UTSA Roadrunners (3-1) at #15 BYU Cougars (3-0)
2:30 p.m. CT | Saturday, Oct. 10
LaVell Edwards Field | Provo, Utah
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
Opening drive
• Saturday will mark the first meeting between UTSA and BYU.
• The Roadrunners are making their second-ever visit to the state of Utah, as the first road game in program history was against Southern Utah on Sept. 17, 2011, in Cedar City.
• No. 15 BYU will mark the sixth nationally ranked FBS opponent that UTSA has faced and the first since a 23-10 setback at No. 22 Texas A&M on Nov. 19, 2016.
• The Roadrunners are tied with Cincinnati and Syracuse for the most interceptions in the FBS with seven and they stand third in the nation with nine total takeaways.
• Sophomore RB Sincere McCormick leads the FBS in rushing yards (527) and ranks second in rushing yards per game (131.8).
• Senior PK Hunter Duplessis has made 18 consecutive field goals, the longest active streak in FBS, and he leads the country with nine field goals this season.
• Sophomore P Lucas Dean ranks second in C-USA and eighth in the FBS in punting average (46.5).
• Saturday's game will air on ESPN2, marking the 89th straight UTSA game to be broadcast.
Setting the scene
UTSA will step out of Conference USA play and make just the second trip to the state of Utah in program history to face No. 15 BYU on Saturday, Oct. 10, in Provo. Kickoff for the first meeting between the Roadrunners (3-1) and Cougars (3-0), an FBS Independent, is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2. After storming out to its first 3-0 start since 2017, UTSA is coming off its first loss of the season in a 21-13 setback to UAB last Saturday in Birmingham. BYU will mark the sixth nationally ranked FBS opponent that the Roadrunners have faced and the first since a 23-10 road loss to No. 22 Texas A&M on Nov 19, 2016.
Tuning in
Saturday's game will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Fans also can tune in via the ESPN app or WatchESPN (cable/satellite provider credentials are required). Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst) and Taylor McGregor (reporter) have the call. The contest will air live on Ticket 760 AM in the San Antonio area. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Pat Evans (reporter) will call all the action. The pregame show will begin at 12:30 p.m. CT and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The radio broadcast also can be heard online at goUTSA.comand Ticket760.com and via the free iHeartRadio app or TuneIn.
Utah not a familiar place for UTSA
The Roadrunners will make just the second trip to the state of Utah in the program's 10-year history this weekend when they travel to Provo to face BYU. Their last visit to the Beehive State happened with the first road game in school history on Sept. 17, 2011, when UTSA dropped a 45-22 decision to Southern Utah in Cedar City. The Roadrunners have faced only one other team from Utah in a 48-17 home setback to Utah State on Oct. 27, 2012, in San Antonio when both teams were members of the Western Athletic Conference.
Roadrunners versus ranked opponents
UTSA has faced five nationally ranked FBS opponents in its 10-year history prior to Saturday's nonconference clash with No. 15 BYU, the second of three consecutive games versus teams currently receiving top-25 votes. The Roadrunners last played a top-25 team on Nov. 19, 2016, when they dropped a 23-10 decision at No. 22 Texas A&M. UTSA first matched up with a ranked opponent when they fell to FCS No. 16 Sam Houston State on Oct. 1, 2011. The following year, the Roadrunners played their first contest against a top-25 FBS team in a 51-27 defeat at the hands of No. 22 Louisiana Tech when both teams were members of the Western Athletic Conference. The highest-ranked foe UTSA has played was No. 13 Oklahoma State in 2013.
TV birds
All 12 of UTSA's scheduled regular season games this fall have been selected for broadcast. The Roadrunners, who have seen their last 88 outings appear over the airwaves, will make it 96 straight televised/streamed appearances by the end of the regular season. In fact, the last UTSA game that was not broadcast was the 2012 season finale against Texas State.
Taking schedule changes in stride
The 2020 college football season has been anything but normal and like many other teams, UTSA has felt the effects of schedule changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Roadrunners originally were scheduled to open the campaign on Sept. 5 against defending national champion LSU in Baton Rouge, but SEC-wide schedule changes eliminated that game from the fall lineup. UTSA also was due to host Grambling on Sept. 19, but the Southwestern Athletic Conference postponed its football season to the spring, forcing the Roadrunners to replace that nonconference clash with Stephen F. Austin. UTSA also lost a Conference USA home game when Old Dominion opted out of the 2020 football season. The Roadrunners filled that open Oct. 17 home date with Army West Point and also added this Saturday's road date with BYU to get back to 12 regular season games. On Sept. 19, Memphis announced it would be unable to travel to San Antonio for a Sept. 25 matchup, but UTSA was able to quickly replace the Tigers with Middle Tennessee for a C-USA contest that resulted in a 37-35 triumph for the Roadrunners.
Traylor era off to successful start
The Jeff Traylor era is off to a successful start, as UTSA won its first three games for the third time in program history and the first since 2017. The Roadrunners pulled out a thrilling 51-48 double-overtime victory over Texas State in Traylor's debut on Sept. 12 and then defeated his alma mater, Stephen F. Austin, 24-10, in the home opener the following Saturday. He became the first UTSA head coach to win his first three games with the 37-35 victory over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25, and the 3-1 start also ranks as the best record for a Roadrunners coach through the first four games. Traylor boasts 30 years of coaching experience, including a highly successful 15-year career as head coach at Gilmer High School, where he led his hometown Buckeyes to three state championships and two state runner-up finishes and posted a 175-26 (.871) record. Named the third head coach in UTSA history on Dec. 10, 2019, Traylor previously was the associate head coach and running backs coach at Arkansas (2018-19) and SMU (2017) after two seasons at Texas serving as associate head coach for the offense and receivers coach in 2016 and special teams coordinator and tight ends coach in 2015.
2020 marks 10th season of UTSA football
UTSA is celebrating its 10th season of football in 2020. The Roadrunners started their football program from scratch and, following a practice season in 2010, played their first season as an FCS Independent in 2011 before joining the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012 campaign. UTSA moved into its current league home — Conference USA — in 2013 and became a full-fledged FBS member starting with the 2014 season. The Roadrunners set NCAA modern startup program records in 2011 by drawing 56,743 fans to their inaugural game against Northeastern State and by averaging 35,521 fans for their six home contests that season. UTSA made its first postseason appearance at the 2016 New Mexico Bowl in its sixth season of play and registered its first win against a team from a Power 5 conference the following season with a 17-10 victory over Baylor.
Game 111
Now in their 10th season of play, the Roadrunners will play their 111th game in program history and 56th road contest on Saturday. The Roadrunners are 48-62 all-time and 20-35 away from the Alamodome, including a 1-1 ledger this season. By comparison, BYU started playing football in 1922 and is set for its 1,039th game on Saturday. The Cougars, who won a national title in 1984, own an all-time record of 585-427-26.
Scouting BYU
The Cougars, who are ranked 15th in both major polls, ran their record to 3-0 with a 45-14 home victory over Louisiana Tech last Friday night. BYU opened the 2020 season with a 55-3 triumph over Navy on Sept. 7 before routing Troy, 48-7, on Sept. 26. Zach Wilson paces a potent offense that is averaging 585.7 yards and 49.3 points per contest, as the junior quarterback has completed 60 of 71 passes (84.5%) for 949 yards and six touchdowns. Sophomore running back Tyler Allgeier leads the ground attack with 275 yards and three TDs, while Dax Milne (17-264) and Gunner Romney (16-373) are the top pass catchers. The BYU defense has been stingy, surrendering just 214.3 yards and 8.0 points per contest. Keenan Pili leads the team with 19 tackles, while Tyler Batty has a team-best four sacks. Head coach Kalani Sitake is 30-25 in his fifth season at the helm.
Last time out
Sincere McCormick rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown and the UTSA defense forced four UAB turnovers, but it was not enough in a 21-13 loss to the Blazers in Conference USA action on Oct. 3 in Birmingham, Ala. Trailing by two scores in the fourth quarter, the Roadrunners took advantage of their fourth takeaway of the day when Trevor Harmanson picked off a Bryson Lucero pass over the middle to set up UTSA on the UAB 34-yard line. McCormick dashed around left end for 25 yards on first down and, following a defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone, the sophomore from Converse Judson found paydirt from two yards. Hunter Duplessis' extra point made it 21-13 with 10:31 remaining. UTSA then forced a three-and-out and drove into UAB territory, as Lowell Narcisse's 16-yard quarterback keeper put the ball on the 33. However, two straight tackles in the backfield followed by two incomplete passes turned the ball over on downs with 4:40 left to play. The Roadrunners held on third down near midfield and forced a punt with a little more than one minute left, but a roughing the punter penalty gave the Blazers an automatic first down and they ran out the clock to secure the win, their 20th in a row at Legion Field.
Roadrunners up for national awards
Five Roadrunners have been named to or nominated for national award watch lists. Lucas Dean was added to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award for the nation's top punter, while Hunter Duplessis is UTSA's nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Sincere McCormick appears on the watch list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, which is given to the top offensive player in college football with ties to the state of Texas. Solomon Wise is one of 114 players on the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service." Following a stellar season debut in the Texas State win, Frank Harris was added to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Midseason Watch List.
C-USA weekly awards roll in for Roadrunners
UTSA's successful start to the season has helped lead to several accolades from the league office. Jamal Ligon was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 28 following his record-setting performance in the 37-35 victory over Middle Tennessee. The true freshman linebacker broke the school's single-game tackles record with 19, the most in a game by any FBS player this season. On Sept. 21, Frank Harris collected the program's second straight C-USA Offensive Player of the Week award after accounting for 373 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Stephen F. Austin. Following the season-opening, double-overtime victory against Texas State on Sept. 12, Hunter Duplessis received the C-USA special teams weekly award after making all three field-goal attempts, including the game winner from 29 yards, while Sincere McCormick was tabbed C-USA Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a program-record 197 yards and a TD on 29 carries. With four weekly C-USA awards through its first four games, UTSA already has matched the school record for most earned in a single year (2014).
Roadrunners make history
UTSA made history on Sept. 20 after receiving votes in that week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll. Now in their 10th season of football and ninth as a member of an FBS conference, the Roadrunners received two votes, marking the first time UTSA has collected a vote for either of the weekly top 25 polls. UTSA has not received any top-25 votes in the last two weeks.
Balanced offense a key to 3-1 start
One of the keys to UTSA's 3-1 start has been a balanced offensive attack. Under the direction of offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., the Roadrunners are averaging 417.0 yards per game to rank third in Conference USA and 33rd nationally, and they feature a near-even split between the ground and air attacks. UTSA is rushing for 209.3 yards per game, which stands fourth in the league and 20th in the FBS, and passing for 207.8 yards per outing. UTSA tallied 499 yards of offense in the season opener versus Texas State and followed that with a 498-yard effort against Stephen F. Austin, marking the second-most yards gained in a two-game span in program history. The Roadrunners racked up 330 yards on the ground in the double-overtime win at Texas State, the third-best rushing output in school annals, and they passed for a season-high 303 yards in the 37-35 triumph over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25.
Converting in the red zone
UTSA has been nearly perfect in the red zone this season. The Roadrunners have reached the opponent's 20-yard line 20 times through the first four contests and they have scored on 19 of those trips with 11 touchdowns and eight field goals. The only unsuccessful visit to the red zone occurred in the first half of the UAB contest when UTSA did not convert on four tries following a first-and-goal opportunity from the 2-yard line.
Sincere success
After enjoying one of the best debut campaigns in program history last fall, UTSA running back Sincere McCormick is off to a fast start to his sophomore season. The 2019 Conference USA Freshman of the Year opened the fall by breaking his own school record with 197 rushing yards and a touchdown on 29 carries — also a UTSA record — to help the Roadrunners outlast Texas State in double overtime. McCormick ripped off a pair of career-long 58-yard runs and helped UTSA tally 330 yards on the ground for the third-best total in program annals, earning C-USA Offensive Player of the Week accolades for his performance. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list member followed that by tallying 98 yards on the ground in the 24-10 win over Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before rushing for 82 yards and another score in the win against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. The Converse Judson High School product notched the fifth 100-yard performance of his 16-game career with 150 yards and a TD on 22 totes against UAB last Saturday in what was a matchup of two of the top rushers in the nation. The 2019 Freshman All-American leads the FBS in rushing yards with 527 and he stands fourth nationally with 131.8 yards per game, ninth with 151.8 all-purpose yards per contest, 12th with four rushing TDs and 20th with a 5.92 yards-per-carry average.
Welcome back, Zakhari
UTSA wide receiver Zakhari Franklin picked up where he left off in his debut campaign in his first action of his sophomore season. After missing the first two games, the Cedar Hill High School product caught six passes for 119 yards and a touchdown to help lead the Roadrunners to a 37-35 win over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. He was on the receiving end of a 25-yard TD pass from Frank Harris in the first half and he nearly had his second score of the night on a 48-yard catch-and-run to the 1-yard line. He was limited to two catches for 10 yards in the UAB contest for his last outing. It marked the second 100-yard receiving output of his young career behind a 134-yard effort on six receptions in the win at Old Dominion last November. Franklin had 491 yards and three TDs on 38 catches in 2019 and with 435 of those yards during the final five contests, he now has 564 receiving yards in his last seven games.
Sure-handed Cephus emerges at receiver
UTSA sophomore Joshua Cephus has emerged as one of the team's top receiving targets through the first fourth games. The Spring, Texas, native made waves with his highlight-reel touchdown catch in overtime of the 51-48 season-opening win over Texas State on Sept. 12. With a defender draped all over him — defensive pass interference was called — the 6-3 wide receiver made a diving, one-handed grab in the end zone, a catch that earned the No. 1 spot on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays of the Day. Cephus finished with six receptions for 44 yards in the season opener and followed that with a career day in the 24-10 win over Stephen F. Austin, hauling in eight passes for 89 yards and his second TD of the season on a 4-yard pass in the final minutes of the first half. Cephus caught his third TD pass of the young season on a 7-yard throw from Josh Adkins late in the third quarter of the win against Middle Tennessee and he added three receptions for 42 yards versus UAB in his last outing. He leads the Roadrunners in receptions (22), receiving yards (205) and receiving TDs (3).
QB room loaded with starting experience
UTSA's quarterbacks room entered the season as one of the most experienced groups of signal callers in the nation. Josh Adkins (20), Frank Harris (4), Lowell Narcisse (7) and Jordan Weeks (4) boasted a combined 35 starts at the FBS level prior to 2020, making UTSA one of just five teams with four QBs with FBS starts under their belts. The others were Arkansas, Northwestern, Old Dominion and Tennessee. Through four games, UTSA has seen two different quarterbacks make a start with Harris in the first three contests before Adkins earned the nod versus UAB.
Bouncing back
For the second straight season, UTSA quarterback Frank Harris enjoyed a memorable debut after bouncing back from injury. The junior from Schertz Clemens High School ran for a school record-tying three touchdowns and threw for another to help lead the Roadrunners to a 51-48 double-overtime triumph over Texas State. Harris completed 23 of 31 passes for 169 yards and carried 11 times for 51 yards and three scores in a turnover-free afternoon to guide the offense to 499 yards, the most since the 2017 win against Texas State. A member of the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Midseason Watch List, Harris accounted for 373 yards and three TDs in the 24-10 win against Stephen F. Austin the following Saturday. He became the first UTSA signal caller to register two career 100-yard rushing games with 104 yards and two scores on 17 attempts and he completed 23 of 36 passes for a career-best 269 yards and a TD. Harris, who collected Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 21, certainly has displayed the toughness that warrants the No. 0 jersey he earned after a vote by his teammates. The lefthander has battled back from two knee injuries, including one that knocked him out for the 2018 season, and a shoulder injury that ended his 2019 campaign. Harris left the Middle Tennessee contest late in the first half with an injury after throwing for 70 yards and ripping off a 20-yard run. Despite missing the last one and a half games, he still leads C-USA and ranks fifth in the FBS with five total touchdowns.
Familiar faces return on offensive line
UTSA welcomes back several familiar faces on the offensive line, including a trio of returning starters in Spencer Burford, Kevin Davis and Ahofitu Maka. Burford has 26 games and 25 starts under his belt and the junior from San Antonio Wagner High School earned honorable mention all-conference accolades last season after being named to the 2018 Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Following a redshirt year in 2017, Davis, who hails from Angleton, Texas, stepped into the starting center role in all 12 contests two seasons ago before making the move to guard as a sophomore when he started all 10 games in which he was available. Davis made his first appearance in 2020 with a start at right guard versus Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25 and his second straight start last Saturday versus UAB. Maka had an immediate impact on the line in his first season with the Roadrunners. UTSA's first player from the state of Hawai'i, he has started the last 16 contests at center. The most experienced returning offensive lineman on the roster is Dominic Pastucci, who has 36 games under his belt. A versatile senior from Pflugerville Hendrickson High School who can play guard or tackle, he has earned 11 starts during his career and a reputation as one of the team's strongest performers in the weight room.
Wreaking havoc
The UTSA defense has a new look in 2020 with the arrival of defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix's 3-4 front. The new alignment has helped to wreak havoc for opposing backfields, as the Roadrunners rank second in Conference USA and fifth in the country with 10.0 tackles for loss per game. Additionally, UTSA's 2.75 sacks per contest are good for third in the league and 27th nationally. In the season-opening win over Texas State, the Roadrunners recorded 14 tackles for loss, breaking the school record of 12 set in the 2019 season finale at Louisiana Tech. UTSA hit the double-digit mark once again with 10 in the 24-10 win against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before posting nine stops behind the line of scrimmage in the 37-35 victory against Middle Tennessee and seven versus UAB. The Roadrunners' 40 tackles for loss this season have cost opponents 145 combined yards, including 58 on 11 sacks.
Give me that
The UTSA defense has emerged as one of the best units in the nation when it comes to forcing turnovers. The Roadrunners have come up with nine total takeaways through the first four contests, which leads Conference USA and stands third nationally. Seven of those turnovers have come in the form of an interception, including two apiece by Corey Mayfield Jr. and Rashad Wisdom and one each from Trevor Harmanson, Donyai Taylor and Tariq Woolen. UTSA's seven picks are tied for the FBS lead along with Cincinnati and Syracuse, while Mayfield Jr. and Wisdom are tied atop the league and rank 17th in the country in interceptions per game (0.5). Thanks to the nine takeaways, the Roadrunners also pace C-USA and stand 11th in the FBS in turnover margin (1.25/+5).
Senior standout paces defensive front
In its short history, UTSA has made a name for itself by producing defensive linemen who have moved on to the professional ranks. Headlining that list is 2018 NFL first round draft pick Marcus Davenport, the 2017 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and a current member of the New Orleans Saints. Jaylon Haynes could be the next Roadrunner to join the likes of Davenport, Eric Banks, Ashaad Mabry, Jason Neill, Brian Price and Kevin Strong Jr. The senior from Wharton, Texas, enjoyed a breakout 2019 season that saw him lead all defensive linemen with 40 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries en route to honorable mention all-conference accolades. The 2017 C-USA All-Freshman Team selection has continued to be a force in the middle this season as he ranks second in the league and 16th nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.7) and fifth in C-USA and 17th in the FBS in sacks per contest (1.0). Haynes, who missed the UAB contest due to injury, has recorded 20.5 career TFL, good for a tie for fifth place on UTSA's all-time list.
Freshman linebacker turning heads
True freshman Jamal Ligon has turned heads in his short time as a Roadrunners. A two-time district utility player of the year after playing tight end, fullback and defensive line at Tyler Lee High School under Kurt Traylor, UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor's brother and current Roadrunners tight ends coach, he has appeared in all four games and earned a start at inside linebacker in each of the last three contests. After registering four stops in the season-opening win at Texas State and a pair of tackles in the triumph over Stephen F. Austin, Ligon exploded for a school-record 19 tackles in the 37-35 victory against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. He turned in eight solo stops and 1.5 sacks as part of his record-setting tackles total to go along with a pair of quarterback hurries and he was named Athlon Sports' Defensive Freshman of the Week and Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Blue Raiders. His 19 tackles eclipsed the previous program standard of 16 set in 2011 by Cody Rogers and it marks the most tackles made by an FBS player in a game this season. Ligon added five tackles and he forced and recovered a fumble against UAB in his last outing. On the season, he has posted 30 total tackles, including 16 solo tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, as well as a pair of quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. He is one of four players tied for the FBS lead with two fumble recoveries this year.
Not your typical corner
Tariq Woolen did not take the traditional path to starting cornerback for the Roadrunners. The junior from Fort Worth began his UTSA career as a wide receiver and caught 24 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown over the past two seasons after taking a redshirt in 2017. Approached by coaches with a position change late in the 2019 campaign, he jumped at the opportunity to see more playing time in the secondary. He saw significant playing time at cornerback in the season finale against Louisiana Tech and recorded a pair of tackles. Listed at six feet, five inches, Woolen is taller than the typical corner, but his quickness, agility and toughness impressed the new coaching staff during fall camp enough to earn the starting nod for the 2020 opener. He made the most of his first start at the position, posting five tackles — all solo — including a sack for a 10-yard loss to go along with one quarterback hurry in the double-overtime victory at Texas State. Woolen followed that outing with five tackles and a career-best four pass breakups in the 24-10 win against Stephen F. Austin. He recorded five more tackles and logged his first career interception, despite playing with a cast on one arm, in the 37-35 triumph over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 25. Woolen ranks third in Conference USA and 36th in the nation in passes defended (1.3/game).
Wisdom in the secondary
Despite being on the UTSA campus for less than two years, sophomore safety Rashad Wisdom has emerged as one of the team leaders. The Converse Judson High School product enrolled in January 2019 and immediately had an impact on the program on and off the field. He earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors after racking up 44 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and an interception that he returned 34 yards for a touchdown in his debut campaign. He provided quite the encore in his 2020 debut, recording a team-high 10 tackles, including 1.5 TFL, and returning an interception 81 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. He again led the defense in tackles with nine in the win against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before posting nine in the 37-35 triumph over Middle Tennessee. He recorded five solo stops and his second interception of the fall before being ejected for targeting in the second half of the UAB contest. Wisdom leads UTSA and is tied for third the league in total tackles with 33 this season, and his two picks place him atop C-USA and in a tie for 17th nationally. Wisdom's family captured the hearts of the UTSA football program and the San Antonio community over the past year by sharing the story of Rashad's younger brother, Bryce, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and passed away at the age of 17 in July of this year. UTSA is wearing a "Bryce Strong" helmet sticker this season in his honor.
Duplessis looking to keep streak alive
UTSA place-kicker Hunter Duplessis enters Saturday's matchup against BYU with a stretch of 18 consecutive field goals made, the longest active streak in FBS. He made all three of his attempts in the season opener, including the game-winning 29-yarder at the end of the second overtime, to help lift UTSA to a 51-48 triumph over Texas State on Sept. 12, and he earned Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week accolades for his performance. Duplessis drilled his only field-goal attempt and all three extra-point attempts in the win against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 19 before making all seven kicks — three field goals and four PATs — in the win over Middle Tennessee. He booted a pair of field goals, including a career-long 48-yarder that ranks as the fifth-longest in program history, and his only extra-point attempt versus UAB, and he now has made 39 straight PATs in his career. After missing his first two field-goal attempts as a junior, he reeled off nine straight to finish the year. Duplessis — UTSA's nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy — has not missed a kick since Sept. 21, 2019. His nine field goals made this season lead all FBS players and his 41 points scored pace the league and rank fourth nationally.
Punter from Down Under
In its short history, UTSA has developed consistent success in the punting game with the likes of Kristian Stern and Yannis Routsas, a 2017 Ray Guy Award semifinalist. Sophomore punter Lucas Dean has emerged as the next in that punting lineage. A product of Prokick Australia and the first Roadrunner regardless of position from Down Under, Dean has used an Australian Rules Football background to help provide UTSA with a weapon in the kicking game since his arrival on campus in 2019. As a true freshman, he averaged 40.8 yards on 65 punts and booted 12 of 50-plus yards. He also pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 16 times and induced 28 fair catches. Through four games this season, Dean has registered a 46.5 average, good for second in Conference USA and eighth nationally. Of his 24 punts, nine have sailed 50-or-more yards, 14 have been downed inside the 20 and six have resulted in fair catches. Dean averaged 49.2 yards on six punts — including matching his career high with a 57-yard bomb that was downed at the 9-yard line — in the 37-35 win against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 19. He punted six times for a 45.0 average with five pinning UAB inside its own 20, including a 55-yarder that was downed at the 1, in his last outing, and he was named Ray Guy Punter of the Week for his performance.
Brotherly duos
UTSA has two sets of brothers on the 2020 roster in junior offensive lineman Kevin Davis and freshman wide receiver Isaiah Davis, along with junior safety Dadrian Taylor and freshman safety Donyai Taylor. That makes the Roadrunners one of 27 FBS teams with at least two brotherly duos.
UTSA roster breakdown
UTSA's 116-man roster features 21 seniors, 27 juniors, 30 sophomores and 38 redshirt or true freshmen. The roster lists 87 players — 75% — who hail from the state of Texas, while the next-closest state is Louisiana with eight. There are five players from both California and Mississippi, while three call Florida home and a pair are from Georgia. UTSA has one player each from Hawai'i, Maryland, Michigan and Tennessee, while Lucas Dean is the first Roadrunner from Australia.
Representing the 210
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor and his staff have placed an emphasis on recruiting the 210 area code, which covers the city of San Antonio and surrounding areas. The current roster already includes a lengthy list of 25 local players:
Name (High School)
Josh Adkins (Smithson Valley)
Jabari Aiken (Johnson)
Rudy Aleman Jr. (Warren)
Brenden Brady (Steele)
Spencer Burford (Wagner)
Oscar Cardenas (Brandeis)
JayVeon Cardwell (Steele)
Cade Collenback (O'Connor)
Hunter Duplessis (Cole)
KJ Elder (Warren)
Shaquan Flagg (Brennan)
Frank Harris (Clemens)
Jaden Jones (East Central)
Magnus Kirby (Sam Houston)
Brandon Matterson (Brandeis)
Sincere McCormick (Judson)
Matthew Ojeda (Int'l School of the Americas)
Jaren Randle (Johnson)
Justin Rodriguez (Johnson)
Daniel Santallana (East Central)
Jordan Smith (Brennan)
Xavier Spencer (Judson)
Wiliam Turner (Randolph)
Julon Williams (Judson)
Rashad Wisdom (Judson)
UTSA Triangle of Toughness
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has installed many new ideas since his hiring, including his Culture Pillars: Integrity, Passion, Mental & Physical Toughness, Selfless and Perfect Effort. As part of that new culture, the players voted after fall camp on who would earn single-digit jersey numbers, a reward for representing mental and physical toughness on and off the field. Nos. 0-9 were unveiled in a series of tweets and the numbers 2, 1 and 0 were chosen for the players voted to represent the 210 Brand, the UTSA Triangle of Toughness. Below are the single-digit jersey numbers as voted by their teammates:
0 – Frank Harris, Rashad Wisdom
1 — Jaylon Haynes
2 — Sheldon Jones
3 — Sincere McCormick
4 — Antonio Parks, Leroy Watson
5 — Brenden Brady
6 — Brennon Dingle
7 — Dadrian Taylor
8 — Solomon Wise
9 — Clarence Hicks
Trevor Harmanson also was voted into the single-digit group but elected to stay in No 15, while offensive linemen Spencer Burford, Ahofitu Maka and Dominic Pastucci also received the necessary votes but cannot change to a single-digit number due to their position.
Leadership Council elected
UTSA has elected a Leadership Council made up of representatives from each position group.
QB — Frank Harris
RB — Brenden Brady
WR — Sheldon Jones
TE — Leroy Watson
OL — Dominic Pastucci
DL — Jaylon Haynes
LB — DeQuarius Henry, Tyler Mahnke
DB — Rashad Wisdom
ST — Hunter Duplessis, Myles Benning
Up next
UTSA will return home to host Army West Point for the second straight season on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.
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