Football Notebook: Roadrunners hold first spring scrimmageFootball Notebook: Roadrunners hold first spring scrimmage
Football

Football Notebook: Roadrunners hold first spring scrimmage

SAN ANTONIO -- On its sixth practice date of the spring season, UTSA football held its first full-padded scrimmage, on Friday morning at the UTSA Football Practice Fields. 
 
Other UTSA spring practice dates include Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and April 10, 13, 17 and 19.
 
The spring practice season will conclude with the ninth annual UTSA Football Fiesta Spring Game, which will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Dub Farris Athletic Complex (8400 North Loop 1604 W). Admission and parking are free.
 
The Roadrunners will open the 2019 season on Saturday, Aug. 31, against UIW at the Alamodome. 
 
Season tickets are on sale now by calling or texting 210-458-UTSA (8872) or visiting http://goUTSA.com/tickets.
 
Quarterback battle update
UTSA's spring features the return of several players from injuries in 2018, including sophomore quarterback Frank Harris – locked in a six-way competition for the starting job – and senior safety Carl Austin III. 
 
Harris shined out of the gate to open the scrimmage, taking a quarterback read-option 70 yards for a touchdown. 
 
"Quarterbacks were live (contact)," UTSA head coach Frank Wilson said. "Which we were all anxious to see in two cases, for those two quarterbacks, it's been a while since they were in full, live bullets. Frank Harris and Lowell Narcisse as well. Both guys came off injuries out of high school and have gone through some things (injury wise). Of course, Lowell played at junior college but it was his first time live here. It was good to see, that the first play of the scrimmage, Frank Harris went 70 yards for a touchdown. Just how you draw it up. We ran a designed quarterback read option and he pulls it in, and makes about three guys miss, and outruns everybody else. Started off good, continued it and I thought he often did some really good things."
 
Carl Austin III returns to field, Solomon Wise dominates
Austin, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound product of Austin, Texas, has played in 35 games over his first three years, notching 67 tackles, six tackles for a loss, three passes defended and one fumble recovery. He had 48 tackles and 4.5 tackles for a loss in 2017. 
 

"The defense fought back in the second half of the scrimmage and was very stellar at defending the end zone," Wilson said. "Carl Austin was outstanding. (Defensive lineman) Solomon Wise was dominant. I would say three-plus contributions and sacks for him."
 
Wide receivers progressing
After the departure of leading receiver Greg Campbell Jr. to graduation in 2018, UTSA will be seeking contributions from several sophomores in their encore collegiate seasons, including Sheldon Jones, Tykee Ogle-Kellogg and Tariq Woolen.
 
"I thought our offensive line, at times, really changed the line of scrimmage and moved us down the field. Sheldon Jones was probably a highlight from a receiver perspective and went up and caught a couple of spectacular catches."
 
As freshmen, Woolen had 15 grabs for 158 yards and a touchdown, and Jones added 10 grabs for 74 yards. Ogle-Kellog had 14 catches for 179 yards and a team-high three TDs.
 
Wilson praises running backs Brady, Daniels
The running back position also includes a battle, featuring sophomore Brenden Brady and junior B.J. Daniels.  Daniels led UTSA with 322 yards rushing in 2018 and Brady added 221 yards. 

 
"Brenden Brady was fantastic today," Wilson said about the running-back group. "Sincere McCormick was very gratifying to see a true freshman, the guy in 12.5 grade, if you will, comes out here and scores touchdowns in a full-contact setting. Someone who understands what we're expecting. B.J. Daniels' growth continued to happen and every time he scored some, Brenden Brady would get in and answer. I thought those two guys played outstanding from a backfield perspective as well."
 
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