SAN ANTONIO — Riding a five-game winning streak and bowl eligible for the third consecutive year, UTSA will return from its lone idle week of the regular season to face UAB on Saturday, Nov. 5. Kickoff for the seventh meeting between the Roadrunners (6-2, 4-0) and Blazers (4-4, 2-3) is set for 2:30 p.m. in Birmingham, Alabama. UTSA, which is receiving votes in both major polls this week, is seeking its second straight 5-0 start to the league schedule. This will mark the Roadrunners' first visit to Protective Stadium, which opened in 2021.
UTSA Roadrunners (6-2, 4-0)
at
UAB Blazers (4-4, 2-3)
2:30 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 5
Protective Stadium | Birmingham, Alabama
TV: Stadium
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
Series History: UAB leads, 4-2
Last Meeting: UTSA 34, UAB 31 (11/20/21 • San Antonio, Texas)
Opening drive
• UTSA and UAB will meet for the seventh time on Saturday.
• The Blazers lead the all-time series 4-2 and have won both previous matchups in Birmingham.
• UTSA claimed a 34-31 home victory in the final seconds in the last meeting on Nov. 20, 2021, to lock up the C-USA West Division title and a spot in the conference championship game.
• The Roadrunners are 16-3 in C-USA games under third-year head coach Jeff Traylor.
• UTSA is seeking its second straight 5-0 start to C-USA play.
• The Roadrunners received four votes in this week's USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll and one vote in the Associated Press Top 25.
• UTSA is 25-9 under Jeff Traylor, the best record for a head coach through 34 games in program history.
• The Roadrunners have won 21 of their last 26 contests dating back to November 2020.
Tuning in
Saturday's game will air on Stadium (CW 35 in San Antonio). Chris Hassel (play-by-play) and Patrick Murray (analyst) have the call. The contest will air live on Ticket 760 AM in the San Antonio area and on SiriusXM app channel 987. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Pat Evans (reporter) will call the action. The pregame show will begin at 12:30 p.m. Central time and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The radio broadcast also can be heard online at Ticket760.com and via the iHeartRadio and The Varsity Network apps.
Traylor successful in league play
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has experienced immediate success in league games during his time in San Antonio. The 2021 Conference USA Coach of the Year has guided the Roadrunners to 16 wins in 19 conference games during his tenure. The Roadrunners beat North Texas 31-27 in dramatic fashion on Oct. 22 to record their second straight 4-0 start to conference play. Last season, Traylor led UTSA to a 7-1 league mark and the program's first-ever league crown with a 49-41 victory over Western Kentucky in the C-USA Championship Game. The Roadrunners registered a 5-2 record in C-USA play in Traylor's first season at the helm in 2020.
Who's counting?
Now in their 12th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 141st game in program history on Saturday when they face UAB. UTSA is 70-70 all-time and 29-39 on the road, including 3-1 this season.
Scouting UAB
The Blazers have dropped their last two contests and enter Saturday's matchup at 4-4 overall and 2-3 in Conference USA. Under the direction of interim head coach Bryant Vincent, UAB is averaging 30.1 points and 437.5 yards per game while leading the league in scoring defense (18.5 ppg) and total defense (328.3 ypg). DeWayne McBride leads C-USA's top rushing offense with 1,146 yards and 12 touchdowns on 164 carries, good for an FBS-leading 163.7 yards per game. Dylan Hopkins has completed 84 of 125 passes for 1,233 yards and seven TDs. TJ Jones has caught a team-high 23 passes for 189 yards, while Trea Shropshire paces the unit with 449 yards and two touchdowns on 18 receptions. Noah Wilder has made a team-high 77 tackles, while Tyler Taylor owns 51 stops, including 4.5 tackles for loss. Grayson Cash has picked off three passes, and Mac Williams and Starling Thomas V each have registered a team-best 10 pass breakups.
Series history
Saturday will mark the seventh meeting between UTSA and UAB. The Blazers lead the all-time series 4-2 and have won both previous matchups in Birmingham. The Roadrunners claimed the first meeting 52-31 on Oct. 26, 2013, and pulled off a thrilling 34-31 victory in the final seconds in the last meeting on Nov. 20, 2021, at the Alamodome.
UTSA/UAB Series History
Date Location Score
10/26/13 San Antonio, Texas W, 52-31
11/11/17 San Antonio, Texas L, 19-24
11/3/18 Birmingham, Ala. L, 3-52
10/12/19 San Antonio, Texas L, 14-33
10/3/20 Birmingham, Ala. L, 13-21
11/20/21 San Antonio, Texas W, 34-31
Last Meeting
Oscar Cardenas caught a touchdown pass from Frank Harris with three seconds left to lift No. 15 UTSA to a 34-31 victory over UAB, clinching the Conference USA West Division title on Nov. 20, 2021, in front of 35,147 fans at the Alamodome. Trailing by four points with one minute and six seconds left and no timeouts remaining, the Roadrunners drove 77 yards for the winning score. Cardenas had a 28-yard reception on the second play of the final drive that moved the ball from the UTSA 23-yard line out to midfield. Harris then completed consecutive passes to De'Corian Clark for six and 33 yards, setting up the Roadrunners at the UAB 10. Harris, who threw for 323 yards and three TDs on 25-of-36 passing, scrambled down to the 1-yard line only to be stopped short with nine seconds left on the clock. Following an incompletion on second and goal, Harris scooped up a low snap and found Cardenas, who hauled in the game-winner after a deflection near the back of the end zone. Hunter Duplessis — who made a pair of key field goals — drilled the extra point to give UTSA a three-point cushion and then Dadrian Taylor made the game-clinching tackle on the ensuing kickoff to end the game. The Blazers took a 31-27 lead with 5:19 remaining on a 15-yard TD run by Dwayne McBride, who rushed for 114 yards on 24 carries. That score came after UTSA took its first lead of the day at 27-24 on a 49-yard field goal by Duplessis with 1:21 left in the third quarter.
Last time out
Frank Harris engineered a game-winning drive that culminated in a 10-yard touchdown pass to De'Corian Clark with 15 seconds left and the UTSA defense limited the nation's No. 6 rushing offense to 22 yards in a 31-27 victory over North Texas on Oct. 22 at the Alamodome. Trailing 27-24 with 1:38 on the clock, Harris led the Roadrunners on a seven-play, 75-yard drive to paydirt. The senior dashed 22 yards on a quarterback draw and later found Oscar Cardenas open over the middle on a one-handed grab down to the 10-yard line. On the next play with time winding down, Harris tossed the game-winner to Clark in the left corner of the end zone and Jared Sackett's extra point gave UTSA a four-point advantage. The Roadrunners then sealed the win when Martavius French recovered a squib kick by Tate Sandell. The Mean Green held a slim lead after three quarters before a wild final period unfolded. Brenden Brady, who finished with 112 rushing yards, found the end zone for the second time on the afternoon on a 1-yard dive to help UTSA reclaim the lead, 17-13 with 13:09 remaining. UNT retook the lead after Austin Aune hit Var'Keyes Gumms on a 44-yard catch-and-run that made it 20-17. The two teams then traded punts, but Avery Morris got a piece of Bernardo Rodriguez's kick that resulted in a 23-yard punt, setting up the Roadrunners near midfield with 5:27 on the clock. A 17-yard completion from Harris to Cardenas and a 22-yard run by Brady helped set up a 6-yard TD pass to Joshua Cephus, who caught a career-high 11 passes for 88 yards. Sackett's extra point put UTSA up 24-20 with 2:36 to go. UNT struck quickly, as a 46-yard reception by Gumms down to the 4-yard line set up a 1-yard TD rush to put the Mean Green back on top 27-24 before UTSA's game-winning drive.
Down to the wire
UTSA is no stranger to close contests in the Jeff Traylor era, as 22 of the 34 have been one-score ballgames in the fourth quarter. The Roadrunners own a 16-6 record in those games including a 4-1 mark this year following the 31-27 win over North Texas in the final seconds on Oct. 22. Dating back to last season, UTSA has seen nine of the last 13 contests decided in the fourth quarter or later. The first two games this season went to overtime, with the Roadrunners dropping a 37-35 decision to No. 24 Houston in three overtimes on Sept. 3 before rallying to beat Army 41-38 in overtime one week later. UTSA saw Middle Tennessee draw to within 38-30 in the fourth quarter on Sept. 30 before a late touchdown run by Brenden Brady provided the final 15-point margin. The Roadrunners pulled out a 31-28 win against WKU on Oct. 8. Last November, the Roadrunners broke a 17-17 fourth-quarter deadlock against Southern Miss with two late scores in a 10-point victory before upending UAB 34-31 one week later on a TD pass with three seconds left to play. UTSA used an interception on the final play of the game to secure a 49-41 C-USA Championship Game win over WKU on Dec. 3 and then pulled to within seven points of No. 24 San Diego State in the fourth quarter of the Frisco Bowl before dropping a 38-24 decision in the 2021 finale. The Roadrunners also saw games against Illinois (37-30), Memphis (31-28), UNLV (24-17) and WKU (52-46) come down to the final minutes last fall. In 2020, UTSA's matchups against Texas State (51-48/2OT), Stephen F. Austin (24-10), Middle Tennessee (37-35), UAB (13-21), No. 15 BYU (20-27), Army (16-28), Louisiana Tech (27-26), Southern Miss (23-20) and No. 16 Louisiana (24-31) all were one-score games in the final stanza.
Working overtime
UTSA played back-to-back overtime games to open the 2022 campaign. The Roadrunners dropped a 37-35 decision to No. 24 Houston in triple overtime in the season opener on Sept. 3. One week later, UTSA rallied from a 14-point, second-half deficit to score a 41-38 road triumph over Army West Point in one extra period to improve to 4-3 all-time in overtime contests. That marked the first time the Roadrunners have played consecutive overtime games and the second time to have two OT games in the same season (2011). UTSA joins Bowling Green, East Carolina, FIU, Houston, Louisiana Tech, Navy and Texas Tech as the only FBS teams to have played multiple overtime contests this year.
UTSA's All-Time Overtime Games (4-3)
Date Opponent Result
10/8/11 South Alabama L, 27-30 (2OT)
10/29/11 Georgia State W, 17-14 (OT)
11/14/15 at Charlotte W, 30-27 (OT)
10/22/16 UTEP L, 49-52 (5OT)
9/12/20 at Texas State W, 51-48 (2OT)
9/3/22 Houston L, 35-37 (3OT)
9/10/22 at Army West Point W, 41-38 (OT)
Maka named Campbell Trophy finalist
UTSA senior Ahofitu Maka became the third Roadrunner to be named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which annually recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. He is one of 15 finalists and will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class. The center from Honolulu, Hawai'i, joins Eric Soza (2013) and Nate Leonard (2014) as the only UTSA student-athletes to be named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in the 12-year history of the program. The finalists will travel to Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Dec. 6 for the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner.
Roadrunners collect weekly honors
The Roadrunners have collected several weekly honors so far this season. Frank Harris picked up his fourth Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week award on Oct. 24 after accounting for 313 yards of offense (238 passing/75 rushing) and a pair of touchdowns in the 31-27 win over North Texas. He also claimed the league's weekly award on Oct. 3 and also landed on the Manning Award "Stars of the Week" list following his record-setting performance in the 45-30 road triumph over Middle Tennessee. De'Corian Clark was tabbed the East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 26 after piling up a school-record 217 yards and three touchdowns on nine receptions in the 52-24 win over Texas Southern. Lucas Dean was named to the Ray Guy Award Ray's 8 list after averaging 60.5 yards on four punts, which included a school-record 76-yarder and a 67-yard kick, versus Texas Southern. Harris picked up several honors following his performance in the 41-38 comeback win over Army in overtime on Sept. 10. He was named Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week, as well as C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, and he also landed on the Davey O'Brien Great 8 and the Manning Award Stars of the Week lists. Harris also earned C-USA's weekly award following the season opener against No. 24 Houston, while Jared Sackett picked up C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week accolades after the triple-overtime setback against the Cougars in week one. Sackett earned his second weekly award this season and fourth of his career after making a 49-yard field goal as time expired in the first half and all four extra points in the win over WKU.
Traylor off to resounding start at UTSA
Head coach Jeff Traylor is off to a resounding start to his tenure at UTSA. The Gilmer, Texas, native has turned around the program by instilling his 210 Triangle of Toughness culture, producing results on and off the field. Taking over a team that won a combined seven games in the two seasons prior to his arrival, he has led the Roadrunners to a 25-9 record, the best record through 34 games by a UTSA head football coach. Traylor, who has been named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year watch list for the second straight year, has UTSA off to a 6-2 overall ledger and its second straight 4-0 start to league play in 2022. He already has mentored five All-Americans and a pair of NFL Draft picks during his time in San Antonio. In his first season, Traylor guided the Roadrunners to a 7-5 overall record, a runner-up finish in Conference USA's West Division with a 5-2 mark and an appearance in the First Responder Bowl. The Roadrunners received votes in a national poll for the first time in program history and the seven wins are the most by a first-year UTSA head coach. The Roadrunners enjoyed a record-setting campaign in his second season. The Roadrunners won their first 11 games, were nationally ranked (as high as No. 15) for the first time in school history and captured the program's first league title by winning the 2021 C-USA Championship with a 49-41 victory over WKU. UTSA capped the season with its second straight and third overall bowl appearance. Traylor was honored for his success as the 2021 C-USA Coach of the Year, AFCA FBS Regional Coach of the Year for Region 4 and 2021 San Antonio Express-News Sportsman of the Year, as well as being a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, AFCA National Coach of the Year and George Munger College Coach of the Year Award.
Season 12
UTSA is playing its 12th season of football in 2022. The Roadrunners started their program from scratch and, following a practice year 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. The Roadrunners captured their first conference championship by claiming the 2021 C-USA crown and capped a 12-2 campaign with their third bowl game. UTSA has posted at least six wins in seven of the 12 seasons in program history and it has reached the seven-win plateau four times, including in each of the first two years of the Jeff Traylor era.
UTSA picked to win C-USA crown
The defending Conference USA champion UTSA Roadrunners were picked to finish first in the league this season. The Roadrunners received 14 of a possible 22 first-place votes from a panel of media members that covers all 11 C-USA schools. UAB received the remaining eight first-place votes and is slotted second in the preseason poll, followed by WKU, which UTSA beat 49-41 to claim the 2021 conference crown.
C-USA PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. UTSA (14)
2. UAB (8)
3. WKU
4. Florida Atlantic
5. North Texas
6. UTEP
7. Charlotte
8. Middle Tennessee
9. Louisiana Tech
10. Rice
11. FIU
UTSA senior duo earns C-USA preseason accolades
UTSA seniors Frank Harris and Rashad Wisdom have been named Conference USA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Harris and Wisdom , who recently announced he is out for the season due to an injury, join C-USA Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year Brayden Narveson of WKU as preseason superlative award winners in a vote by the league's head coaches.
Roadrunners reel in honors
UTSA has reeled in numerous honors this season, as 10 Roadrunners have landed on preseason or in-season watch lists or have been honored as nominees for awards. Senior quarterback Frank Harris leads the way after earning a spot on five lists — the Davey O'Brien, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose, Manning, Maxwell and Walter Camp Player of the Year Awards — and the Schertz Clemens high product also is a nominee for the Wuerffel Trophy. Meanwhile, senior safety Rashad Wisdom appears on watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik and Paycom Jim Thorpe Awards and Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The Converse Judson High graduate also is a nominee for the Allstate Good Works Team. Senior center Ahofitu Maka was named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy on Oct. 26 and is a member of watch lists for the Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy and Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, while senior wide receiver Zakhari Franklin is on the Biletnikoff Award and Reese's Senior Bowl watch lists. Oscar Cardenas (John Mackey Award), Joshua Cephus (Biletnikoff Award), De'Corian Clark (Biletnikoff Award), Lucas Dean (Ray Guy Award) and Jared Sackett (Lou Groza Award) also appear on watch lists, while Jeff Traylor was named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year watch list for the second straight season.
Player — Watch List(s)
Oscar Cardenas — John Mackey Award
Joshua Cephus — Biletnikoff Award
De'Corian Clark — Biletnikoff Award
Lucas Dean — Ray Guy Award
Zakhari Franklin — Biletnikoff Award, Reese's Senior Bowl
Frank Harris — Davey O'Brien Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Wuerffel Trophy nominee
Ahofitu Maka — William V. Campbell Trophy finalist, Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy, Polynesian College Football Player of the Year
Jared Sackett — Lou Groza Award
Rashad Wisdom — Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronco Nagurski Trophy, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Allstate Good Works Team nominee
Jeff Traylor — Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year
Points-a-plenty
Under the direction of co-offensive coordinators Will Stein and Matt Mattox, UTSA has emerged as one of the top scoring offenses in Conference USA. The Roadrunners are averaging 35.63 points per game, which puts them just ahead of North Texas (35.56) and Western Kentucky (34.78) in the league and tied for 25th in the FBS. UTSA has posted 30-plus points in seven of the eight contests this season and they have topped the 40-point barrier three times. The Roadrunners set school records for scoring last season, tallying 516 total points in 14 contests for a program-record 36.9 points per game. UTSA has scored 20-plus points in 26 consecutive games dating back to the 2020 campaign. The Roadrunners have scored a total of 1,1140 in 34 games under third-year head coach Jeff Traylor, good for an average of 33.5 per game.
Aerial attack
UTSA boasts one of the top offenses in the country, featuring one of the most prolific aerial attacks in the FBS this season. Led by quarterback Frank Harris and the wide receiver trio of Joshua Cephus, De'Corian Clark and Zakhari Franklin, the Roadrunners are averaging a league-leading 330.4 passing yards per contest, good for seventh nationally, and they rank second in Conference USA and 15th nationally with 489.8 total yards per game. UTSA opened the campaign by throwing for 337 yards in the 37-35, triple-overtime loss to No. 24 Houston. The Roadrunners then aired it out for 359 yards as part of a 512-yard output in the 41-38 overtime triumph over Army. UTSA broke the school record for passing yards in a game with 441, including a program-record 392 from Harris, and racked up 553 yards of offense in the 52-24 victory over Texas Southern. Less than one week later in the 45-30 road triumph over Middle Tennessee, Harris broke his own single-game passing yardage mark with 414 as UTSA threw for 423 yards and cranked out a season-best 590 total yards, the most since setting the school record of 624 against North Texas on Nov. 29, 2020. The Roadrunners racked up 486 yards — 273 passing and 213 rushing — in the 31-28 victory against WKU before logging 430 yards, including 303 passing, in the road win over FIU. The Roadrunners tallied 495 yards with a season-best 257 coming on the ground, in the 31-27 thriller over North Texas. UTSA — which eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark for passing yards in six games, two quicker than the previous school standard set in 2013 and matched a year ago — has registered four of the top nine single-game passing performances in program history so far this season.
UTSA's Top 10 Team Single-Game Passing Yardage
Yards Opponent Date
441 Texas Southern 9/24/22
423 Middle Tennessee 9/30/22
414 Charlotte 11/26/16
372 Western Kentucky 10/9/21
369 Oklahoma State 9/7/13
367 Southern Miss 10/7/17
365 Houston 9/28/13
359 Army West Point 9/10/22
337 Houston 9/3/22
335 Southern 9/16/17
Leader under center
During the course of his UTSA career, senior quarterback Frank Harris has developed into one of the team's unquestioned leaders. The Schertz Clemens High product, who owns a 26-10 record as the starting QB and more than 30 school records, has thrown for 7,831 yards and 59 touchdowns on 694-of-1,039 passing (.668) — all program records — and rushed for 1,539 yards and 20 TDs, the most in a career by a UTSA quarterback. In fact, Harris is one of only 15 active FBS quarterbacks with 7,000 or more passing yards and 1,000-plus rushing yards, and he has piled up those numbers in the third-fewest number of games (38) among that group. This season, Harris has completed 206 of 299 passes (68.9%) for 2,538 yards and 17 TDs and he has added 319 yards and five scores on the ground. He has been named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week four times this fall, most recently on Oct. 24 after he threw for 238 yards and two TDs and added 75 rushing yards in the 31-27 victory over North Texas. He owns five of the top six individual passing performances in program annals with four occurring in the first five games this season. Harris currently ranks third in the nation in total offense with a league-best 357.1 yards per game, and he ranks seventh in passing yards per game (317.2), 15th in completion percentage (.689) and 20th in points responsible for (134). The 2022 Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year guided UTSA to the most successful season in program history last fall, helping lead the Roadrunners to a 12-2 record, their first conference championship and top-25 ranking and to their second straight and third overall bowl game. He set school single-season records for passing yards (3,177), completions (398), touchdowns (27), attempts (263), completion percentage (.661), passing efficiency (152.5), total offense (3,743) and touchdowns responsible for (33). He also rushed for 566 yards — a program record for a QB — and six scores and caught three passes for 36 yards and a TD en route to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Offensive Player of the Year and second-team all-conference accolades. A member of preseason watch lists for the Davey O'Brien, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose, Manning, Maxwell and Walter Camp Player of the Year Awards, Harris has overcome multiple season-ending injuries sustained earlier in his career to emerge as one of the top signal callers in the country. He was named to the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2022 on Nov. 1, marking his third straight appearance on that list.
Frank Harris School-Record Tracker (32)
Game (8)
Passing Yards 414 at Middle Tennessee (9/30/22)
Passing TDs 6 at WKU (10/9/21)
Completions 32 at Army (9/10/22)
Completion Percentage .866 (13-15) vs. Lamar (9/11/21)
Rushing TDs 3 at Texas State (9/12/20)
Rushing Yards by a QB 123 vs. UIW (8/31/19)
Longest Rush by a QB 71 vs. North Texas (11/28/20)
Total Offense 445 vs. Middle Tennessee (9/30/22)
Season (12)
Passing Yards 3,177 (2021)
Passing Yards Per Game 317.3 (2022)
Passing TDs 27 (2021)
Completions 263 (2021)
Attempts 399 (2021)
Completion Percentage .689 (2022)
Passing Efficiency 154.9 (2022)
300-Yard Passing Games 5 (2022)
Rushing Yards by a QB 566 (2021)
Rushing TDs by a QB 9 (2020)
TDs Responsible For 33 (2021)
Total Offense 3,743 (2021)
Career (12)
Passing Yards 7,831
Passing TDs 59
Completions 694
Attempts 1,039
Consecutive Completions 13
Completion Percentage .668
Passing Efficiency 145.0
300-Yard Passing Games 8
Rushing Yards by a QB 1,539
Rushing TDs by a QB 20
TDs Responsible For 80
Total Offense 9,370
Terrific trio
UTSA boasts arguably the most productive active pass-catching trio in the FBS. Senior wide receivers Joshua Cephus, De'Corian "JT" Clark and Zakhari Franklin have teamed up to provide the Roadrunners with a formidable air attack. The trio has combined for 532 receptions, 6,632 receiving yards and 60 touchdowns during their career. No other FBS team has a trio of active players with more receptions, receiving yards or touchdown catches. The next closest teams are Eastern Michigan for receptions (454), Ball State for yards (5,279) and Ball State and Utah for TDs (36). This season, the trio has totaled 166 catches for 2,099 yards and 18 TDs and all three appear in the Biletnikoff Award watch list, joining Ohio State as the only two schools with three on that list. They all rank in the top six in Conference USA in both receptions and receiving yards per contest. Additionally, all three receivers are in the top 30 nationally in receiving yards with Clark 18th (732), Cephus 24th (692) and Franklin 27th (675). No other team has three players on that list. They also all rank in the top 25 nationally in receptions per game this season with Cephus ninth (7.6), Franklin 11th (6.9) and Clark 23rd (6.2). No other team has two on that chart. All three receivers were voted into the coveted single-digit jersey numbers by their teammates this season, with Cephus wearing No. 2, Clark in No. 1 and Franklin donning No. 4.
UTSA Wide Receiver Trio Career Stats
Player Rec. Yards TD
Joshua Cephus 198 2,195 15
De'Corian Clark 111 1,550 16
Zakhari Franklin 223 2,887 29
Totals 532 6,632 60
Keeping the streak alive
The UTSA receiving duo of Zakhari Franklin and Joshua Cephus both rank near the top of the chart for consecutive games with a reception entering the 2022 campaign. Franklin has caught a pass in all 40 career contests in which he has been available dating back to 2019, good for a tie for the second-longest streak in the FBS behind Minnesota's Chris Autman-Bell, who has a reception in 41 straight games. Cephus has at least one catch in 34 consecutive games dating back to the 2020 season opener, putting him in a tie for sixth nationally.
Franklin rewriting record book
UTSA senior Zakhari Franklin has rewritten UTSA's record book for receivers. The Biletnikoff Award and Reese's Senior Bowl watch list honoree smashed UTSA single-season standards for receptions (81), receiving yards (1,027), receiving yards per game (79.0), receiving touchdowns (12) and 100-yard games (4) last year en route to first-team all-conference and second-team Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas College honors. The Cedar Hill High product also owns the program's single-game record for receptions with 12, which he turned into 138 yards and a pair of scores versus Army in 2020. He started the 2022 campaign off with a bang by catching 10 passes for 100 yards against No. 24 Houston. He then hauled in 10 passes for 122 yards and a pair of TDs in the 41-38 overtime win at Army to push his UTSA career record for 100-yard games to 11 and give him eight of the top 14 single-game receiving yardage totals in program history. He caught six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown against No. 20 Texas and followed that with six catches for 87 yards and a score in the win over Texas Southern. He found the end zone twice and totaled 98 yards on five catches in the 45-30 win at Middle Tennessee and had six receptions for 95 yards in the home victory over WKU. His 12 receptions for 89 yards and a score over the last two contests brought his season totals to 55 catches, 675 yards and seven TDs, and he ranks in the top 30 in the FBS in all of those categories. Franklin continues to sit atop the UTSA all-time charts for receptions (223), receiving yards (2,887) and TD catches (29). Further, he ranks third among active FBS players in receiving touchdowns, fourth in receptions, fifth in receiving yards, seventh in receptions per game (5.58) and ninth in receiving yards per game (72.2).
Sure-handed Cephus
Joshua Cephus has built a reputation as a wide receiver who does not drop anything thrown his way. The senior from Houston, who was added to the Biletnikoff Award watch list on Nov. 2, has been tagged with only six drops during his career for a drop rate of 3.0% according to Pro Football Focus. PFF also has not charged him with a drop in 79 targets this season, the most without a drop in the FBS. He started 2022 by piling up 106 yards on seven receptions, including a 51-yard catch-and-run that opened the scoring for UTSA against No. 24 Houston. Cephus then recorded his second straight 100-yard game with 112 on 10 receptions in the 41-38 overtime triumph over Army. He caught seven passes for 80 yards and had a 45-yard TD catch wiped out by a penalty against No. 20 Texas before topping the century mark for the third time this season with a career-high 114 yards and a TD on five receptions versus Texas Southern. Cephus had seven receptions for 91 yards in the road triumph over Middle Tennessee, eight for 46 in the win over WKU and six for 55 versus FIU. He hauled in a career-best 11 passes — the second-most in a game in program history — for 88 yards and a score in the 31-27 victory over North Texas to give him 61 catches for 692 yards and three TDs this year. The Dekaney High product now has turned 198 catches — 12th among active FBS players — into 2,195 yards and 15 touchdowns during his career, marks that rank in the top three on the program's all-time chart.
Clark creating highlight-reel catches
De'Corian "JT" Clark has emerged as one of UTSA's top receiving targets, often making catches worthy of a spot on any highlight reel. The senior from Fort Worth caught six passes for 70 yards and a pair of spectacular touchdown grabs in the season-opening setback to No. 24 Houston. Clark — who gets his nickname from his middle name, John Thomas — hauled in a 15-yard pass that gave the Roadrunners a 21-7 advantage in the third quarter, and he made a diving catch between two defenders on a 13-yard TD that forced a third overtime. Clark provided another highlight clip with his game-winning 7-yard grab in the corner of the end zone to help lift UTSA to a 41-38 overtime triumph over Army. He provided more highlights in the 52-24 win over Texas Southern, breaking the school record for receiving yards in a game with 217 — the sixth-most by any FBS player this season — on nine receptions and was tabbed East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Offensive Player of the Week. He caught three touchdown passes — a 31-yarder where he stretched the ball just inside the pylon, a 69-yard catch-and-run on the opening possession of the second half and a 7-yard grab over a defender in the end zone in the fourth quarter — to match his own UTSA standard set last year in the road win over WKU. Clark turned in his second straight 100-yard game with 139 yards on eight catches in the 45-30 road triumph over Middle Tennessee to give him five for his career, earning him a spot on the Biletnikoff Award watch list as part of 10 midseason additions. Clark hauled in a 12-yard touchdown grab over a defender in the corner of the end zone in the 31-28 victory against WKU and then had yet another game winner on a 10-yard pass on a fade route in the final seconds of the 31-27 triumph over North Texas. He now has 50 catches, 732 yards and eight touchdowns. He is one of only 24 FBS players with three-plus touchdown catches in a game this year. A product of O.D. Wyatt High School, he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for his career against Texas on Sept. 24 and now has 1,550 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns on 111 catches in 40 contests.
Cardenas a dual threat at tight end
UTSA junior Oscar Cardenas has developed into a punishing blocker and clutch pass-catcher at the tight end position. The San Antonio Brandeis High graduate earned a spot on the John Mackey Award preseason watch list this summer after a breakout 2021 campaign. He appeared in all 14 games and made four starts last fall, catching 16 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Cardenas played a role in one of the iconic moments in UTSA's history, hauling in the game-winning TD reception after a tipped pass with three seconds left in the 34-31 victory over UAB last November. He also had a 28-yard catch on the game-winning drive in the final minute versus the Blazers to help the Roadrunners clinch the Conference USA West Division title. Cardenas, who has 38 career contests under his belt, came up big in a key road triumph over WKU last season as well, catching a pair of passes for 19 yards, including an 11-yard TD. He caught two balls in the 2022 opener against No. 24 Houston including a key 25-yard reception that set up the game-tying field goal as time expired. He added two more receptions for 18 yards in the 41-38 overtime triumph over Army and followed that with 28 yards on three catches against No. 20 Texas. Cardenas made another memorable catch on the final drive of the 31-27 victory over North Texas, stretching for a one-handed grab and then hurdling a defender on a 35-yard play in the final minute to set up the game winner. He now has 13 catches for 174 yards this year and 29 receptions for 396 yards and two touchdowns as a Roadrunner.
Experience up front
UTSA boasts one of the most experienced offensive lines in the FBS this fall. The quartet of Kevin Davis (49 starts), Makai Hart (22), Terrell Haynes (28) and Ahofitu Maka (45) have combined for 144 career starts, which ranks in the top five among FBS schools. That foursome also has combined to play in 162 games. With four starters returning entering the 2022 campaign, UTSA was tied with several other schools behind nine squads that returned all five starters this season.
Maka makes it happen on and off the field
Ahofitu Maka is back for his fourth season as UTSA's starting center, leading the way on a veteran offensive line. A second-team all-conference selection in each of the last two seasons, the Honolulu, Hawai'i, native has started 45 career games — 44 at center — as a Roadrunner after transferring from Independence Community College prior to the 2019 campaign. Dating back to the start of the 2020 season, the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy preseason watch list member has allowed only two sacks in nearly 1,300 pass-blocking snaps according to Pro Football Focus, helping pave the way for a record-setting offense. In 2020, UTSA broke single-season program records for rushing yards (2,585), rushing yards per game (215.4), yards per rush (5.21) and rushing touchdowns (24). Maka surrendered just one sack and three hits on the quarterback in 430 pass-blocking snaps that season. Last fall, Maka — a member of the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list — started all 14 contests, allowing just one sack and three hits on the quarterback in 471 pass-blocking snaps to help UTSA set school records for total yards (6,146), total yards per game (439.0), passing yards (3,577), passing yards per game (255.5), points scored (516) and points per game (36.9). So far this season, Maka has not surrendered a sack or hit on the quarterback in 384 pass-blocking snaps, owns a 98.1% pass-blocking efficiency and has only committed three penalties in 643 plays. Also an excellent student, Maka is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, a three-time C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member, a 2021 C-USA All-Academic Team pick and a C-USA Academic Medal recipient. On Oct. 26, he became the third Roadrunner to be named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, college football's premier scholar-athlete award.
Fourth-down stops
UTSA has found recent success in stopping opponents on fourth down. In the 30-10 road triumph over FIU, the Roadrunners stopped the Panthers three out of four times on fourth down, including twice in the third quarter by forcing an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal and with a stop for no gain by Nick Booker-Brown and Pig Cage on fourth-and 11 near midfield. In the 31-28 victory against WKU, UTSA stopped the Hilltoppers three times — all in the second half — on four fourth down-conversion attempts. They forced an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-15 try midway through the third quarter before Booker-Brown batted down a pass on a fourth-and-14 situation later in the stanza. With less than four minutes remaining in the game, Rashad Wisdom broke up a long pass attempt on a fourth-and-seven to give the ball back to UTSA for good. In the 45-30 road triumph over Middle Tennessee, the Roadrunners stopped the Blue Raiders on a pair of fourth-down tries in the fourth quarter and they also thwarted Texas Southern's only fourth-down attempt in the third quarter of the 52-24 victory the week prior. In the last five contests, UTSA's defense has gotten off the field on nine of the past 12 fourth down-conversion attempts combined. For the season, the Roadrunners lead the league and stand 27th in the FBS in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (.412).
D-line rotation keeps Roadrunners fresh
UTSA defensive coordinator Jess Loepp uses a deep rotation up front to keep the Roadrunners fresh throughout the course of a game. The Roadrunners played nine defensive linemen in the season opener versus No. 24 Houston. Brandon Brown, Brandon Matterson and Asyrus Simon drew starts and combined to register 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Simon led that trio with seven stops, while Brown made 1.5 sacks and caused the fumble. Joe Evans (3 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks), Lamonte McDougle (2 tackles), Trumane Bell II (0.5 TFL, QBH), Christian Clayton (tackle), Zach Causey and Ronald Triplette also saw snaps against the Cougars. A total of 10 defensive linemen saw action in the 41-38 comeback triumph over Army on Sept. 10, led by Matterson (5 tackles, 0.5 TFL), McDougle (4 tackles), Bell (4 tackles, sack), Evans (3 tackles) and Nick Booker-Brown (3 tackles, sack). UTSA rotated 10 players on the d-line in four consecutive games with Matterson's five tackles pacing the unit against No. 20 Texas, Triplette's six stops leading the way in the win over Texas Southern, Evans' two tackles topping the group in the 45-30 win at Middle Tennessee and Brown's three tackles setting the pace in the 31-28 victory over WKU. Nine saw action in the road victory over FIU which saw UTSA match the school record with 14 tackles for loss, including 2.5 from Booker-Brown. UTSA again rotated nine on the d-line in the 31-27 win against North Texas which saw Bell register a sack for a 6-yard loss. A total of 11 UTSA defensive linemen have been credited with a TFL this fall with Bell's 4.5 pacing the unit.
Linebacker leaders
The Roadrunners are not short on leadership in the second line of defense this fall, as three players who earned one of the coveted single-digit jersey numbers are lining up as starters at linebacker. The tandem of Trevor Harmanson, who is wearing No. 1, and Jamal Ligon, who is donning No. 8 for the second straight season, provides UTSA with two veterans in the middle. A super senior from Dickinson, Texas, Harmanson has recorded 219 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and a pair of recoveries in 45 career contests. Ligon, a junior out of Tyler, has registered 186 tackles, 11 TFLs, five sacks, three forced fumbles, a pair of recoveries and an interception in 31 games as a Roadrunner, and he owns the program single-game tackles record with 19 against Middle Tennessee in 2020. Meanwhile, Dadrian Taylor is back in his No. 7 jersey for his final year manning the SAM linebacker spot. In 53 career appearances, the Shiner, Texas, native has logged 100 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, five PBUs, two fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six versus Louisiana Tech last season.
Mayfield comfortable on an island
UTSA cornerback Corey Mayfield Jr. was thrown into the fire, so to speak, as a true freshman in 2018, seeing action in 10 games and drawing two starts. The Forney, Texas, native has made the most of that early playing time, developing into a steady presence at the position during the course of his career with 42 starts in 55 contests, the most games played on the current roster. The son of former Oklahoma and NFL defensive lineman Corey Mayfield has received honorable mention all-conference accolades in each of the past two seasons. Last fall, he registered 37 tackles, three tackles for loss, three pass breakups one forced fumble and an interception that he returned 49 yards for a touchdown in the 45-0 shutout of Rice. In 2020, he had a pair of interceptions and broke up a team-best six passes to go along with 37 stops and three TFLs. He started 2022 with six total tackles, four solo stops and a key pass breakup deep in UTSA territory against No. 24 Houston. Mayfield then registered three tackles and a PBU in overtime of UTSA's 41-38 comeback win over Army before logging four solo stops and a PBU at No. 20 Texas. Mayfield made three tackles in the victory against Texas Southern and added four more in the road win over Middle Tennessee before posting six unassisted tackles and a pair of pass breakups in the win over WKU. He came up with his first interception of the season to go with five solo stops in the 30-10 victory at FIU. Mayfield made it back-to-back weeks with a pick when he stepped in front of a pass and also posted four tackles and three PBUs in the 31-27 win over North Texas. He now has 35 tackles, 10 passes defended (No. 20/FBS) eight PBUs and two INTs this year and 138 tackles, eight TFLs, 22 passes defended (No. 3 in program history), 16 PBUs, six interceptions and two forced fumbles for his career.
Punter from Down Under
In its brief 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. Lucas Dean has emerged as the next in that strong 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. This season, he is averaging 44.8 yards on 25 punts with eight of 50-plus yards and 10 inside the 20-yard line. Dean enjoyed a career day in the 52-24 win over Texas Southern, breaking his own school record with a 76-yard punt late in the contest He also had kicks of 67 and 52 yards and averaged 60.5 on four punts in that contest to smash his own UTSA standard of 51.2 set against North Texas last season. Dean averaged 52.0 yards on two punts with a long of 57 in the 45-30 win at Middle Tennessee. In his last outing, he averaged 45.7 on three attempts including pinning North Texas at the 3-yard line on a 54-yard punt. As a true freshman, he averaged 40.8 yards on 65 punts and booted 12 of 50-plus yards. Dean provided quite the encore in 2020, shattering UTSA's single-season punting average record with a 46.0 mark to lead Conference USA and rank sixth nationally. He was a Ray Guy Award semifinalist, the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year and a second-team All-American by the Sporting News that season. Last fall, Dean punted 47 times for a 45.2 average that ranks second on the program's single-season chart, earning second-team all-league accolades. The Ray Guy Award preseason watch list member now owns four of the five longest punts in UTSA history and has improved his school record career average to 43.9, which ranks 10th among active FBS punters.
Welcome back, Sackett
Not often does a college football player finish his career where he started after transferring, but UTSA senior Jared Sackett is doing just that this season. As a true freshman for the Roadrunners in 2017, he made 19 of 22 field goals (.864) for the Roadrunners to rank third in the FBS in field goals per game (1.9) and ninth in field-goal percentage (.864). Those numbers helped him become the second Freshman All-American in program history and UTSA's first Lou Groza Award semifinalist. The Fort Worth native connected on 14 of 19 field goals en route to his second straight season as a Groza Award semifinalist in 2018. He transferred to Arkansas to kick for a coaching staff that included Jeff Traylor, but he sat out the 2019 season and then moved on to USF following a coaching change. Sackett made 5 of 7 field goals and all 10 extra points he tried in limited action in 2020 for the Bulls. After not kicking in any games last fall, he transferred back to UTSA for his final campaign, entering this season as a member of the Lou Groza Award watch list. He opened his second stint as a Roadrunner by drilling a pair of field goals, including a 37-yarder as time expired to send the game into overtime, and also made all three extra points and had two touchbacks on four kickoffs against No. 24 Houston. Sackett was tabbed C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week for his effort against the Cougars. Against No. 20 Texas, he made both field goal tries and two extra-point attempts, recorded three touchbacks and executed an onside kick that was recovered by Jimmori Robinson. Sackett drilled a 43-yard field goal, had three touchbacks and made seven PATs in the 52-24 win over Texas Southern and then made a 28-yarder and six extra points to go along with three touchbacks in the 45-30 victory at Middle Tennessee. After splitting the uprights from a season-long distance of 49 yards and making all four PATs in the 31-28 win versus WKU, Sackett earned the C-USA weekly award for the second time this season. He has made a field goal in each of the past six contests and now has 48 makes — 20th among active FBS kickers — on 61 tries (78.7%) and 85 PATs during his collegiate career. A Burlsworth Trophy nominee this year, he stands third in program history with 42 field goals and 75 extra points as a Roadrunner.
Transfers making immediate impact
UTSA has seen several first-year transfers make an immediate impact this season. Nicktroy Fortune, who last played for West Virginia, has started the first eight games at cornerback and registered 26 tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. LSU transfer Joe Evans has seen action on the defensive line and owns eight stops, 2.5 TFLs and half a sack in five contests. NC State transfer defensive lineman Nick Booker-Brown made his UTSA debut in the 41-38 comeback win at Army, recording three tackles including a sack for a 5-yard loss, and he now has 16 stops, 3.5 TFLs, two sacks and a pair of PBUs on the year. Pig Cage, a defensive back from LSU who started his career at Nicholls, has logged nine tackles and a TFL in eight contests. On offense, Venly Tatafu, who came from Independence Community College, earned the starting left tackle job and has helped the offense average 489.8 yards per game, good for 15th nationally. Arkansas transfer running back Trelon Smith has rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns, while Colorado transfer Chris Carpenter became the first Roadrunner to return a kickoff for a touchdown with a 97-yarder in the victory against Texas Southern.
Carpenter makes history
Chris Carpenter stamped his name in the UTSA record book as the first Roadrunner to return a kickoff for a touchdown when he took one back 97 yards for a score in the 52-24 victory over Texas Southern on Sept. 24. A transfer from Colorado, the Jacksonville, Texas, native's return also soared to the top of the program's list of longest plays, moving ahead of Jarveon Williams' 92-yard run versus Southern Miss in 2016. Now in its 12th season, UTSA had returned a total of 396 kickoffs without a score before Carpenter broke free for his record setter. The previous longest kickoff return before Carpenter's 97-yarder was 87 yards by Kam Jones at Florida Atlantic in 2014.
FBS graduates
UTSA boasts 22 graduates on its 2022 roster, a total that is tied for the third-most among FBS teams. Nebraska leads the way with 26, followed by Liberty and Rice with 23. The Roadrunners are equal with Baylor, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, North Texas, Pitt and Texas State.
UTSA's Graduates
Trumane Bell
Tre'Von Bradley
Brenden Brady
Quincy Cage
Caleb Cantrell
Clifford Chattman
Kevin Davis
Trevor Harmanson
Frank Harris
Makai Hart
Terrell Haynes
Payne He'bert
Ahofitu Maka
Brandon Matterson
Lamonte McDougle
Dru Prox
Jared Sackett
Gavin Sharp
Trelon Smith
Dadrian Taylor
Tony Wallace
Julon Williams
Brotherly duos
UTSA has three sets of brothers on the 2022 roster in safety Pig Cage and wide receiver Quincy Cage, offensive lineman Kevin Davis and wide receiver Isaiah Davis, along with outside linebackers Dadrian and Donyai Taylor. The Roadrunners are one of only nine FBS teams with multiple sets of brothers this season. Additionally, the Taylor brothers are one of only seven sets of brothers to have combined for at least 5.0 tackles for loss this season, as they have registered a combined 5.5.
TV birds
Saturday's game will air on Stadium, marking 119 straight televised/streamed appearances for the Roadrunners. The last UTSA game that was not broadcast was the 2012 season finale against Texas State.
Sixteen Roadrunners in super senior season
A total of 16 UTSA seniors have elected to take advantage of their extra year of eligibility this fall as a result of an NCAA blanket waiver for all 2020 fall sports student-athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brenden Brady
Caleb Cantrell
Clifford Chattman
Kevin Davis
Trevor Harmanson
Frank Harris
Makai Hart
Ahofitu Maka
Brandon Matterson
Corey Mayfield Jr.
Dru Prox
Jared Sackett
Gavin Sharp
Trelon Smith
Dadrian Taylor
Tony Wallace
Duo in seventh season of college football
UTSA seniors Clifford Chattman and Dru Prox are in rare company as two of only 23 FBS players who are in at least their seventh season of college football. In fact, that duo makes UTSA the only school on the list with two current seventh-year players.
A focus on recruiting Texas
UTSA's 112-man roster features 87 players — 78% — who hail from the state of Texas. Louisiana stands second with five players, while there are three each from California, Florida and Mississippi and two apiece from Georgia and Tennessee. Hawai'i, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and Virginia each have produced one current Roadrunner, while Lucas Dean is the lone UTSA player from Australia.
Keeping them home
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor and his staff have placed an emphasis on recruiting the city of San Antonio and thesurrounding area. The current roster includes 26 players from Greater San Antonio with a team-high five hailing from perennial power Converse Judson High School.
Player (High School)
Rudy Aleman Jr. (Warren)
Brenden Brady (Steele)
Oscar Cardenas (Brandeis)
Cade Collenback (O'Connor)
Frank Harris (Clemens)
Caden Holt (New Braunfels Canyon)
Xion LaGrant (Cornerstone Christian)
Ethan Laing (Boerne Champion)
Caleb Lewis (Steele)
De'Anthony Lewis (Judson)
Deandre Marshall (Central Catholic)
Frankie Martinez (East Central)
Brandon Matterson (Brandeis)
Trey Moore (Smithson Valley)
Matthew O'Brien (New Braunfels)
Xavier Player (Steele)
Jalen Rainey (Brandeis)
Jaren Randle (Johnson)
Robert Rigsby (Judson)
Ben Rios (Central Catholic)
Justin Rodriguez (Johnson)
Kamron Scott (Judson)
Xavier Spencer (Judson)
Dre Spriggs (Harlan)
Julon Williams (Judson)
Rashad Wisdom (Judson)
UTSA's 210 Triangle of Toughness
Since his arrival in December 2019, UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has instilled into the program his 210 Triangle Of Toughness Culture Pillars: Integrity, Passion, Mental & Physical Toughness, Selfless and Perfect Effort. As part of that 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. The numbers 2, 1 and 0 — San Antonio's area code — 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 — De'Corian Clark, Trevor Harmanson
2 — Joshua Cephus, Corey Mayfield Jr.
3 — Brandon Matterson
4 — Clifford Chattman, Zakhari Franklin
5 — Brenden Brady, Lucas Dean
6 — Kelechi Nwachuku
7 — Dadrian Taylor
8 — Jamal Ligon
9 — Brandon Brown, Oscar Cardenas
Offensive linemen Kevin Davis (61), Makai Hart (77), Terrell Haynes (58) and Ahofitu Maka (55) also received the necessary votes but cannot change to a single-digit number due to their position.
Leadership Council elected
Prior to the season, UTSA elected a Leadership Council made up of representatives from each position group.
Quarterbacks — Frank Harris
Running Backs — Brenden Brady
Wide Receivers — Joshua Cephus
Tight Ends — Oscar Cardenas
Offensive Line — Ahofitu Maka
Defensive Line — Brandon Brown
Inside Linebackers — Jamal Ligon
Outside Linebackers (S) — Dadrian Taylor
Outside Linebackers (W) — Trey Moore
Safeties — Kelechi Nwachuku, Rashad Wisdom
Cornerbacks — Corey Mayfield Jr.
Specialists — Caleb Cantrell, Lucas Dean
Up next
UTSA will return home to host Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 12. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+ and Ticket 760 AM.
-UTSA-