SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
UTSA Roadrunners (7-4) vs. #16/19 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (9-1)
2:30 p.m. | Saturday, Dec. 26
Gerald J. Ford Stadium | Dallas, Texas
TV: ABC/ESPN Deportes
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
Opening drive
• UTSA will make its second bowl appearance and first since the 2016 New Mexico Bowl, a 23-20 setback to New Mexico.
• Saturday will mark the first meeting between UTSA and Louisiana.
• The Roadrunners have reached seven wins for the third time in the 10-year history of the program and the first since 2013.
• UTSA can equal the school record for most wins in a season held by the 2012 team that finished 8-4.
• Sophomore RB Sincere McCormick — Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award finalist and C-USA Offensive Player of the Year — is second in the FBS with a UTSA-record 1,345 rushing yards.
• Senior PK and Lou Groza Award semifinalist Hunter Duplessis ranks 11th in the nation with 16 field goals.
• Sophomore P Lucas Dean is fourth nationally in punting average (46.3).
• UTSA ranks 18th in the FBS with 18 takeaways, including 11 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries.
• Sophomore S Rashad Wisdom is fifth in the country with four total interceptions.
• UTSA has faced six top-25 FBS teams in its 10-year history, including the 27-20 road loss to No. 15 BYU on Oct. 10.
• Saturday's game will be televised by ABC and ESPN Deportes, marking the 97th straight UTSA game to be broadcast and the Roadrunners' first on national network television.
Setting the scene
Riding a three-game winning streak, UTSA will make its second bowl appearance when it meets No. 16 Louisiana in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 26. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at Gerald J. Ford Stadium and the game will be televised nationally on ABC. The Roadrunners (7-4) and Sun Belt Conference co-champion Ragin' Cajuns (9-1) will meet for the first time in what will be UTSA's first bowl game since the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 17, 2016, when New Mexico escaped with a 23-20 victory in Albuquerque.
Tuning in
Saturday's game will be televised nationally on ABC and ESPN Deportes. Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst) and Quint Kessenich (reporter) have the call for the ABC telecast, while Eitán Benezra (play-by-play) and José Mondragón (analyst) will handle the Spanish broadcast for ESPN Deportes. Both broadcasts also can be found on the ESPN app/Watch ESPN at ABC broadcast and ESPN Deportes broadcast. 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 12:30 p.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. UTSA's radio broadcast also can be found on SiriusXM channel 84 but it will not be available through the iHeartMedia app or Ticket760.com. The First Team Radio broadcast can be heard on XM channel 382 and Internet channel 972.
TV birds
All 12 of UTSA's games this season have been selected for broadcast, including seven for national television. Saturday's ABC telecast will mark the first time a UTSA game has aired on national network television and it also will make it 97 straight televised/streamed appearances for the Roadrunners. In fact, the last UTSA game that was not broadcast was the 2012 season finale against Texas State.
Traylor making history in first season
Jeff Traylor has made history in several ways in his first season at the helm of the Roadrunners. He 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. With the 49-17 triumph over North Texas on Nov. 28, Traylor became the first UTSA coach to notch seven victories in his debut season and it also marked the third time the Roadrunners have won at least seven games and the first since the 2013 team went 7-5. UTSA is within reach of the program record for wins in a season set by the 2012 squad that finished with an 8-4 record. 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.
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 slated 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 and also added an Oct. 10 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. The Roadrunners were forced to postpone their Nov. 7 league game with Rice due to coronavirus-related issues within the program and that game will not be rescheduled. Most recently, UTSA was invited to play SMU in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl, which was scheduled for Dec. 19 but canceled on Dec. 15 due to COVID-19 protocols in effect within the SMU program. The Roadrunners were selected for the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl that same day and on Dec. 20 found out they would match up against Louisiana in the game.
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. UTSA has posted at least six wins in five of the 10 seasons in program history and now has reached seven wins for the third time. The 2012 team won a program-record eight games, while the Roadrunners notched a 7-5 record in 2013 and posted six wins in both 2016 and 2017.
Who's counting?
Now in their 10th season of play, the Roadrunners will play their 118th game in program history and first-ever neutral site contest on Saturday. The 2016 New Mexico Bowl was held at New Mexico's home stadium. The Roadrunners are 52-65 all-time and 21-37 away from the Alamodome. By comparison, Louisiana started football in 1901 and owns an all-time record of 528-561-34.
Roadrunners from the Metroplex
Several UTSA players will be making a homecoming when UTSA travels to Dallas for the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl this weekend. A total of 19 Roadrunners hail from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, including Trumane Bell II (Lake Highlands HS), Myles Benning (The Colony HS), Sean Berry (Dallas Wilson HS), Caleb Cantrell (Birdville HS), De'Corian Clark (Fort Worth Wyatt HS), Christian Clayton (Fort Worth South Hills HS), Kaedric Cobbs (Denton Guyer HS), Zakhari Franklin (Cedar Hill HS), Zachary Gilson (Sachse HS), Terrell Haynes (Arlington Seguin HS), Jaylon Lott (Hebron HS), Corey Mayfield Jr. (North Forney HS), Kevin Nelson (Forth Worth Arlington Heights HS), Abraham Olguin (The Colony HS), Ken Robinson (South Grand Prairie HS), Brandon Rolfe (Commerce HS), Monte Williams (Mesquite Horn HS), Solomon Wise (Coppell HS) and Tariq Woolen (Forth Worth Arlington Heights HS).
Scouting Louisiana
The Ragin' Cajuns enter Saturday's matchup with a 9-1 overall record. Louisiana, which is 19th in the final College Football Playoff rankings, posted a 7-1 mark to win the Sun Belt Conference's West Division and were scheduled to face No. 9 Coastal Carolina in the conference championship game on Dec. 19 before it was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Chanticleers' program. The Ragin' Cajuns opened the campaign with a 31-14 road upset of No. 23 Iowa State and their only loss is a 30-27 home setback to Coastal Carolina on Oct. 14. Louisiana is averaging 33.9 points and 422.6 yards per game and allowing 21.8 points and 347.8 yards per contest. Elijah Mitchell has rushed for 751 yards and seven touchdowns and Trey Ragas owns 660 rushing yards and nine TDs to lead a ground game that is averaging 207.8 yards per outing. Levi Lewis has completed 165 of 275 passes for 2,128 yards and 17 touchdowns, while Kyren Lacy leads the receiving corps with 24 catches for 326 yards and three scores. Lorenzo McCaskill paces the defense with 72 tackles, while Zi'yon Hill leads the unit with four sacks. Bralen Trahan has picked off a team-best four passes and broken up nine. Head coach Billy Napier is 27-11 in his third season at the helm.
Series history
This will be the first meeting on the gridiron between UTSA and Louisiana. The Roadrunners and Ragin' Cajuns have a pair of common opponents this season.
Roadrunners versus ranked opponents
UTSA has faced six nationally ranked FBS opponents in its 10-year history prior to the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl clash with No. 16 Louisiana. On Oct. 10, the Roadrunners battled 15th-ranked BYU to the wire in a 27-20 setback in Provo, Utah. Prior to this season, UTSA last played a top-25 team on Nov. 19, 2016, when it dropped a 23-10 decision at No. 22 Texas A&M. The Roadrunners first matched up with a ranked opponent when they fell to FCS No. 16 Sam Houston State on Oct. 1, 2011. The following year, the Roadrunners played their first contest against a top-25 FBS team in a 51-27 loss at No. 22 Louisiana Tech when both teams were members of the Western Athletic Conference. The highest-ranked foe UTSA has played was No. 13 Oklahoma State in 2013.
Cajun connections
The Ragin' Cajuns have a pair of staff members with connections to the UTSA program. Louisiana defensive coordinator Patrick Toney was the Roadrunners' safeties coach in 2016-17, while director of player personnel Jacob LaFrance served in the same role at UTSA in 2016-18.
Last time out
UTSA broke school records for total offense and rushing yards in a game as part of a 49-17 victory over North Texas in Conference USA action on Nov. 28 at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners tallied 624 yards of offense and rode a ground game that churned out a school-record 443 yards to close out a program-best 5-1 home slate. UTSA eclipsed the previous program standard for yards in a game of 600 set just two weeks against UTEP and also shattered the rushing yardage mark of 357 posted against Texas State in 2017. Sincere McCormick led the rushing attack with 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 23 carries, bettering his own UTSA single-game rushing yardage record of 197 set in the season-opening win over Texas State. Meanwhile, Frank Harris completed 19 of 24 passes for 144 yards and two TDs and the junior quarterback also registered his third career 100-yard rushing game with 113 yards and a score on six totes. It marked the first time two Roadrunners topped the century mark on the ground in the same game since McCormick and Lowell Narcisse against UTEP in 2019. The UTSA defense held the high-powered Mean Green offense to 17 points in snapping a three-game losing skid to North Texas. Trevor Harmanson paced the unit with nine tackles, two quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and a pass breakup.
2016 New Mexico Bowl rewind
Jarveon Williams ran for 125 yards, but Lamar Jordan posted 81 rushing yards to lead New Mexico to a 23-20 victory over UTSA on Dec. 17, 2016, in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl on a windy afternoon at University Stadium in Albuquerque. Jordan also threw a 34-yard pass to Dameon Gamblin that set up Richard McQuarley's 1-yard burst for a 23-13 lead with 2:22 left. UTSA quarterback Dalton Sturm threw two touchdown passes for the Roadrunners, who were making their first bowl appearance in the program's sixth season of play, including a 4-yard toss to JaBryce Taylor with 25 seconds remaining, but New Mexico sealed the win by recovering the ensuing onside kick.
Roadrunners with bowl experience
UTSA senior Solomon Wise is the lone current Roadrunner who played in the 2016 New Mexico Bowl, while Hunter Duplessis, DeQuarius Henry and Josh Oatis were members of the team that made history with the program's first bowl appearance four years ago this month. UTSA graduate assistant Jarveon Williams was the leading rusher in that game, carrying 16 times for 133 yards.
Roadrunners up for national awards
On Wednesday, Sincere McCormick was named one of five finalists 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. The Converse Judson High School product also was one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, which recognizes the nation's premier running back. Earlier this month, Hunter Duplessis was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and the San Antonio Cole High School product also was a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy and a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. Ahofitu Maka made the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's most outstanding center, while Christian Clayton and Jamal Ligon both have played their way onto the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-American Watch List. Earlier this year, Frank Harris earned a spot on the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2020, punter Lucas Dean made the Ray Guy Award watch list and Solomon Wise was a nominee for the Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service."
Dean, McCormick honored by C-USA
Lucas Dean was named the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year and Sincere McCormick was tabbed the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year earlier this week in a vote by the league's head coaches. The two player of the year awards mark the first time the Roadrunners have collected more than one in a single year. Dean is the first Roadrunner to be named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year, while McCormick — the 2019 C-USA Freshman of the Year — is the first to win the offensive player of the year certificate. That duo joins 2017 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Davenport and 2016 C-USA Freshman of the Year Josiah Tauaefa as league superlative award winners.
All-Conference USA teams unveiled
The All-Conference USA teams were unveiled earlier this week and a school-record 19 Roadrunners were recognized in a vote by the league's head coaches. Sophomore punter Lucas Dean, senior place-kicker Hunter Duplessis, sophomore running back Sincere McCormick and sophomore safety Rashad Wisdom all collected first-team honors, and the four first-team honorees surpasses the combined total from the previous eight years. The junior offensive line trio of Spencer Burford, Makai Hart and Ahofitu Maka garnered second-team accolades, while honorable mention went to Caleb Cantrell (LS), Joshua Cephus (WR), Lorenzo Dantzler (DE), Brennon Dingle (KR), Zakhari Franklin (WR), Trevor Harmanson (LB), Frank Harris (QB), Jaylon Haynes (DT), Brandon Matterson (DT), Corey Mayfield Jr. (CB), Leroy Watson (TE) and Charles Wiley (LB).
Quartet named to C-USA All-Freshman Team
Conference USA on Monday announced the league's All-Freshman Team and a school-record four Roadrunners were honored in a vote by the league's head coaches. Demetris Allen (OL), Christian Clayton (DT), Jamal Ligon (LB) and Ken Robinson (CB) earned a spot on the squad.
Duplessis voted to C-USA All-Academic squad
On Dec. 17, Hunter Duplessis was named to the Conference USA All-Academic Team. The senior place-kicker is one of 11 players from the league to earn a spot on the squad for excelling both on and off the field this season. He is the fifth Roadrunner to make the C-USA All-Academic Team since UTSA joined the conference in 2013, joining Brady Jones (2017), Nate Leonard (2013-14), Yannis Routsas (2018) and Eric Soza (2013).
C-USA weekly awards roll in for Roadrunners
Following a sweep of all three Conference USA Player of the Week awards after the regular season finale on Nov. 28, UTSA collected 11 player of the week certificates this season, seven more than the previous program standard of four in 2014. Sincere McCormick earned the offensive honor four times, while Lucas Dean (special teams), Hunter Duplessis (special teams), Trevor Harmanson (defense, Frank Harris (offense), Jamal Ligon (defense), Antonio Parks (defense) and Rashad Wisdom (defense) each garnered the award once this fall.
UTSA's C-USA Player of the Week Honorees
Offense
9/14 — Sincere McCormick
9/21 — Frank Harris
10/26 — Sincere McCormick
11/23 — Sincere McCormick
12/1 — Sincere McCormick
Defense
9/28 — Jamal Ligon
10/26 — Antonio Parks
11/16 — Rashad Wisdom
12/1 — Trevor Harmanson
Special Teams
9/14 — Hunter Duplessis
12/1 — Lucas Dean
Down to the wire
UTSA is no stranger to close contests, as eight of the 11 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. On Oct. 10 in a road matchup with 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. Against Army West Point, Franklin hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Frank Harris with 14:06 left to play to cut the deficit to 21-16, but the Black Knights answered with a TD of their own less than two minutes later to help seal a 28-16 win. UTSA rallied from a 13-point deficit with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull out a 27-26 triumph over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 24. The Roadrunners held off Southern Miss 23-20 on Nov. 21 for their first win in Hattiesburg.
First-time starters
UTSA has seen 17 players make their first career start through the first 11 games this season. That total is just outside of the FBS top 10 for most first-time starters this fall. Roadrunners who have made their first career start in 2020 include Demetris Allen, Oscar Cardenas, Peter Gray, Makai Hart, Terrell Haynes, DeQuarius Henry, Clarence Hicks, Jamal Ligon, Tyler Mahnke, Brandon Matterson, Kevin Nelson, Josh Oatis, Bosah Osakwe, Antonio Parks, Ken Robinson, Brandon Rolfe and Charles Wiley.
A balanced approach
Under the direction of offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., the Roadrunners have featured a balanced offensive attack this season. UTSA is averaging 214.7 yards per game through the air and 199.2 yards per contest on the ground. The Roadrunners tallied 499 yards of offense in the season opener versus Texas State, including 330 rushing, and followed that with a 498-yard effort against Stephen F. Austin that featured 269 passing yards and 229 rushing yards. UTSA turned in near-equal totals of 197 rushing yards and 186 passing yards against Army on Oct. 17 and again with 188 on the ground and 197 through the air in the win over Louisiana Tech the following week. The offense broke the school record for total offense in the last two home games, registering 600 total yards — a season-best 312 passing and 288 rushing — in the 52-21 win over UTEP on Nov. 14, only to surpass that with 624 yards, including a program-best 443 on the ground, in the 49-17 victory over North Texas two weeks later.
Potent ground attack
Paced by the nation's second-leading rusher in Sincere McCormick — a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award — UTSA has displayed a potent ground attack in 2020. The Roadrunners are averaging 214.7 rushing yards per game, which is good for second in Conference USA and 23rd nationally. UTSA's rushing game stepped it up a notch in the month of November, churning out 964 yards on the ground in three games for an average of 321.3 yards per contest. In their last outing, the Roadrunners shattered the school standard for rushing yards in a game with 443 behind McCormick's UTSA-record 251 in the 49-17 triumph over North Texas. UTSA has logged three of the top nine rushing games in program history this season, as they rushed for 330 in the season-opening win at Texas State and tallied 288 in the 52-21 victory over UTEP on Nov. 14.
Sincere success
After enjoying one of the best debut campaigns in program history last fall, UTSA running back Sincere McCormick is in the midst of a record-breaking sophomore season. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award finalist, Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year and Dave Campbell's Texas Football Texas College Player of the Year leads C-USA and ranks second in the FBS with a school-record 1,345 rushing yards despite missing the UTEP contest on Nov. 14 due to the birth of his daughter, Legacy Love Precious McCormick. The first-team all-conference performer opened the fall by breaking his own school record with 197 rushing yards and a touchdown on 29 carries 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 fourth-best total in program annals, earning C-USA Offensive Player of the Week accolades for his performance. The Doak Walker Award semifinalist 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 racked up 150 yards and a TD on 22 totes against UAB on Oct. 3. He topped the century mark again with 133 yards on 18 attempts versus Army on Oct. 17 before gashing Louisiana Tech for 165 yards and three touchdowns on a school-record 37 attempts for the fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season and seventh of his career. He was named Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week, as well as C-USA Offensive Player of the Week for the second time, for his performance. He turned in a record-setting performance in the 23-20 win at Southern Miss on Nov. 21, rushing for 173 yards and a pair of scores on 32 attempts to eclipse UTSA's previous single-season rushing mark of 1,042 set by Jarveon Williams in 2015. Two days later, he collected his third C-USA weekly award of the year for his effort in Hattiesburg. In his last outing, McCormick eclipsed his own school record again with 251 yards and a pair of TDs on 23 carries to help UTSA pile up a program-best 443 rushing yards in the 49-17 win over North Texas. The 2019 C-USA Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American collected his fourth C-USA weekly honor for that performance and he currently ranks fifth nationally with 134.5 rushing yards per game and 14th with a school-record 11 rushing TDs. McCormick owns the top two and five of the top 10 rushing performances in C-USA and his program-record six 100-yard games are tied for the most in the league this fall.
Chasing records
Sincere McCormick already has broken or is closing in on several UTSA rushing records during his short time at UTSA. In just 22 career games, he has piled up 2,328 yards on the ground, good for second in program history and only 65 yards behind all-time leading rusher Jarveon Williams' 2,393 yards. He is second in rushing touchdowns (19) and third in attempts (403) on the career charts and his 5.8-yards-per-carry and 105.8-yards-per-game averages are currently program bests. Despite missing the UTEP game due to the birth of his daughter, McCormick still eclipsed the school's single-season rushing yardage record, as he has piled up 1,345 yards in 10 games to surpass Williams' previous mark of 1,042 set over 12 contests in 2015. He also has established school standards with 11 rushing TDs and 226 attempts this fall. McCormick has topped the century mark six times this season and nine times during his career, both program bests.
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 who all owned FBS starts. The others were Arkansas, Northwestern, Old Dominion and Tennessee. Through 11 games, UTSA has seen three of those quarterbacks earn starts — Harris (9), Adkins (1) and Narcisse (1) — while all four have seen playing time.
Bouncing back
For the second straight season, UTSA quarterback Frank Harris enjoyed a memorable season 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, who received honorable mention all-conference accolades this week, 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. A member of the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2020, 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 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 on Oct. 10. He came off the bench against Army and fired an 11-yard touchdown pass to Zakhari Franklin on his first throw before earning the start in the win over Louisiana Tech, throwing for 189 yards on 18-of-33 passing. The Schertz Clemens High School product turned in arguably his most impressive performance in the 52-21 win over UTEP on Nov. 14, completing 22 of 26 passes (84.6%) for a career-high 312 yards and three TDs while also rushing for 43 yards and two more scores. Harris, who made the Davey O'Brien Great 8 list for the second time this season after his career game versus the Miners, closed out the regular season by completing 19 of 24 passes for 144 yards and two TDs and registering his third career 100-yard rushing game with 113 yards and a score on six totes in the 49-17 win over North Texas. Harris has completed 146 of 229 passes (63.8%) for 1,422 yards and 10 TDs and rushed for 437 yards and eight scores in 10 games, and he owns a 7-2 record in nine starts this fall.
Sophomore sensation
UTSA sophomore wide receiver Zakhari Franklin has established himself as one of the top pass-catchers on the roster through only 23 career games. After missing the first two contests this season, the Cedar Hill High School product made a memorable debut with six receptions 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. Franklin hauled in seven passes for 79 yards, including outjumping a pair of BYU defenders for a 32-yard TD reception on Oct. 10 and he followed that showing by breaking UTSA's single-game record with 12 receptions for a career-high 138 yards and two touchdowns against Army the following Saturday. He notched his name in the record book yet again with his fourth career 100-yard receiving game — the most by any Roadrunner — with 118 yards and a TD on six catches in the 52-21 win over UTEP on Nov. 14 before catching his sixth TD pass of the year against Southern Miss one week later. He now has a team-best 579 yards and six touchdowns (2nd/C-USA; 37th/FBS) on 44 catches this year. Franklin had 491 yards and three TDs on 38 catches in 2019 and with 435 of those yards coming during the final five contests, he now has 1,014 receiving yards in his last 14 games. The honorable mention all-conference selection's six TD receptions this fall place him in sole possession of second place on UTSA's single-season list — two behind Kerry Thomas Jr.'s standard of eight set in 2016 — and his 579 yards stand third. Franklin became the fifth Roadrunner to surpass 1,000 career receiving yards with his 3-yard TD catch versus Southern Miss and he now ranks fifth in program annals with 1,070 yards.
Sure-handed Cephus emerges at receiver
UTSA sophomore Joshua Cephus has emerged as one of the team's top receiving targets this season. 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 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 five more catches for 46 yards against Army the following Saturday. After catching five passes in each of the last four games, the honorable mention all-conference selection leads the Roadrunners in receptions (55) and stands second in receiving yards (521) and receiving TDs (4). He currently sits in second place on UTSA's single-season receptions list, three shy of Greg Campbell Jr.'s record of 58 set in 2018.
Versatility shines on O-line
UTSA has been bitten by the injury bug on the offensive line this season, but thanks to a versatile group of linemen, the Roadrunners still have managed to pave the way for the nation's second-leading rusher. Through the first 11 games, UTSA has used nine different lineups along the offensive line. Ahofitu Maka, a Rimington Trophy watch list member and second-team All-Conference USA performer, has started 10 games this season and 22 in his career, while Kevin Davis has made 30 career starts, including nine this season with seven at right guard and a pair at center. Spencer Burford, a second-team all-conference pick, has started 30 career games and made 32 appearances at both guard and tackle, including making the move from right to left tackle after the first two contests this fall. Pastucci, the most experienced lineman on the team with 42 career games under his belt, made starts at left guard in the first four weeks, while Brandon Rolfe has started at both left guard and left tackle in 2020. Josh Oatis, who has played in 22 career contests, owns starts at left and right tackle, while Makai Hart, also a second-team all-conference performer, returned to the lineup against UAB and has started the last seven games at either left or right tackle. Bosah Osakwe started the first two games at right guard, Terrell Haynes earned starts at guard in each of the last five contests and Demetris Allen made his second start of the fall at guard in the win over UTEP.
Wreaking havoc
The UTSA defense has a new look in 2020 with a 3-4 front and that new alignment has helped to wreak havoc for opposing backfields, as the Roadrunners lead Conference USA and rank 20th in the country with 7.5 tackles for loss per game. In the season-opening win over Texas State, the Roadrunners recorded a school-record 14 tackles for loss, a total that is tied for the second-most by an FBS team in a game this season. 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 and seven versus UAB. The Roadrunners matched the school record with 14 TFL against Florida Atlantic and they tallied eight in the win over Southern Miss. Their 83 tackles for loss this season have cost opponents 326 combined yards, including 152 on 25 sacks, just two shy of the school record set in 2016.
Tough against the run
The Roadrunners have been tough against the run for much of the season, particularly in the last five games. UTSA has held three of its last five opponents to fewer than 80 yards on the ground, including 75 in the Southern Miss victory, 77 in the triumph over UTEP and 78 in the win against Louisiana Tech. UTSA allowed just 122.0 yards per game and 3.6 yards per attempt during that five-game stretch. The Birds also yielded only 59 rushing yards in the win over Stephen F. Austin and 123 in the season-opening victory over Texas State. For the season, UTSA is surrendering 152.7 rushing yards per game and 4.1 yards per rushing attempt.
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 18 total takeaways through 11 games, which leads Conference USA and stands 18th nationally. Eleven of those turnovers have come in the form of an interception, including a league-best four by Rashad Wisdom (5th/FBS), two by Corey Mayfield Jr. and one each from Trevor Harmanson, Clarence Hicks, Antonio Parks, Donyai Taylor and Tariq Woolen. UTSA's 11 picks pace C-USA and rank 19th in the FBS. Meanwhile, UTSA has recovered seven fumbles this fall, good for second in C-USA and 30th nationally. Christian Clayton and Jamal Ligon are tied for 11th in the FBS with two fumble recoveries apiece, which also is good for a share of the No. 2 spot on UTSA's single-season list. On the strength of the 18 takeaways, the Roadrunners also lead the conference and stand 22nd in the nation in turnover margin (+8).
Wiley a welcome addition
Graduate transfer Charles Wiley has been a welcome addition to the defensive front seven this season. A native of Georgia, the honorable mention All-Conference USA selection joined the Roadrunners this summer after appearing in 33 career games at Mississippi and immediately worked his way into the rotation at outside linebacker. He has played in all 11 games and started the last 10, posting 39 total tackles and four quarterback hurries. Wiley shared the team lead with nine tackles for loss to go along with two sacks, one PBU and a fumble recovery. His production has grown over the last seven contests with 30 tackles and 5.5 TFL, including six stops apiece against No. 15 BYU and Army, as well as eight tackles and 3.5 TFL versus Florida Atlantic.
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, an honorable mention all-conference pick, 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 UTSA 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 six tackles for loss, four sacks, and a trio of quarterback hurries. Haynes, who missed the UAB and BYU contests due to injury, returned to the lineup and registered three tackles — and a sack that was negated due to a penalty — against Army before adding a stop and a pressure for a defense that held Louisiana Tech to 247 yards, including 35 after halftime. Haynes, who missed the Florida Atlantic game, returned to help the Roadrunners hold UTEP to 246 yards of offense, including just 77 on the ground. He posted three tackles, a sack and a pressure in helping UTSA hold North Texas to 17 points, 22 below its average entering the game. Haynes has recorded 21.5 career TFL, good for fifth place on UTSA's all-time list.
An active presence in the middle
Junior inside linebacker Trevor Harmanson has emerged as an active presence in the middle of the UTSA defense this season. The Dickinson, Texas, native shares the team lead with nine tackles for loss and he ranks third on the team with 68 total tackles to go along with seven quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one sack and an interception. The honorable mention All-Conference USA performer has registered five or more tackles in all but one contest, including a season-high nine tackles in his last outing. He also had two hurries, a forced fumble and a PBU in that 49-17 win over North Texas to earn C-USA Defensive Player of the Week accolades. Harmanson made eight stops in the 23-20 road win over Southern Miss and also recorded eight tackles, including 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage, in the triumph over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. Harmanson, who joined UTSA in 2019 after one season at Blinn College, logged seven stops, including 1.5 TFL, and a pair of QB pressures in the victory against Stephen F. Austin. He came up with his first career pick in the road setback to UAB and he tallied two tackles for loss as part of seven total tackles at Florida Atlantic. Harmanson has totaled 116 total tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss in 23 career games as a Roadrunner.
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 11 games and earned a start at inside linebacker in nine 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, The Conference USA All-Freshman Team pick and honorable mention all-conference performer exploded for a school-record 19 tackles in the 37-35 victory against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. Ligon 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 fourth-most tackles made by an FBS player in a game this season. The FWAA Freshman All-American watch list member added five tackles and he forced and recovered a fumble against UAB and made nine versus Army. He tallied seven stops, 1.5 tackles for loss, a half-sack and one pass breakup in the win over Louisiana Tech and came up with seven stops to help UTSA limit UTEP to 246 yards of offense. Ligon posted a team-high nine tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a strip-sack, in the 23-20 road win over Southern Miss. He ranks second on the team with 72 total tackles, and he has 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, four quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a PBU. Ligon also has a pair of fumble recoveries, which is tied for the 11th in the FBS.
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. Wisdom 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. The first-team All-Conference USA selection 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. He tallied a team-high 10 tackles and broke up a pass in the 27-26 win over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 24 and then registered a game-high 13 stops, including nine solos and one behind the line, against Florida Atlantic. He made a team-best nine tackles and forced a pair of fumbles in the 52-21 rout of UTEP and collected Jim Thorpe Award National Player of the Week and C-USA Defensive Player of the Week accolades for his performance. Wisdom, who totaled seven stops and an interception in the win over Southern Miss and then picked off his school-record-tying fourth pass of the season in the victory over North Texas, ranks sixth in C-USA with a team-high 82 tackles and his four picks lead the league and rank fifth 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.
A dependable option
UTSA senior place-kicker Hunter Duplessis has emerged as a dependable option with his right leg. The Lou Groza Award semifinalist has made 16 of 18 field goals this season, placing him in a tie for 11th in the FBS for total field goals and in the top 25 nationally in both field goals per game (1.45) and field goal percentage (.889). A former walk-on from San Antonio Cole High School, he made his last nine kicks of the 2019 campaign and the first 14 this season before he saw his consecutive field goals made streak end at 23 with a block in the second half of the 27-26 win over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 24. The first-team All-Conference USA selection 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 C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week accolades for his performance. Duplessis drilled his only field-goal attempt in the win against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before making all three kicks in the win over Middle Tennessee. He booted a pair of field goals versus UAB and drilled 39- and 36-yard field goals against BYU. A semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, he made a career-long 50-yard field goal, the fifth-longest in program history, on his only attempt in the Army contest before going 2 for 3 versus Louisiana Tech. The Burlsworth Trophy nominee and C-USA All-Academic Team honoree made his only attempt — a 49-yarder in wet conditions on grass surface — at Florida Atlantic and then drilled another 49-yard attempt in the 52- 21 win against UTEP. Duplessis' 25 career field goals rank third in school annals and his 16 this fall currently stand third on the single-season list, three behind the record of 19. He also has made 37 of 38 extra-point attempts this fall and 62 for his career, which puts him second on the school's all-time chart.
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 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 11 games this season, the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year and first-team all-conference performer leads the league and ranks fourth in the FBS with a 46.3 average, and he has averaged at least 45.0 yards per punt in eight outings. Of his 55 punts, 21 have sailed 50-or-more yards, including 15 inside the 10 and seven inside the 5. He has seen 27 punts been downed inside the 20, while 39 punts have not been returned. 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. Dean averaged 45.2 yards on five punts with two downed inside the BYU 20, including a 59-yard boot that bounced out of bounds at the 2. He had four punts for a 46.5 average, including a 47-yarder that went out of bounds at the 8-yard line late in the win over Louisiana Tech and then averaged 47.9 yards on eight punts, including a career-best 67-yarder that ranks as the second-longest in program history, versus Florida Atlantic. In the 23-20 road win over Southern Miss, Dean averaged 47.7 yards on six punts with five inside the 20 and three going for 50-plus yards, including a 55-yarder that was downed at the 16 in the fourth quarter. In his last outing against North Texas, he averaged 46.7 yards on three punts with two inside the 20 and he was tabbed C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance.
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.
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
UTSA announces early signing class
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has announced the program's early 2021 signing class of 16 student-athletes. The class includes Kevorian Barnes, Clifford Chattman, Nick Evans, Ronnie Garza, River Gordon, Caden Holt, JaCorey Hyder, Malik Jones, Luke Lapeze, Eddie Lee Marburger, Noah Mitchell, Xavier Player, Jalen Rainey, Kamron Scott, Ron Tatum III and Ronald Triplette. The group includes nine high school players, five who are coming from the junior college ranks and a pair of transfers. Eleven of the new Roadrunners are from the state of Texas, including four from the San Antonio area, two apiece from East Texas, the Greater Houston Area and the Rio Grande Valley, and one from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Of the 16-member class, 15 are rated as 3-star prospects by at least one of the major recruiting services, while Ron Tatum III was a 4-star prospect.
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