SAN ANTONIO -- On the first day of the 2019 UTSA football training camp, the Roadrunners split into a dual-squad practice, with a morning and afternoon session at the UTSA Practice Fields.
UTSA is in the second day of preseason training camp after 109 Roadrunners reported on Thursday. UTSA welcomes back 44 letterwinners and 16 starters, including nine on offense, six one defense and one specialist.
UTSA opens its 2019 season on Aug. 31 vs. UIW at the Alamodome. Season tickets are available, starting at $75, and are on sale by calling or texting 210-458-UTSA (8872) or visiting goUTSA.com/tickets.
The Roadrunners will return to the field on Saturday for the second day of practice.
"Coming off a season that was less than what we desire, the feeling of anticipation is even more," head coach Frank Wilson said during move-in day on Thursday. "It's even greater of a level of eagerness to want to get back at it. We had our best summer that we've had in our tenure here. We've had a great spring football season and a great recruiting class. (We want) To go out and put a brand of football on the field to make our city, our university and our state proud of us."
We're just getting it started. #BirdsUp 🤙 pic.twitter.com/GLRqdtI6oN
— UTSA Football 🏈 (@UTSAFTBL) August 2, 2019
Offensive line returns 46 starts from 2019
A potential strength for the Roadrunners in 2019 includes the offensive line, which returns 46 starters from 2018.
After the first session of the fall practice season, UTSA's big men were on center stage for post-practice media availability.
The Roadrunners return their starting line from 2018, including sophomores Kevin Davis and Spencer Burford, and seniors Josh Dunlop, Treyvion Shannon and Jalyn Galmore. In addition, juniors Dominic Pastucci, Jacob Graner and Josh Oatis help UTSA with experienced depth.
Davis was a stalwart at center in 2018 but the addition of talented newcomers, including Ahofitu Maka, could allow him to shift to a guard role.
A preseason second-team All-Texas selection by Dave Campbell's Texas Football, Dunlop has started all 23 games of his career after transferring for the 2017 season out of Dodge City [Kan.] Community College. In 2019, Dunlop made five starts at right guard before making the final seven starts of the year at right tackle.
Shannon, a 6-foot-5, 315-pound native of Clarksdale, Miss., made all 12 starts at left tackle in his debut season in 2018.
Burford, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound product of San Antonio's Wagner High School, enters 2019 as a preseason fourth-team All-Conference USA selection by Athlon Sports. Burford, who was UTSA's first-ever four-star signee, started all 10 games he played in 2018 en route to Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors.
Returning tailbacks Brenden Brady and B.J. Daniels stand to benefit from the increased experience on the offensive line.
"We've got some guys returning from last year," Brady said. "Glad to see them out here moving around, bouncing around and doing their thing – opening holes for us. That's all we can ask for. They were young last year. They had a couple of transfer guys; a couple of JUCO guys, freshmen that were playing on the o-line. Last year's experience definitely helped them and improved them. We saw that in the spring. We definitely made strides in the string and are coming into fall camp and are looking to make strides on those strides. Right now, we're just looking to keep making strides."
- UTSA -