start in coaching came at his high school alma mater, Bishop O'Dowd, in 2007. He aided the squad to a second-place finish in the league and a spot in the first round of the playoffs.

Franklin was an outstanding player in his own right before entering the coaching ranks. From 2001-04 he was a member of a Boise State team that compiled a 44-7 record and won a pair of bowl games. He finished as the NCAA's career leader in passes defended (72), and was a three-time All-WAC selection. He rates third at BSU and tied for fourth in conference history with 18 interceptions. Additionally he started every game of his collegiate career.

In 2004 he posted a team-high 17 pass breakups to go along with 61 tackles and four picks on the way to securing first team All-Conference accolades. He reaped second team All-League honors after tallying eight interceptions as a junior in 2003.

After Boise State, Franklin was a free agent signee with the San Diego Chargers in 2005. He was also a member of the New York Giants that year. Franklin remained in the NFL through 2007, enjoying stints with the Chargers (2006, 2007) and San Francisco 49ers (2006) while also competing for the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe in 2007.

The native of Oakland, Calif., graduated from BSU with a bachelor of science degree in psychology in 2004. He married his wife, Kelly, on June 25, 2010.