NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Athlon Sports recently named its preseason All-Conference USA teams and three UTSA players earned recognition from the organization. Senior running back Jarveon Williams and junior defensive end Marcus Davenport were second-team selections, while senior safety Michael Egwuagu landed on the third team. All three were honorable mention all-league selections last fall.
Williams is coming off a junior campaign that saw him become the first 1,000-yard rusher in program history. The team captain played in the first 11 games (nine starts) before missing the season finale against Middle Tennessee (Nov. 28). He posted school records of 1,042 yards on 173 carries (6.0 avg.) on the strength of four 100-yard games, averaged 94.7 yards per outing and also tied the program's single-season record with eight rushing touchdowns. The local product out of Converse Judson High School ran for a UTSA-record 186 yards on just 19 attempts at Charlotte (Nov. 14), an outing that featured a 68-yarder and 24-yard touchdown. That performance broke his previous best of 170 yards on only 13 carries against Colorado State (Sept. 26), a contest that included a school-record 85-yard touchdown. The 5-foot-10, 220-pounder went on to add another 133 yards on a program-record 28 totes the following week at UTEP (Oct. 3) and he racked up another 163 yards, including a 78-yard TD, on 22 carries against Rice (Nov. 21).
Meanwhile, Davenport started 11 contests but missed the Colorado State (Sept. 26) tilt due to injury a year ago. The San Antonio native recorded 49 tackles (30 solos/19 assists) and ranked second on the team with 7.5 TFLs and four sacks. He also racked up four QB hurries, three pass breakups and a pair of forced fumbles. Davenport had a career day against Rice with 10 stops, three TFLs and two sacks. He posted six stops and a sack at Charlotte and added five tackles and one sack in the season opener against No. 22 Arizona (Sept. 3). Davenport also accumulated five tackles, including 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage, against Louisiana Tech (Oct. 10).
Egwuagu appeared in all 12 games and drew starts in the opening 11 tilts. He registered 62 tackles (37 solos/25 assists), including 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks, and was second on the squad with three interceptions and added a total of eight pass breakups. His three picks came in three consecutive outings — at UTEP, against Louisiana Tech and at Southern Miss (Oct. 17). The Pflugerville native posted a career-best 10 stops, including one sack, and a pair of PBUs against Colorado State and followed that up with eight tackles, a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown and another defensive score when he took a Nate Gaines lateral 15 yards following the team's fourth pick of the night at UTEP. The 6-foot, 220-pounder earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week and honorable mention Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week laurels for his efforts at the Miners. Egwuagu added seven stops and a pass breakup against Rice.
The Roadrunners will open the 2016 season on Saturday, Sept. 3, when it hosts Alabama State at the Alamodome. It will mark the program's first home season opener since its inaugural 2011 campaign.
