Football Notebook: Wide receivers, offense developing in springFootball Notebook: Wide receivers, offense developing in spring
Jeff Huehn/UTSA Athletics
Football

Football Notebook: Wide receivers, offense developing in spring

SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA football team held its 11th practice of the spring on Wednesday morning at the UTSA Practice Fields. 
 
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 goUTSA.com/tickets.

Defense shines in Wednesday's practice 
"(Today was) a practice that you only envision from a defensive perspective," UTSA head coach Frank Wilson said. "One that is plentiful with turnovers. One that watches the defense pursue and swarm to a football and play with the fanatical effort that has been our identity from the beginning. The defense answered the bell today and came out and played spectacular in a situational practice where we're coming in out or backed up for the defense was needed. I can't speak enough about the defensive play today."
 
Senior cornerback Clayton Johnson – a 5-foot-11 native of Flower Mound, Texas – shined during the practice, along with senior linebacker Andrew Martel. Martel is shifting from a role in the secondary into a position on the front-seven of the defensive front. Martel ranked fifth on the team with 45 stops in 2018. 
 
"Clayton Johnson was spectacular with his interceptions on the day," Wilson said. "Our defensive line created push and rush and I thought Andrew Martell had probably his best day of the spring."
 
Johnson totaled 23 tackles in 2018, with two interceptions and three passes broken up. 
 
"Making plays on the ball," Wilson said about what Johnson did on Wednesday that stood out. "He did a really good job of gauging the flight of the football and then going up and high pointing it, fighting for contested balls and coming out victorious. He had several picks on the day and I thought that's indicative of what we want in our secondary."
 
Offense finding form under Kastl
The UTSA offensive attack is under the direction of first-year coordinator Jeff Kastl. Kastl is in his fourth season with the Roadrunners after serving as receiver coach for three years, in addition to passing-game coordinator in 2018. 
 
"Innovativeness," Wilson said when asked what Kastl brings. "He's a guy that shows ingenuity. He's good in play disguise, play selection of what to call when to call it and put the right people in position to make those plays. Just really think he's on the cutting edge of modern football and the things that we're trying to accomplish as an offense."
 
Kastl's previous experience with the UTSA staff brings strong familiarity of the personnel and offensive approach. 
 
"He relates extremely well to those guys," Wilson said. "He's very approachable. His communication skills are exactly where they need to be for our team, for our personnel. For those guys to have comfort in asking a question and even when they don't understand it, to say that, and he'd give it to them in a manner that they can receive it." 
 
One of the keys to the offense under Kastl has been a desire to practice, and play, at a higher tempo. 
 
"I wouldn't say what we are learning, as far as concepts, are different, but it's a lot more fast paced," senior wide receiver Blaze Moorehead said. "We are putting in a lot more. At this time last year, we didn't have this much in. We have a lot going on. From our standpoint, we have to do a lot more studying, a lot more communication."
 
A former quarterback at Michigan, from 2002-06, Kastl has coaching experience at LSU, Michigan and Auburn before joining the UTSA staff as one of Wilson's first hires in the opening days of 2016.  
 
"He was a quarterback in college so he has that quarterback mindset," Moorhead said. "He has a great understanding for offensive schemes and how it should be done. I like his overall mindset, that we are going to run and throw the football. We are going to be balanced."

The Roadrunners receiver group is under the direction of Tony Ball, who joined the staff following the 2018 season. 
 
Among the position battles that Kastl must manage is a competition for the starting quarterback spot. UTSA has sophomore Frank Harris, freshman Jordan Weeks, sophomore Lowell Narcisse, freshman Suddin Sapien, senior Brandon Garza and senior Cordale Grundy competing for the job.
 
"We have five, six guys – however many it is – that all bring something different to the table," Moorhead said about the QB battle. "They all have extreme talent. Every single one of them is a leader. It's been awesome just to watch them compete with one another but also bring each other with them. It's not a selfish battle. They know they want to do what's best for our team, just like everybody else does."
 
Grundy returns the lion's share of the experience from 2018, throwing for 989 yards and five TDs, while rushing for 167 yards and a score. 
 
"We're really just trying to get the timing down with the QBs," sophomore wide receiver Sheldon Jones said. "We're getting in a flow with the new plays and the new offense that we're doing. It's really going smooth right now. We're coming together as an offense this year."
 
Moorhead returning from injury
Senior wide receiver Blaze Moorhead is working his way back into full form during his final spring practice with the Roadrunners. 
 
"Things are going really well," Moorhead said. "I'm still not cleared fully for physical contact (due to injury). I'm getting a lot of mental reps. I can do pretty much everything except the team portions. From a personal standpoint, things are going good. I've had a chance to step back and learn the offense, coach up the younger guys, which helps me as well, and an opportunity to make it about everybody else and less about me. It's been a good experience so far."

Moorhead had the best season of his career in 2018, grabbing 19 passes for 210 yards and a TD. 
 
"It's understanding our role and then being confident in our scheme and what we are supposed to be doing," Moorhead said about the wide receivers focus in the spring. "Whenever you know what you are supposed to be doing, it allows you to make those plays because there's less thinking involved and it allows you to just go play ball."

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