SAN ANTONIO — UTSA's Spencer Burford, Lucas Dean, Sincere McCormick and Rashad Wisdom have been named to Phil Steele's Preseason All-Conference USA Team.
McCormick, a sophomore from Converse Judson High School, was named to the publication's second team at running back. He burst onto the scene last fall, collecting Freshman All-America accolades from the Football Writers Association of America and Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors after breaking a pair of school records. He took down the program's single-season all-purpose yardage standard with 1,177 and also eclipsed the single-game rushing yardage mark with 189 in the win at UTEP. McCormick finished the year with 983 yards and eight touchdowns on 177 carries, an average of 5.6 yards per attempt and 81.9 yards per game. A 2019 honorable mention all-conference pick, he established UTSA freshman records for rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing TDs, rushing yards per attempt and rushing yards per game
Burford a junior from San Antonio Wagner High School, was tabbed third-team on the offensive line. He garnered honorable mention All-Conference USA accolades after he appeared in all 12 games and earned 11 starts at left guard as a sophomore in 2019. He was a key part of a unit that helped UTSA post 4,139 yards of offense, including a ground attack that tallied 1,950 yards behind McCormick's 983 yards and a passing offense that produced 2,189. Burford started in the 35-7 season-opening victory over UIW, helping the Roadrunners churn out 284 rushing yards, the eighth-best total in school history. He also helped UTSA register 320 yards on the ground, which ranks No. 3 on the program's single-game chart, behind a pair of 100-yard rushers in the 26-16 road win at UTEP.
Dean, a sophomore punter from Australia, also collected preseason third-team honors from the magazine. Last fall, he averaged 40.8 yards on 65 punts with 12 going for 50-or-more yards as a true freshman. He pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line 16 times and induced 28 fair catches. His season-long punt of 56 yards was one of two that sailed at least 50 yards at Baylor. Dean turned in a season-best 44.7 average on six punts with two going for 50-plus yards and four downed inside the 20 against Florida Atlantic.
Wisdom, a sophomore from Converse Judson High School, was named to the fourth team secondary. A 2019 Conference USA All-Freshman Team selection, he made all 12 starts at safety as a true freshman and registered 44 total tackles, 31 solo stops, 5.5 tackles for a loss, a pair of sacks and one quarterback hurry. He picked off his first career pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown in the win over Rice. Wisdom tallied a season-high 10 tackles and forced a fumble against Florida Atlantic and he came up with his first career fumble recovery to go along with three tackles versus Louisiana Tech.
The Roadrunners are scheduled to kick off their 10th season of play on Sept. 5 against defending national champion LSU in Baton Rouge, La. UTSA then will renew the I-35 Rivalry with Texas State on Sept. 12 in San Marcos.
UTSA's home opener is slated for Sept. 19 versus Grambling at the Alamodome and the Roadrunners will welcome Memphis, the defending American Athletic Conference champion, to San Antonio the following Saturday.
The Roadrunners' C-USA slate includes home contests against Old Dominion (Oct. 17), Louisiana Tech (Oct. 24), UTEP (Nov. 14) and North Texas (Nov. 28). UTSA will hit the road for league games at UAB (Oct. 3), Florida Atlantic (Oct. 31), Rice (Nov. 7) and Southern Miss (Nov. 21).
Season tickets start at $75 and are on sale now by calling 210-458-UTSA (8872) or visiting goUTSA.com/tickets.
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