UTSA Roadrunners (1-0) vs. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (0-1)
2 p.m. | Sept. 19, 2020
Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas
TV: ESPN3
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
Opening drive
• UTSA and Stephen F. Austin will meet for the first time on the gridiron on Saturday.
• First-year UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor played at Stephen F. Austin in 1986-89.
• The Roadrunners are 5-4 in home openers and have won three of their last four.
• Saturday's home-opening date of Sept. 19 is UTSA's latest Alamodome debut in any season in program history.
• Sophomore RB Sincere McCormick posted the FBS' top single-game rushing yardage total of the season with his school-record 197-yard output versus Texas State.
• Dating back to last season, senior PK Hunter Duplessis has made 12 consecutive field goals, the second-longest active streak in FBS.
• The Roadrunners set a school record with 14 tackles for loss against Texas State and they currently lead the FBS in TFL/game.
• Saturday's game will air on ESPN3, marking the 86th straight UTSA game to be broadcast.
Setting the scene
Fresh off a thrilling 51-48 double-overtime victory over I-35 rival Texas State, UTSA will open its home schedule this Saturday, Sept. 19, when it hosts Stephen F. Austin at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners (1-0) and Lumberjacks (0-1) — former Southland Conference foes in other sports — are meeting for the first time on the football field in what will mark the home debut of first-year head coach Jeff Traylor, who played for the Lumberjacks in 1986-89.
Tuning in
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN3, which can be viewed on the ESPN app or online at watchespn.com (cable/satellite provider credentials are required to stream the game). Lincoln Rose (play-by-play) and LaDarrin McLane (analyst) have the call. The contest will air live on Ticket 760 AM in the San Antonio area. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Pat Evans (reporter) will call all the action. The pregame show will begin at 12 p.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The radio broadcast also can be heard online at goUTSA.com and Ticket760.com and via the free iHeartRadio app or TuneIn.
UTSA fan safety plan in place for 2020 home slate
UTSA has implemented a comprehensive fan attendance safety plan for all six home games at the Alamodome due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan, which will allow attendance at a reduced capacity of 17% and with physical distancing measures, follows all state and local health directives and focuses on risk mitigation strategies that promote the safety of student-athletes, fans and staff. For more information, please visit goUTSA.com/fanguidelines.
2020 marks 10th season of UTSA football
UTSA is celebrating its 10th season of football in 2020. The Roadrunners started their football program from scratch and, following a practice season in 2010, played their first season as an FCS Independent in 2011 before joining the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012 campaign. UTSA moved into its current league home — Conference USA — in 2013 and became a full-fledged FBS member starting with the 2014 season. The Roadrunners set NCAA modern startup program records in 2011 by drawing 56,743 fans to their inaugural game against Northeastern State and by averaging 35,521 fans for their six home contests that season. UTSA made its first postseason appearance at the 2016 New Mexico Bowl in its sixth season of play and registered its first win against a team from a Power 5 conference the following season with a 17-10 victory over Baylor.
Game 108
Now in their 10th season of play, the Roadrunners will play their 108th game in program history and 54th home contest on Saturday. The Roadrunners are 46-61 all-time and 26-27 at the Alamodome.
UTSA in home openers
The Roadrunners will take a 5-4 all-time record in home openers into Saturday's contest against Stephen F. Austin. UTSA has won three of its last four home debuts, including a 35-7 victory over UIW last fall. The Roadrunners won their first two home openers in 2011 (Northeastern State) and '12 (Texas A&M-Commerce) before facing a gauntlet of Power 5 programs in three straight setbacks from 2013 to 2015 against Oklahoma State, Arizona and Kansas State. UTSA got back on the winning track with back-to-back wins against Alabama State in 2016 and Southern the following year.
Worth the wait
Saturday's home-opening date of Sept. 19 will mark UTSA's latest Alamodome debut in any season in program history. The previous latest home opener occurred on Sept. 16, 2017, when UTSA routed Southern, 51-17. Conversely, the earliest home opener in school annals happened last fall when the Roadrunners rolled past UIW, 35-7, on Aug. 31, 2019.
Traylor era gets off to successful start
The Jeff Traylor got off to a successful start on national television with the 51-48 double-overtime victory over Texas State last Saturday in San Marcos. The Roadrunners built a 24-7 halftime lead only to see the Bobcats claw all the way back to knot the score at 41-all and force overtime. After both teams scored touchdowns in the first extra period, Texas State missed a short field goal and Hunter Duplessis calmly drilled a 29-yarder to help UTSA improve to 4-0 all-time against Texas State. Traylor boasts 30 years of coaching experience, including a highly successful 15-year career as head coach at Gilmer High School, where he led his hometown Buckeyes to three state championships and two state runner-up finishes and posted a 175-26 (.871) record. Named the third head coach in UTSA history on Dec. 10, 2019, Traylor previously was the associate head coach and running backs coach at Arkansas (2018-19) and SMU (2017) after two seasons at Texas serving as associate head coach for the offense and receivers coach in 2016 and special teams coordinator and tight ends coach in 2015.
Scouting Stephen F. Austin
The Lumberjacks, an FCS member of the Southland Conference, dropped their season opener, 24-14, to UTEP on Sept. 5 in El Paso. Stephen F. Austin held the Miners to 364 yards of offense and was led on defense by linebacker DayDay Coleman, who had seven tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage. Quarterback Trae Self completed 14 of 21 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, while De'Leon Ward led the ground attack with 51 yards and a TD. Head coach Colby Carthel is in his second season at the helm after leading the Lumberjacks to a 3-6 record in 2019. Carthel previously was the head coach at Texas A&M-Commerce for six season, guiding the Lions to the 2017 NCAA Division II Championship.
Traylor ties to SFA
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has several ties to Stephen F. Austin. He played football for the Lumberjacks from 1986-89 and earned both his bachelor's (1990) and master's (2002) degrees from the school. His wife, Cari, as well as both of his parents also received bachelor's and master's degrees from SFA, while one of his brothers also graduated from the university located in Nacogdoches.
Last time out
Sincere McCormick rushed for a school-record 197 yards and Hunter Duplessis drilled a 29-yard field goal in the second overtime to lift UTSA to a 51-48 road win over Texas State, keeping the Roadrunners perfect all-time against the Bobcats on a steamy Saturday afternoon at Bobcat Stadium. McCormick's record day and Duplessis' 12th consecutive made field goal dating back to last season helped seal a victorious debut for first-year head coach Jeff Traylor. Duplessis, a senior from San Antonio Cole High School, split the uprights on his third kick of the day to help the Roadrunners put an end to a wild contest in the fourth meeting on the gridiron between the I-35 rivals. The Roadrunners built a 24-7 halftime lead only to see the Bobcats claw back to knot the score on a 91-yard punt return by Jeremiah Haydel with 1:16 left to play in regulation. Texas State had a chance to grab the lead but Alan Orona's extra point sailed wide. Both teams found the end zone in the first extra period, including a highlight-reel one-handed catch by UTSA sophomore wide receiver Joshua Cephus, before Orona missed a short field goal to set the stage for Duplessis' game winner. The Roadrunners tallied 499 yards of offense, their most since the 2017 win at Texas State, and rushed for 330 yards, the third-best total in program history.
Season-opening success
UTSA ran its record to 8-2 in season openers with the 51-48 victory over Texas State last Saturday, its second straight victory in a season lid-lifter.
Roadrunners up for national awards
Five Roadrunners have been named to or nominated for national award watch lists. Lucas Dean was added to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award for the nation's top punter, while Hunter Duplessis is UTSA's nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Sincere McCormick appears on the watch list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, which is given to the top offensive player in college football with ties to the state of Texas. Solomon Wise is one of 114 players on the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service." Following a stellar season debut in the Texas State win, Frank Harris was added to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Midseason Watch List.
Awards roll in for Roadrunners
UTSA's thrilling 51-48 double-overtime victory over Texas State resulted in several Roadrunners receiving awards for their performances against the Bobcats. Hunter Duplessis was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week after making all three field-goal attempts, including the game winner from 29 yards, while Sincere McCormick was tabbed C-USA Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a program-record 197 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. Frank Harris made an appearance on a pair of weekly quarterback award lists, the Davey O'Brien Award's Great 8 and the Allstate Sugar Bowl Manning Award Stars of the Week. Harris and McCormick also made the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award the honorable mention list.
Bouncing back
For the second straight season, UTSA quarterback Frank Harris has enjoyed a memorable debut after bouncing back from injury. The junior from Schertz Clemens High School ran for a school record-tying three touchdowns and threw for another to help lead the Roadrunners to a 51-48 double-overtime triumph over Texas State last Saturday. Harris completed 23 of 31 passes for 169 yards and carried 11 times for 51 yards and three scores in a turnover-free afternoon to guide the offense to 499 yards, the most since the 2017 win against Texas State. His four touchdowns put him in a tie for the FBS lead in scoring this season and his .742 completion percentage leads Conference USA and ranks sixth nationally, and his week-one performance earned him a spot on the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Midseason Watch List. Harris certainly has displayed the toughness that warrants the No. 0 jersey as voted upon by his teammates. The lefthander has battled back from two knee injuries, including one that knocked him out for the 2018 season, and a pair of shoulder injuries, the last which ended his 2019 campaign. Harris completed 66 of 91 passes for 486 yards, three touchdowns and a QB efficiency rating of 123.87 and he rushed for 126 yards on 39 carries before the season-ending injury on the opening series of the North Texas game. His UTSA debut featured a school record 13 consecutive completions to open the 35-7 win over UIW and he also rushed for 123 yards, a program standard for a QB.
QB room loaded with starting experience
UTSA's quarterbacks room entered the season as one of the most experienced groups of signal callers in the nation. Josh Adkins (20), Frank Harris (4), Lowell Narcisse (7) and Jordan Weeks (4) boasted a combined 35 starts at the FBS level, making UTSA one of just five teams with four QBs who own FBS starts. The others are Arkansas, Northwestern, Old Dominion and Tennessee. In fact, the Roadrunners are the only FBS squad with four quarterbacks who have started at least four games at this level.
Sincere success
After enjoying one of the best debut campaigns in program history last fall, UTSA running back Sincere McCormick made the most of his sophomore season opener. The 2019 Conference USA Freshman of the Year eclipsed his own school record with 197 rushing yards and a touchdown on 29 carries — also a UTSA record — to help the Roadrunners outlast Texas State in double overtime. McCormick ripped off a pair of career-long 58-yard runs and helped UTSA tally 330 yards on the ground for the third-best total in program annals, earning C-USA Offensive Player of the Week accolades for his performance. His 197-yard output stands as the top FBS rushing performance this fall and his 205 all-purpose yards leads the nation. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list member collected Freshman All-America accolades from the Football Writers Association of America after a record-setting debut campaign. The Converse Judson High School product took down the program's single-season all-purpose yardage standard with 1,177 and the single-game rushing yardage mark with 189 in the win at UTEP. He also topped the century mark with 134 yards in the win at Old Dominion and 119 in the season finale at Louisiana Tech, and he now has four 100-yard games under his belt. McCormick finished 2019 with 983 yards and eight touchdowns on 177 carries, an average of 5.6 yards per attempt and 81.9 yards per game. A 2019 honorable mention all-conference pick, he established UTSA freshman records for rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing TDs, rushing yards per attempt and rushing yards per game
Familiar faces return on offensive line
UTSA welcomes back several familiar faces on the offensive line, including a trio of returning starters in Spencer Burford, Kevin Davis and Ahofitu Maka. Burford has 23 games and 22 starts under his belt and the junior from San Antonio Wagner High School earned honorable mention all-conference accolades last season after being named to the 2018 Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Following a redshirt year in 2017, Davis, who hails from Angleton, Texas, stepped into the starting center role in all 12 contests two seasons ago before making the move to guard as a sophomore when he started all 10 games in which he was available. Maka had an immediate impact on the line in his first season with the Roadrunners. UTSA's first player from the state of Hawai'i, he started all 12 contests at center last fall and played every offensive snap in last Saturday's opener. The most experienced returning offensive lineman on the roster is Dominic Pastucci, who has 33 games under his belt. A versatile senior from Pflugerville Hendrickson High School who can play guard or tackle, he has earned eight starts during his career and a reputation as one of the team's strongest performers in the weight room.
Creating havoc in the backfield
The UTSA defense spent a lot of time in the Texas State backfield in Saturday's thrilling double-overtime victory. The Roadrunners recorded 14 tackles for loss, breaking the school record of 12 set in the 2019 season finale at Louisiana Tech. Charles Wiley, a graduate transfer from Mississippi, led the way with 2.5 for a total loss of 11 yards, while senior defensive tackle Jaylon Haynes registered a pair. In all, 13 Roadrunners had a hand in a stop behind the line of scrimmage in the season opener, resulting in a loss of 46 yards. UTSA currently leads the FBS in tackles for loss per game (14.0).
Senior stalwart paces defensive front
In its short history, UTSA has made a name for itself by producing defensive linemen who have moved on to the professional ranks. Headlining that list is 2018 NFL first round draft pick Marcus Davenport, the 2017 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and a current member of the New Orleans Saints. Jaylon Haynes, a senior form Wharton, Texas, could be the next Roadrunner to join the likes of Davenport, Eric Banks, Ashaad Mabry, Jason Neill, Brian Price, Kevin Strong Jr. Haynes enjoyed a breakout 2019 season that saw him lead all defensive linemen with 40 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries en route to honorable mention all-conference accolades. The 2017 C-USA All-Freshman Team selection also registered a pair of sacks, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery last fall. In his 2020 debut, Haynes was once again a force in the middle with four tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.
Not your typical corner
Tariq Woolen did not take the traditional path to starting cornerback for the Roadrunners. The junior from Fort Worth began his UTSA career as a wide receiver and caught 24 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown over the past two seasons after taking a redshirt in 2017. Approached by coaches with a position change late in the 2019 campaign, he jumped at the opportunity to see more playing time in the secondary. He saw significant playing time at cornerback in the season finale against Louisiana Tech and recorded a pair of tackles. Listed at six feet, five inches, Woolen is taller than the typical corner, but his quickness, agility and toughness impressed the coaching staff during fall camp enough to earn the starting nod for the 2020 opener. He made the most of his first start at the position, posting five tackles — all solo — including a sack for a 10-yard loss to go along with one quarterback hurry in the double-overtime victory at Texas State.
Wisdom in the secondary
Despite being on the UTSA campus for less than two years, sophomore safety Rashad Wisdom has emerged as one of the team's leaders. The Converse Judson High School product enrolled in January 2019 and immediately had an impact on the program on and off the field. He earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors after racking up 44 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and an interception that he returned 34 yards for a touchdown in his debut campaign. He provided quite the encore in his 2020 debut, recording a team-high 10 tackles, including 1.5 TFL, and returning an interception 81 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Wisdom's family captured the hearts of the UTSA football program and the San Antonio community over the past year by sharing the story of Rashad's younger brother, Bryce, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and passed away at the age of 17 in July of this year. UTSA will wear a "Bryce Strong" helmet sticker this season in his honor.
Duplessis comes through in the clutch
UTSA place-kicker Hunter Duplessis came through in the clutch in his senior season debut last Saturday, making all three field-goal attempts, including the game-winning 29-yarder at the end of the second overtime period. His 3-for-3 afternoon extended his stretch of consecutive field goals made to 12, the second-longest longest active streak in FBS. Duplessis also successfully converted all six extra-point attempts in the 2020 opener and now has made all 31 of his PATs as a Roadrunner. After missing his first two attempts of the 2019 campaign, the San Antonio Cole High School graduate made his final nine kicks, including at least one in the final four contests. Duplessis — UTSA's nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy — first split the uprights from 25 yards versus North Texas in the fourth game of the year and then made 23- and 43-yarders in the road win over UTEP. He also had successful kicks from 34 and 22 yards in wins against Rice and Old Dominion, respectively. He closed out the home slate with a 25-yard field goal versus Southern Miss and a 41-yarder against Florida Atlantic before nailing both attempts in the season finale at Louisiana Tech. A dual major in cyber security and information systems who carries a 3.78 GPA, Duplessis also was a perfect 25 for 25 on extra-point attempts last fall. He also handles kickoff duties and now owns 11 touchbacks on 38 career kickoffs.
Brotherly duos
UTSA has two sets of brothers on the 2020 roster in junior offensive lineman Kevin Davis and freshman wide receiver Isaiah Davis, along with junior safety Dadrian Taylor and freshman safety Donyai Taylor. That makes the Roadrunners one of 27 FBS teams with at least two brotherly duos.
UTSA roster breakdown
UTSA's 116-man roster features 21 seniors, 27 juniors, 30 sophomores and 38 redshirt or true freshmen. The roster lists 87 players — 75% — who hail from the state of Texas, while the next-closest state is Louisiana with eight. There are five players from both California and Mississippi, while three call Florida home and a pair are from Georgia. UTSA has one player each from Hawai'i, Maryland, Michigan and Tennessee, while freshman punter Lucas Dean is the first Roadrunner from Australia.
Representing the 210
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor and his staff have placed an emphasis on recruiting the 210 area code, which covers the city of San Antonio and surrounding areas. The current roster already includes a lengthy list of 25 local players:
Name (High School)
Josh Adkins (Smithson Valley)
Jabari Aiken (Johnson)
Rudy Aleman Jr. (Warren)
Brenden Brady (Steele)
Spencer Burford (Wagner)
Oscar Cardenas (Brandeis)
JayVeon Cardwell (Steele)
Cade Collenback (O'Connor)
Hunter Duplessis (Cole)
KJ Elder (Warren)
Shaquan Flagg (Brennan)
Frank Harris (Clemens)
Jaden Jones (East Central)
Magnus Kirby (Sam Houston)
Brandon Matterson (Brandeis)
Sincere McCormick (Judson)
Matthew Ojeda (Int'l School of the Americas)
Jaren Randle (Johnson)
Justin Rodriguez (Johnson)
Daniel Santallana (East Central)
Jordan Smith (Brennan)
Xavier Spencer (Judson)
Wiliam Turner (Randolph)
Julon Williams (Judson)
Rashad Wisdom (Judson)
UTSA Triangle of Toughness
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has installed many new ideas since his hiring, including his Culture Pillars: Integrity, Passion, Mental & Physical Toughness, Selfless and Perfect Effort. As part of that new culture, the players voted after fall camp on who would earn single-digit jersey numbers, a reward for representing mental and physical toughness on and off the field. Nos. 0-9 were unveiled in a series of tweets and the numbers 2, 1 and 0 were chosen for the players voted to represent the 210 Brand, the UTSA Triangle of Toughness. Below are the single-digit jersey numbers as voted by their teammates:
0 – Frank Harris, Rashad Wisdom
1 — Jaylon Haynes
2 — Sheldon Jones
3 — Sincere McCormick
4 — Antonio Parks, Leroy Watson
5 — Brenden Brady
6 — Brennon Dingle
7 — Dadrian Taylor
8 — Solomon Wise
9 — Clarence Hicks
Trevor Harmanson also was voted into the single-digit group but elected to stay in No 15, while offensive linemen Spencer Burford, Ahofitu Maka and Dominic Pastucci also received the necessary votes but cannot change to a single-digit number due to their position.
Leadership Council elected
UTSA has elected a Leadership Council made up of representatives from each position group.
QB — Frank Harris
RB — Brenden Brady
WR — Sheldon Jones
TE — Leroy Watson
OL — Dominic Pastucci
DL — Jaylon Haynes
LB — DeQuarius Henry, Tyler Mahnke
DB — Rashad Wisdom
ST — Hunter Duplessis, Myles Benning
Up next
UTSA will welcome defending American Athletic Conference champion Memphis (1-0) to the Alamodome for a Friday night matchup. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network and Ticket 760 in the San Antonio area.
-UTSA-
