UTSA Roadrunners (3-2) vs. Army West Point Black Knights (4-1)
12:30 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 17
Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
Opening drive
• UTSA will host Army West Point for the second straight season on Saturday at the Alamodome.
• The Black Knights won the only previous meeting 31-13 on Sept. 14, 2019.
• Army will be the second consecutive FBS Independent opponent for the Roadrunners.
• UTSA leads Conference USA and ranks fifth in the FBS with 10 takeaways, including seven interceptions (1st/C-USA; 3rd/FBS).
• Sophomore RB Sincere McCormick leads the FBS in rushing yards (569).
• Senior PK Hunter Duplessis has made 20 consecutive field goals, the longest active streak in FBS, and he leads the country with 11 field goals this season.
• Sophomore P Lucas Dean ranks second in C-USA and seventh in the FBS in punting average (46.2).
• Saturday's game will air on CBS Sports Network, marking the 90th straight UTSA game to be broadcast.
Setting the scene
UTSA will return home to the friendly confines of the Alamodome to host Army West Point in the annual Military Appreciation Game on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff is slated for 12:30 p.m. and the game will air on CBS Sports Network and Ticket 760 AM in San Antonio. The Roadrunners (3-2) will welcome the Black Knights (4-1) to Military City USA for the second straight season in a game that was not announced until Aug. 24 after both teams ended up with open dates on their fall schedules following cancelations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tuning in
Saturday's game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network, which also is available through CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App with select providers. Dave Ryan (play-by-play), Corey Chavous (analyst) and Justin Walters (reporter) 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 10:30 a.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The radio broadcast also can be heard online at goUTSA.comand Ticket760.com and via the free iHeartRadio app or TuneIn.
Military City USA
Home to one of the largest concentrations of military bases in the United States, San Antonio is Military City USA and it is only fitting that UTSA will host a football game against one of the service academies this weekend at the Alamodome. Joint Base San Antonio consists of three installations — Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base and Randolph Air Force Base — and it is the largest joint base in the Department of Defense. UTSA's game against Army is presented by USAA and designated as the annual Military Appreciation Game.
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.
Few call a dome home
The Roadrunners are one of only two FBS teams to play their home games indoors. UTSA, which boasts a 28-27 all-time mark inside the Alamodome, joins Syracuse (Carrier Dome) as the only FBS programs to play their home games in indoor venues.
Taking schedule changes in stride
The 2020 college football season has been anything but normal and like many other teams, UTSA has felt the effects of schedule changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Roadrunners originally were scheduled to open the campaign on Sept. 5 against defending national champion LSU in Baton Rouge, but SEC-wide schedule changes eliminated that game from the fall lineup. UTSA also was due to host Grambling on Sept. 19, but the Southwestern Athletic Conference postponed its football season to the spring, forcing the Roadrunners to replace that nonconference clash with Stephen F. Austin. UTSA also lost a Conference USA home game when Old Dominion opted out of the 2020 football season. The Roadrunners filled that open Oct. 17 home date with Army West Point and also added this Saturday's road date with BYU to get back to 12 regular season games. On Sept. 19, Memphis announced it would be unable to travel to San Antonio for a Sept. 25 matchup, but UTSA was able to quickly replace the Tigers with Middle Tennessee for a C-USA contest that resulted in a 37-35 triumph for the Roadrunners.
TV birds
All 12 of UTSA's scheduled regular season games this fall have been selected for broadcast. The Roadrunners, who have seen their last 89 outings appear over the airwaves, will make it 96 straight televised/streamed appearances by the end of the regular season. In fact, the last UTSA game that was not broadcast was the 2012 season finale against Texas State.
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.
Who's counting?
Now in their 10th season of play, the Roadrunners will play their 112th game in program history and 56th home contest on Saturday. The Roadrunners are 48-63 all-time and 28-27 at the Alamodome, including a 2-0 mark this season. By comparison, Army has been playing football since 1890 and owns three national championships, a trio of Heisman Trophy winners and an all-time record of 701-526-51.
Scouting Army West Point
The Black Knights ran their record to 4-1 on the season with a 14-9 home triumph over The Citadel last Saturday. Army, which is receiving votes in both national polls, opened the year with a 42-0 rout of Middle Tennessee and a 37-7 victory over ULM before dropping a 24-10 decision at Cincinnati on Sept. 26. The Black Knights are averaging 366.6 yards per game with 311.0 of those yards coming on the ground, good for second in the FBS. Freshman running back Tyrell Robinson pace the attack with 264 yards, while quarterbacks Christian Anderson and Jemel Jones have rushed for 239 and 237 yards, respectively. Army has attempted just 47 passes, completing 20 for 278 yards and two touchdowns through five games. Defensively, the Black Knights are allowing 264.2 yards and 12.6 points per contest. Jon Rhattigan leads the unit with 36 tackles and five tackles for loss to go along with 1.5 sacks, two PBUs, an interception and a fumble recovery. Head coach Jeff Monken is 44-37 in his seventh season at the helm.
Last meeting
UTSA's Jarrod Carter-McLin and Andrew Martel posted 10 tackles apiece, but Army rushed for 340 yards in a 31-13 victory on Sept. 14, 2019, in front of 30,718 fans at the Alamodome. The Black Knights completed the only two passes they attempted for just 18 yards and rode their ground game, which tallied 197 yards after halftime, in downing the Roadrunners in the first meeting between the two programs. Army quarterback Jabari Laws led the rushing attack with 137 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, while Kell Walker added 80 yards on five rushes and Connor Slomka rushed for 58 on 17 totes. UTSA quarterback Frank Harris threw for 187 yards on 23 of 31 passing, while Carlos Strickland II and Blaze Moorhead caught four passes apiece for 38 and 20 yards, respectively. Meanwhile, Carter-McLin posted five solo tackles and 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage to help pace the Roadrunners defense. Martel tallied eight solo stops, while Baylen Baker and Jaylon Haynes each registered seven tackles.
Last time out
Lowell Narcisse came off the bench to throw for 229 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-20 passing, but Zach Wilson threw for 292 yards and a pair of scores to help No. 15 BYU hold off UTSA 27-20 on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Field. UTSA pulled to within one score early in the final quarter when Zakhari Franklin, who had seven catches for 79 yards, went up high to grab a 32-yard touchdown pass from Narcisse. Hunter Duplessis' PAT made it 21-13 with 14:26 remaining. The two teams traded possessions before BYU pushed its lead out to 27-13 on a 6-yard TD dash by Tyler Allgeier, who finished with 116 yards on 19 carries. The Roadrunners raced right back down the field and made things interesting after Narcisse hit a wide-open Brennon Dingle, who caught four passes for 60 yards, on a 34-yard touchdown pass with 1:17 left to play. UTSA then attempted an onside kick that the Cougars recovered. However, the Roadrunners forced a punting situation with fewer than 20 seconds left, but a roughing the punter penalty gave the ball back to BYU, which secured the win with one kneel-down. Charles Wiley posted six tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage, and one quarterback pressure, to help lead a defense that limited the nation's top offense to 170 yards in the second half.
Traylor makes history with 3-0 start
Jeff Traylor became the first head coach in UTSA history to win his first three games, which also marked the third 3-0 start in program annals and the first since 2017. The Roadrunners pulled out a thrilling 51-48 double-overtime victory over Texas State in Traylor's debut on Sept. 12 and then defeated his alma mater, Stephen F. Austin, 24-10, in the home opener the following Saturday before making history with the 37-35 victory over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. 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.
Down to the wire
UTSA is no stranger to close contests, as all five this season have been one-score ballgames in the fourth quarter. The Roadrunners opened the season with a double-overtime decision at Texas State that saw the Bobcats rally to tie the score with 1:16 left to play before UTSA escaped with a 51-48 win after Hunter Duplessis' field goal in the second extra frame. UTSA's home opener versus Stephen F. Austin saw the Roadrunners storm out to a 17-0 advantage only to have the Lumberjacks climb back to within 17-10 until a Frank Harris TD run with 7:08 left to play secured a 24-10 victory. UTSA held a 37-29 fourth-quarter lead over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25 before a Blue Raiders touchdown with 1:04 left on the clock made it a two-point contest. The pass attempt on the two-point try fell incomplete, sending UTSA to its first 3-0 start since 2017. On Oct. 3, the Roadrunners trailed UAB by a 21-6 count early in the final stanza before Sincere McCormick's touchdown dash and Duplessis' PAT pulled UTSA to within 21-13 with 10:31 remaining, but the Blazers held on for the win. In their last outing at No. 15 BYU, the Roadrunners cut a 21-6 deficit to one score after a 32-yard TD pass from Lowell Narcisse to Zakhari Franklin early in the fourth. After the Cougars pushed their lead to 27-20 with 2:18 left to play, Narcisse found a wide-open Brennon Dingle for a 34-yard scoring connection that helped make it 27-20 with 1:17 left, but BYU held on for the win after recovering an onside kick.
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. Frank Harris was added to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Midseason Watch List after the first week of the season, while Ahofitu Maka appears on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's most outstanding center. 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."
C-USA weekly awards roll in for Roadrunners
UTSA's successful start to the season has helped lead to several accolades from the league office. Jamal Ligon was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 28 following his record-setting performance in the 37-35 victory over Middle Tennessee. The true freshman linebacker broke the school's single-game tackles record with 19, the most in a game by any FBS player this season. On Sept. 21, Frank Harris collected the program's second straight C-USA Offensive Player of the Week award after accounting for 373 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Stephen F. Austin. Following the season-opening, double-overtime victory against Texas State on Sept. 12, Hunter Duplessis received the C-USA special teams weekly award 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 TD on 29 carries. With four weekly C-USA awards through its first five games, UTSA already has matched the school standard for most earned in a single year (2014).
Another program first
UTSA made history on Sept. 20 after receiving votes in that week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll. Now in their 10th season of football and ninth as a member of an FBS conference, the Roadrunners received two votes, marking the first time UTSA has collected a vote for either of the weekly top 25 polls. UTSA has not received any top-25 votes in the last three weeks.
Balanced offense a key
Under the direction of offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., the Roadrunners have featured a balanced offensive attack this season. UTSA is averaging 405.4 yards per game, passing for 223.6 yards per outing and rushing for 181.8 yards per contest. UTSA tallied 499 yards of offense in the season opener versus Texas State and followed that with a 498-yard effort against Stephen F. Austin, marking the second-most yards gained in a two-game span in program history. The Roadrunners racked up 330 yards on the ground in the double-overtime win at Texas State, the third-best rushing output in school annals, and they passed for a season-high 303 yards in the 37-35 triumph over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. In their last outing, the Roadrunners chalked up 287 yards through the air against No. 15 BYU, which entered that game leading all of FBS in total defense.
Converting in the red zone
UTSA has been nearly perfect in the red zone this season. The Roadrunners have reached the opponent's 20-yard line 21 times through the first five contests and they have scored on 20 of those trips with 11 touchdowns and nine field goals. The only unsuccessful visit to the red zone occurred in the first half of the UAB contest when UTSA did not convert on four tries following a first-and-goal opportunity from the 2-yard line.
Sincere success
After enjoying one of the best debut campaigns in program history last fall, UTSA running back Sincere McCormick is off to a fast start to his sophomore season. The 2019 Conference USA Freshman of the Year opened the fall by breaking 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. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list member followed that by tallying 98 yards on the ground in the 24-10 win over Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before rushing for 82 yards and another score in the win against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. The Converse Judson High School product notched the fifth 100-yard performance of his 16-game career with 150 yards and a TD on 22 totes against UAB on Oct. 3 in what was a matchup of two of the top rushers in the nation. The 2019 Freshman All-American leads the FBS in rushing yards with 569 and he stands 11th nationally with 113.8 yards per game, 18th with four rushing TDs, 23rd with 129.8 all-purpose yards per contest and 30th with a 5.69 yards-per-carry average. McCormick owns the top two rushing performances in C-USA this fall
Welcome back, Zakhari
UTSA sophomore wide receiver Zakhari Franklin has picked up where he left off in his debut campaign. After missing the first two games this season, the Cedar Hill High School product caught six passes for 119 yards and a touchdown to help lead the Roadrunners to a 37-35 win over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. He was on the receiving end of a 25-yard TD pass from Frank Harris in the first half and he nearly had his second score of the night on a season-long 48-yard catch-and-run to the 1-yard line. It marked the second 100-yard receiving output of his young career behind a 134-yard effort on six receptions in the win at Old Dominion last November. He was limited to two catches for 10 yards in the UAB contest on Oct. 3, but he hauled in seven passes for 79 yards, including outjumping a pair of BYU defenders for a 32-yard TD reception, in his last outing. Franklin had 491 yards and three TDs on 38 catches in 2019 and with 435 of those yards during the final five contests, he now has 643 receiving yards in his last eight games including 208 yards and a pair of scores on 15 catches this fall.
Sure-handed Cephus emerges at receiver
UTSA sophomore Joshua Cephus has emerged as one of the team's top receiving targets through the first five games. The Spring, Texas, native made waves with his highlight-reel touchdown catch in overtime of the 51-48 season-opening win over Texas State on Sept. 12. With a defender draped all over him — defensive pass interference was called — the 6-3 wide receiver made a diving, one-handed grab in the end zone, a catch that earned the No. 1 spot on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays of the Day. Cephus finished with six receptions for 44 yards in the season opener and followed that with a career day in the 24-10 win over Stephen F. Austin, hauling in eight passes for 89 yards and his second TD of the season on a 4-yard pass in the final minutes of the first half. Cephus caught his third TD pass of the young season on a 7-yard throw from Josh Adkins late in the third quarter of the win against Middle Tennessee and he added three receptions for 42 yards versus UAB the following week. He had four grabs for 58 yards, including a 32-yard grab in tight coverage, versus No. 15 BYU and he leads the Roadrunners in receptions (26), receiving yards (263) and receiving TDs (3).
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 prior to 2020, making UTSA one of just five teams with four QBs with FBS starts under their belts. The others were Arkansas, Northwestern, Old Dominion and Tennessee. Through five games, UTSA has seen two different quarterbacks earn starts, while all four of the QBs have seen significant playing time.
Bouncing back
For the second straight season, UTSA quarterback Frank Harris 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. 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. A member of the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Midseason Watch List, Harris accounted for 373 yards and three TDs in the 24-10 win against Stephen F. Austin the following Saturday. He became the first UTSA signal caller to register two career 100-yard rushing games after he rushed for 104 yards and two scores on 17 attempts. He also completed 23 of 36 passes for a career-best 269 yards and a TD against the Lumberjacks and collected Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance, Harris certainly has displayed the toughness that warrants the No. 0 jersey he earned after a vote by his teammates. The lefthander has battled back from two knee injuries, including one that knocked him out for the 2018 season, and a shoulder injury that ended his 2019 campaign. Harris left the Middle Tennessee contest late in the first half with an injury after throwing for 70 yards and ripping off a 20-yard run, but he made his return to the field with a start in the BYU contest last week. Despite missing the six quarters of football, he still leads C-USA and ranks eighth in the FBS with five rushing touchdowns.
Narcisse provides spark off bench
In each of the last two games, Lowell Narcisse has come off the bench to spark the offense to near comebacks. The junior dual-threat quarterback entered the UAB game late in the third quarter and broke loose for a 25-yard dash on the third play of the drive. He later found B.J. Daniels on a screen pass that would have resulted in a 28-yard gain into the red zone, but a holding penalty wiped out the play and eventually forced a punt. UTSA did find the end zone on the next possession, pulling to within 21-13 with 10:31 left to play, but the Blazers held on for the win down the stretch. In the road matchup with No. 15 BYU last Saturday, Narcisse took over under center on the last possession of the second quarter and eventually completed 17 of 20 passes for 229 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a little more than one half. The St. James, La., native's performance was keyed by downfield passing and big plays, as he had five completions of 20-plus yards including a 32-yard TD pass to Zakhari Franklin early in the fourth quarter and a 34-yard scoring strike to Brennon Dingle that helped pull UTSA to within 27-20 with a little more than one minute remaining. He received a 97.6 grade on throws of 20-plus yards from Pro Football Focus, which ranked second in the FBS for the week.
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 27 games and 26 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. Davis made his first appearance in 2020 with a start at right guard versus Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25 and has started the last two games at the same spot. 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 has started the last 17 contests at center. The most experienced returning offensive lineman on the roster is Dominic Pastucci, who has 37 games under his belt. A versatile senior from Pflugerville Hendrickson High School who can play guard or tackle, he has earned 11 starts during his career and a reputation as one of the team's strongest performers in the weight room.
Wreaking havoc
The UTSA defense has a new look in 2020 with the arrival of defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix's 3-4 front. The new alignment has helped to wreak havoc for opposing backfields, as the Roadrunners rank third in Conference USA and 12th in the country with 8.8 tackles for loss per game. Additionally, UTSA's 2.2 sacks per contest are good for fifth in the league and 39th nationally. In the season-opening win over Texas State, the Roadrunners recorded 14 tackles for loss, a total that is tied for the single-game high in the FBS this season and broke the school record of 12 set in the 2019 season finale at Louisiana Tech. UTSA hit the double-digit mark once again with 10 in the 24-10 win against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before posting nine stops behind the line of scrimmage in the 37-35 victory against Middle Tennessee, seven versus UAB and four against BYU. The Roadrunners' 44 tackles for loss this season have cost opponents 155 combined yards, including 58 on 11 sacks.
Give me that
The UTSA defense has emerged as one of the best units in the nation when it comes to forcing turnovers. The Roadrunners have come up with 10 total takeaways through the first five contests, which leads Conference USA and stands fifth nationally. Seven of those turnovers have come in the form of an interception, including two apiece by Corey Mayfield Jr. and Rashad Wisdom and one each from Trevor Harmanson, Donyai Taylor and Tariq Woolen. UTSA's seven picks pace C-USA and rank third in the FBS, while Mayfield Jr. and Wisdom lead the league and are tied for sixth in the country in interceptions. Thanks to the 10 takeaways, the Roadrunners also stand second in the conference and 10th in the nation in turnover margin (1.0/+5).
Senior standout 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 could be the next Roadrunner to join the likes of Davenport, Eric Banks, Ashaad Mabry, Jason Neill, Brian Price and Kevin Strong Jr. The senior from Wharton, Texas, 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 has continued to be a force in the middle this season with five tackles for loss, including a trio of sacks. Haynes, who missed the last two contests due to injury, has recorded 20.5 career TFL, good for a tie for fifth place on UTSA's all-time list.
Freshman linebacker turning heads
True freshman Jamal Ligon has turned heads in his short time as a Roadrunners. A two-time district utility player of the year after playing tight end, fullback and defensive line at Tyler Lee High School under Kurt Traylor, UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor's brother and current Roadrunners tight ends coach, he has appeared in all five games and earned a start at inside linebacker in each of the last four contests. After registering four stops in the season-opening win at Texas State and a pair of tackles in the triumph over Stephen F. Austin, Ligon exploded for a school-record 19 tackles in the 37-35 victory against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. He turned in eight solo stops and 1.5 sacks as part of his record-setting tackles total to go along with a pair of quarterback hurries and he was named Athlon Sports' Defensive Freshman of the Week and Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Blue Raiders. His 19 tackles eclipsed the previous program standard of 16 set in 2011 by Cody Rogers and it marks the second-most tackles made by an FBS player in a game this season. Ligon added five tackles and he forced and recovered a fumble against UAB before making three stops at No. 15 BYU. On the season, he has posted 33 total tackles, including 17 solo stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, as well as a pair of quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
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 new 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. Woolen followed that outing with five tackles and a career-best four pass breakups in the 24-10 win against Stephen F. Austin and he was named Pro Football Focus Defensive MVP of the Week for his performance. He recorded five more tackles and logged his first career interception, despite playing with a cast on one arm, in the 37-35 triumph over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. Woolen owns 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a quarterback hurry and one pick this fall.
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 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. He again led the defense in tackles with nine in the win against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before posting nine in the 37-35 triumph over Middle Tennessee. He recorded five solo stops and his second interception of the fall before being ejected for targeting in the second half of the UAB contest. After sitting out the first half versus No. 15 BYU, he registered three solo tackles before being called for targeting. Wisdom leads UTSA in total tackles with 36 this season, and his two picks place him atop C-USA and in a tie for sixth nationally. 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 is wearing a "Bryce Strong" helmet sticker this season in his honor.
Duplessis looking to keep streak alive
UTSA place-kicker Hunter Duplessis enters Saturday's matchup against Army with a stretch of 20 consecutive field goals made, the longest active streak in FBS. He made all three of his attempts in the season opener, including the game-winning 29-yarder at the end of the second overtime, to help lift UTSA to a 51-48 triumph over Texas State on Sept. 12, and he earned Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week accolades for his performance. Duplessis drilled his only field-goal attempt and all three extra-point attempts in the win against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before making all seven kicks — three field goals and four PATs — in the win over Middle Tennessee. He booted a pair of field goals, including a career-long 48-yarder that ranks as the fifth-longest in program history, and his only extra-point attempt versus UAB. In his last outing, Duplessis remained perfect in both categories with 39- and 36-yard field goals and two more extra points, and he now has made 41 straight PATs in his career. After missing his first two field-goal attempts as a junior, he reeled off nine straight to finish the year. Duplessis — UTSA's nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy — has not missed a kick since Sept. 21, 2019. His 11 field goals made this season lead all FBS players and his 49 points scored stand second in the league and third nationally.
Punter from Down Under
In its short history, UTSA has developed consistent success in the punting game with the likes of Kristian Stern and Yannis Routsas, a 2017 Ray Guy Award semifinalist. Sophomore punter Lucas Dean has emerged as the next in that punting lineage. A product of Prokick Australia and the first Roadrunner regardless of position from Down Under, Dean has used an Australian Rules Football background to help provide UTSA with a weapon in the kicking game since his arrival on campus in 2019. As a true freshman, he averaged 40.8 yards on 65 punts and booted 12 of 50-plus yards. He also pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 16 times and induced 28 fair catches. Through five games this season, Dean has registered a 46.2 average, good for second in Conference USA and seventh nationally. Of his 29 punts, 11 have sailed 50-or-more yards, 16 have been downed inside the 20 and eight have resulted in fair catches. Dean averaged 49.2 yards on six punts — including a 57-yard bomb that was downed at the 9-yard line — in the 37-35 win against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 19. He punted six times for a 45.0 average with five pinning UAB inside its own 20, including a 55-yarder that was downed at the 1 and was named Ray Guy Punter of the Week for his performance. In his last outing, Dean averaged 45.2 yards on five punts with two downed inside the BYU 20, including a career-long 59-yard bomb that bounced out of bounds at the 2.
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 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 stay home and host Louisiana Tech in a Conference USA contest on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Alamodome. Kickoff has been moved to 7 p.m. to accommodate a national television broadcast on ESPNU.
-UTSA-
