#25 UTSA Roadrunners (7-0, 3-0) at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (2-4, 1-1)
6 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 23
Joe Aillet Stadium | Ruston, La.
TV: Stadium
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
Opening drive
• UTSA is nationally ranked for the first time in program history, appearing at No. 24 in the AP Top 25 and 25th in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll this week.
• The Roadrunners are 7-0 for the first time in school history and currently riding a program record seven-game winning streak.
• UTSA is one of 11 undefeated FBS teams as of Oct. 16.
• The Roadrunners are bowl eligible for the second straight and fourth overall season.
• Head coach Jeff Traylor is 14-5 at the helm of the Roadrunners, the best 19-game start for a UTSA coach.
• UTSA has won 10 of its last 11 contests dating back to last season.
• Saturday will mark the 10th meeting between UTSA and Louisiana Tech, which makes it the most-played series in school history.
• The Bulldogs lead the series, 7-2, but the Roadrunners won the last meeting 27-26 last Oct. 24 in San Antonio.
Setting the scene
Nationally ranked for the first time and off to the best overall and conference starts in school history, No. 24/25 UTSA (7-0, 3-0) will travel to Ruston to face Louisiana Tech (2-4, 1-1) on Saturday, Oct. 23. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Joe Aillet Stadium and the game will be televised by Stadium. Bowl eligible for the second straight season and one of 11 undefeated FBS teams, the Roadrunners are riding a program-best seven-game winning streak and have won 10 of their last 11 games dating back to last season. The Bulldogs have won seven of the nine meetings with UTSA, including all five previous games held in Ruston.
Tuning in
Saturday's game will be televised by Stadium and is scheduled to air in the San Antonio area on KMYS-3 or WOAI-2 (AT&T U-Verse 7; DirecTV 3; Grande 7/807; GVTC 3/503; Spectrum 7/1212, YouTube TV). Please visit Stadium for a channel finder and live streaming options or check local listings for availability in your area. Chris Hassel (play-by-play) and Patrick Murray (analyst) have the call. The contest will air live on Ticket 760 AM in the San Antonio area and on SiriusXM app channel 986. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Pat Evans (reporter) will call the action. The pregame show will begin at 4 p.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The radio broadcast also can be heard online at Ticket760.com and via the iHeartRadio and The Varsity Network apps.
Roadrunners ranked for first time in school history
Following the 45-0 shutout of Rice on Saturday, UTSA is nationally ranked for the first time in program history, appearing at No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and No. 25 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll this week. The Roadrunners received 104 votes to crack the AP Top 25 for the first time. This marks the fourth consecutive week and fifth time overall UTSA has received votes in the poll. On Sept. 20, 2020, UTSA collected two votes in the AP Top 25 Poll, a first for the program. UTSA, which now owns a pair of shutouts this season, received 96 votes this week to leap into the USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll for the first time. This marks the sixth straight week the Roadrunners have acquired votes in that poll.
UTSA blanks Rice to improve to 7-0
Trevor Harmanson and Corey Mayfield Jr. each had an interception return for a touchdown and Joshua Cephus caught a pair of TD passes to lead UTSA to a 45-0 shutout of Rice on Saturday night in front of a season-high 27,515 fans at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners held the Owls to 102 yards of offense — a school record for fewest yards allowed — with their second shutout of the season and largest margin of victory in a conference game. The two interception returns for scores marked the third time UTSA has posted two defensive touchdowns in a game and the first since the 25-6 win at UTEP in 2015. Offensively, UTSA piled up 403 yards of offense, including a season-high 261 on the ground. Sincere McCormick led the way by posting his fifth 100-yard game of the season and school-record 15th of his career with 117 yards on 13 carries (9.0 ypc), while B.J. Daniels added 54 yards on seven rushes. Frank Harris completed 12 of 19 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for 47 yards on five totes. His favorite target was Cephus, who had four catches for 63 yards and the two scores. The Roadrunners raced out to a 17-0 lead through the first 15 minutes and never looked back in winning for the sixth straight time against Rice.
UTSA off to record starts
UTSA is off to its best overall (7-0) and conference (3-0) starts in program history and currently is riding a school-record seven-game winning streak. The Roadrunners have won 10 of their last 11 contests dating back to last season and the current winning streak betters the previous school record accomplished twice previously. UTSA won six straight games starting with the 2011 finale against Minot State and including the 5-0 start to the 2012 campaign. The Roadrunners matched that streak by winning their last five contests in 2013 and the 2014 season opener at Houston. The 3-0 league record this season eclipses the 2-0 start by the 2018 squad.
Scouting Louisiana Tech
The Bulldogs dropped to 2-4 overall and 1-1 in Conference USA with a 19-3 road setback at the hands of UTEP last Saturday night. Louisiana Tech is averaging 28.3 points and 389.8 yards of offense per game while allowing 31 points and 457.8 yards per contest. Austin Kendall has completed 103 of 173 passes for 1,342 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Marcus Williams Jr. paces the ground game with 354 rushing yards and a pair of scores on 84 carries. Smoke Harris leads a deep receivers group with 30 catches for 284 yards. Trey Baldwin is the top tackler with 51 stops, including three for loss, while Tyler Grubbs has made 48 tackles. Head coach Skip Holtz is 63-45 in his ninth season at the helm.
Series history
Saturday will mark the 10th meeting between UTSA and Louisiana Tech, which will make the series the most played in program history. The Bulldogs have won seven of the nine matchups, including all five played in Ruston, but the Roadrunners snapped a six-game losing streak in the series with a 27-26 comeback win on Oct. 24, 2020, at the Alamodome. The two teams met for the first time as Western Athletic Conference members in 2012 before both joined Conference prior to the 2013 season.
Who's counting?
Now in their 11th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 126th game in program history on Saturday when they face Louisiana Tech on the road. UTSA is 59-66 all time and 24-37 in true road contests. By comparison, LA Tech has been playing football since 1901 and owns an all-time record of 645-474-38.
Celebrating 10th anniversary
This fall, UTSA is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its inaugural 2011 season. The Roadrunners started their football program from scratch and, following a practice year 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. UTSA now has posted at least six wins in six of the 11 seasons in program history and it has reached the seven-win plateau four times, including in both years of the Jeff Traylor era. The 2012 team won a program-record eight games, while the Roadrunners notched seven victories in 2013, 2020 and now in 2021.
Traylor aims to build on first-year success
Second-year UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor made history in several ways in his first season at the helm in 2020, and his second campaign is off to a resounding start. The Roadrunners opened the season with the program's second triumph over a team from a Power Five conference in the 37-30 road win over Illinois and then posted a 54-0 rout of Lamar, the program's first shutout and largest margin of victory. He became the first coach in program history to post back-to-back 3-0 starts after the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 18. One week later, Traylor guided the Roadrunners to the largest comeback win in school history, as UTSA overcame a 21-0 deficit for a 31-28 road triumph over Memphis. UTSA matched the best start in program history by running their record to 5-0 following the 24-17 win against UNLV and then improved to 6-0 for the first time in school annals following the 52-46 road win over WKU. The Roadrunners logged their second shutout of the season with the 45-0 rout of Rice last Saturday, improving to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in conference, both program firsts. Last fall, he became the first head coach in program annals to win his first three games and to notch seven victories in his debut season. Traylor boasts more than 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.
Historic win to open 2021
UTSA's 37-30 road win over Illinois in the season opener marked the program's second victory against a team from a Power Five conference and the first against a Big Ten Conference school. The Roadrunners' first win versus a Power Five program was a 17-10 triumph over Baylor on Sept. 9, 2017, in Waco. UTSA also improved to 9-2 overall in season openers with that victory.
Records fall in home opener
Several program records fell in the 54-0 victory over Lamar in the home opener on Sept. 11. It marked the first shutout in school history, as the previous standard for fewest points allowed was three done three times, the last against Rice in 2018. UTSA also registered the largest margin of victory, nipping the previous mark of 53 set in the 56-3 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State in 2012. The Roadrunners limited Lamar to just 122 yards of offense, eclipsing the previous program record for fewest yards allowed of 149 established against Southern in 2017 but since broken by surrendering only 102 yards to Rice last Saturday. UTSA's point total in that win over the Cardinals marked the third most scored in a game.
Overcoming deficits
UTSA's rally from a 21-point deficit in the 31-28 victory over Memphis on Sept. 25 marked the largest comeback win in school history. In 2011, the Roadrunners overcame a 14-0 deficit in a 17-14 overtime win over Georgia State, which stood as the program record until the come-from-behind victory against the Tigers. UTSA has rallied for a win from a 13-point deficit three times, most recently in a 27-26 triumph over Louisiana Tech last October at the Alamodome. Additionally, the Roadrunners trailed Louisiana by a 24-7 count in the third quarter of the 2020 First Responder Bowl before rallying to tie the score at 24-24 in an eventual 31-24 setback last December.
UTSA collects C-USA weekly awards
Five Roadrunners have earned a combined six Conference USA weekly awards this season. Frank Harris was named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 11 for his record-setting performance in the 52-46 win at WKU. He completed 28 of 38 passes for 349 yards and a school-record six touchdowns while also rushing for 51 yards for a program-best 400 yards of total offense and catching a 23-yard TD pass. On Sept. 27, Hunter Duplessis picked up his second C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week honor of the year after drilling the game-winning 42-yard field goal as time expired while Clarence Hicks grabbed a share of the defensive award after registering six tackles, three tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and a forced fumble in the 31-28 comeback win over Memphis. Trumane Bell II was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 20 after posting four tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a pair of quarterback hurries and a forced fumble to help the Roadrunners hold Middle Tennessee to 199 yards of offense, including only eight on the ground. Sheldon Jones was honored as C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 13 after returning a punt 76 yards for a touchdown in the 54-0 victory over Lamar, while Duplessis received special teams recognition the previous week after going 3 for 3 on field goals and 4 of 4 on extra points in the season-opening victory over Illinois.
UTSA's C-USA Player of the Week Honorees
Offense
10/11 Frank Harris
Defense
9/20 Trumane Bell II
9/27 Clarence Hicks
Special Teams
9/6 Hunter Duplessis
9/13 Sheldon Jones
9/27 Hunter Duplessis
Duplessis named Campbell Trophy semifinalist
UTSA senior Hunter Duplessis has been named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy for the second straight year. Celebrating its 32nd year, the Campbell Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
UTSA pair garners preseason All-America accolades
Sincere McCormick and Lucas Dean both earned spots on preseason All-America squads. McCormick was named a preseason second-team All-America running back by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele, Sporting News, USA TODAY and Walter Camp, while Dean is a preseason second-team choice at punter by Sporting News.
Nine Roadrunners land on watch lists
The preseason honors have piled up for UTSA, as an unprecedented nine Roadrunners have landed on watch lists for national awards. Leading the way is All-America running back Sincere McCormick, who appears on four different watch lists, while Hunter Duplessis, Frank Harris and Rashad Wisdom each have made a pair of lists.
Watch List - Player
Chuck Bednarik Award - Rashad Wisdom
Biletnikoff Award - Zakhari Franklin
Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award - Frank Harris
Doak Walker Award - Sincere McCormick
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award - Sincere McCormick
Jim Thorpe Award - Rashad Wisdom
John Mackey Award - Leroy Watson
Lou Groza Award - Hunter Duplessis
Manning Award - Frank Harris
Maxwell Award - Sincere McCormick
Outland Trophy - Spencer Burford
Polynesian Player of the Year Award - Ahofitu Maka
Ray Guy Award - Lucas Dean
Walter Camp Player of the Year Award - Sincere McCormick
Wuerffel Trophy - Hunter Duplessis
Roadrunners picked second in C-USA West
UTSA has been picked to finish second in Conference USA's West Division in a vote by media members who cover the league. The Roadrunners received nine first-place votes and have been projected second behind defending conference champion UAB, which collected 15 first-place votes. Louisiana Tech is predicted to finish third in the West Division, followed by Southern Miss, Rice, North Texas and UTEP.
2021 Conference USA Predicted Order of Finish
WEST DIVISION
1. UAB (15)
2. UTSA (9)
3. Louisiana Tech
4. Southern Miss
5. Rice
6. North Texas
7. UTEP
EAST DIVISION
1. Marshall (17)
2. Florida Atlantic (6)
3. WKU (1)
4. Charlotte
5. Middle Tennessee
6. FIU
7. Old Dominion
(first place votes in parentheses)
UTSA duo collects C-USA preseason honors
UTSA punter Lucas Dean has been named Conference USA Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year and running back Sincere McCormick has been chosen as C-USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches. Both players won their respective conference superlative awards following their sophomore seasons in 2020, marking the first time UTSA picked up two such honors in the same year, while McCormick also was named C-USA Freshman of the Year in 2019.
Burford, Woolen pegged for pair of pre-draft lists
UTSA offensive lineman Spencer Burford and cornerback Tariq Woolen have been named to the 2021-22 NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl Big Board, as well as the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List. Burford, a San Antonio Wagner High School product, earned second-team all-conference honors last season after appearing in 11 games and drawing 10 starts at right or left tackle. He allowed just three hits on the quarterback and four sacks in 388 pass-blocking snaps in 2020, according to Pro Football Focus. Woolen, a Fort Worth native, appeared in 11 contests and made seven starts at cornerback last fall in his first full season on the defensive side of the ball. He registered 35 tackles, including 20 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, and also posted four pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and one interception
Offense doing damage via air and ground
Under the direction of second-year offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., the Roadrunners have featured an offensive attack that can do damage on the ground and through the air. UTSA opened the 2021 season by piling up 497 yards of offense with 280 passing and 217 rushing in the 37-30 road win over Illinois. In the 54-0 rout of Lamar, a trio of quarterbacks combined to attempt 32 passes, completing 26 for 321 yards, while the Roadrunners rushed 29 times for 106 yards. In the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee, UTSA piled up 277 passing yards on 26-of-45 passing while running 44 times for 175 yards before posting 205 rushing yards and 194 passing yards in the 31-28 comeback win at Memphis. The Roadrunners threw for 278 yards and ran for 104 in the 24-17 victory over UNLV and then logged their top offensive yardage total of the season with 564, including a season-high 372 passing yards, in the 52-46 win at WKU. UTSA rushed for a season-high 261 yards as part of a 403-yard output in the 45-0 shutout of Rice on Oct. 16. On the season, UTSA is averaging 266.3 passing yards and 180.0 rushing yards per outing to rank third in Conference USA in total offense (446.3 ypg). A season ago, UTSA gained a program-record 2,585 yards on the ground — an average of 215.4 per game — and tallied 2,399 yards through the air (199.9 ypg) en route to a 7-5 record and an appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The offense surpassed the school record for total offense in each of the last two home games in 2020, registering 600 total yards — a season-best 312 passing and 288 rushing — in the 52-21 win over UTEP on Nov. 14, only to eclipse that with 624 yards, including a program-best 443 on the ground, in the 49-17 victory over North Texas two weeks later.
Sincere success
After enjoying one of the most heralded seasons in program history in 2020, UTSA running back Sincere McCormick is continuing that success in his third year. The Converse Judson High School product started 2021 off on the right foot by piling up 117 yards on 31 carries in the 37-30 road win over Illinois on Sept. 4. He followed that outing with a two-touchdown performance in the 54-0 rout of Lamar, moving him atop the program's career rushing TD chart. He posted 105 yards on 23 carries in the 27-13 triumph over Middle Tennessee before breaking his own school record with 41 carries for 184 yards and three TDs in the 31-28 comeback win at Memphis, earning him Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week accolades. He rushed for 89 yards and a TD in the win over UNLV before rushing for 120 on 23 carries in the 52-46 win at WKU. McCormick gashed Rice for 117 yards on 13 totes, including a career-long 81-yard sprint, for his conference-best fifth 100-yard game of the season and school-record 15th of his career. He now has 778 yards (8th/FBS) and six scores on 167 rushes this fall, and only seven of his attempts have resulted in negative yardage. A preseason All-American by five national publications (Athlon Sports, Phil Steele, Sporting News, USA TODAY and Walter Camp), he has been pegged as the C-USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and the Best Running Back in the state of Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football. He also appears on preseason watch lists for the Doak Walker, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose, Maxwell and Walter Camp Player of the Year Awards. The honors are nothing new for McCormick, as he earned a long list of accolades in 2020 including being named a second-team All-American by both the Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele. He was one of five finalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award after rushing for 1,467 yards and 11 touchdowns on 249 carries, all UTSA records. McCormick was tabbed Dave Campbell's Texas Football Texas College Player of the Year and an All-Texas College First Team selection, as well as the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference performer. He led the league and ranked second nationally behind Iowa State's Breece Hall in rushing yards while posting a conference-best seven 100-yard rushing games.
Rewriting the record book
With just 30 games as a Roadrunner to his name, Sincere McCormick has rewritten the program's record book. UTSA's career rushing leader with 3,228 yards, he currently ranks second among active FBS players in rushing yards per game (107.6) and in rushes per game (19.77), while he stands fifth in rushing yards. He owns the best averages for rushing yards per attempt (5.4) and game (107.6) in program annals. His 15 career 100-yard rushing games and 121.3 all-purpose yards per outing also stand at the top of the program's career chart. McCormick eclipsed David Glasco's UTSA standard of 20 career rushing TDs with two scores in the 54-0 rout of Lamar on Sept. 11, and he now has 25. He raced past Jarveon Williams' career rushing attempts mark of 474 earlier this season and now has 593 carries. He also is the program's all-time leader in points scored by a non-kicker with 156. Last fall, he smashed the school's single-season standards with 1,467 rushing yards, 11 rushing TDs and 249 carries. The 2020 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year also set single-season marks with seven 100-yard rushing games and 133.4 rushing yards per contest, and he shattered his own all-purpose mark with 1,598 yards.
Sincere McCormick's UTSA Records
Game
251 rushing yards (vs. North Texas, 11/28/20)
3 rushing TDs (vs. Louisiana Tech, 10/24/20; vs. Memphis, 9/25/21)
42 rushes (vs. Memphis, 9/25/21)
Season
1,467 rushing yards (2020)
11 rushing touchdowns (2020)
249 rushes (2020)
133.4 rushing yards/game (2020)
7 100-yard rushing games (2020)
1,598 all-purpose yards (2020)
145.3 all-purpose yards/game (2020)
Career
3,228 rushing yards
25 rushing touchdowns
26 total touchdowns
156 points (non-kicker)
593 rushes
5.4 yards/rush
107.6 rushing yards/game
15 100-yard rushing games
3,638 all-purpose yards
121.3 all-purpose yards/game
QB room loaded with experience
UTSA is in rare company when it comes to the experience found in the quarterback room. The Roadrunners were one of only 15 teams with three or more QBs who had an FBS start entering the season. Frank Harris has started 21 games under center during his UTSA career and owns a 15-6 record, while Josh Adkins made 20 starts at New Mexico State before transferring to UTSA prior to a 2020 campaign that saw him make one start for the Roadrunners. Lowell Narcisse has earned the starting nod in eight contests over the last three seasons as a Roadrunner.
Overcoming adversity
UTSA quarterback Frank Harris has overcome a series of challenging setbacks due to injury over the past half-decade to emerge as one of the top dual threats in the nation. A member of watch lists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback and Manning Awards, the lefthander has battled back from two knee injuries, including one that knocked him out for the entire 2018 season, and a shoulder injury that ended his 2019 campaign after four games to appear in 22 contests with 21 starts (15-6 record). He opened this season by throwing for 280 yards and a touchdown on 20-of-32 passing, and he also ran for 33 yards and a TD to help UTSA score a 37-30 road victory over Illinois. He followed that by completing 13 of 15 passes for 118 yards in the 54-0 rout of Lamar. Harris threw for 264 yards and a pair of scores on 24-of-39 passing and he added 56 rushing yards in the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee before hitting on 18-of-28 passes for 186 yards and a TD in the comeback win at Memphis. He completed 80% (24-30) of his passes for 278 yards and two TDs in the 24-17 win over UNLV. Harris turned in arguably his top performance as a Roadrunner in the 52-46 win at WKU, completing 28 of 38 passes for a career-best 349 yards and school-record six touchdowns to earn Manning Award QB of the Week and C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors. He rushed for 51 yards, giving him the single-game total offense program mark of 400, and he also caught a 23-yard TD pass and forced a fumble on his only interception of the night against the Hilltoppers. After throwing for 125 yards and two TDs and rushing for 47 in the 45-0 shutout of Rice, the Schertz Clemens High School product now has completed 139 of 201 passes for 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns, while he has thrown for 3,716 yards and 29 touchdowns on 364-of-542 passing as a Roadrunner. He currently owns UTSA's career record for completion percentage (.672), while he ranks third in passing yards, passing touchdowns and passing efficiency (138.3). An honorable mention all-conference selection a season ago, Harris played in 11 contests and drew 10 starts, setting the program's single-season standard by completing 63.6% (159-250) of his passes for 1,630 yards and 12 TDs while also rushing for 528 yards and nine scores on 95 carries in 2020.
Targeting this trio
Joshua Cephus, De'Corian Clark and Zakhari Franklin have teamed up to give UTSA a formidable receiving trio this season, combining for 1,393 yards and 14 touchdowns on 113 receptions through the first seven games. Cephus leads the team with 46 catches, 520 yards and five TDs. Despite missing the UNLV game, Franklin stands second in receptions (40), yards (454) and touchdowns (4). Clark has exploded in the month of October with 17 of his 27 receptions, 292 of his 419 yards and four of his five scores coming in the last three contests. Franklin, a Cedar Hill High School product, ranks second in Conference USA and 18th nationally with 6.7 receptions per game. He became the program's all-time receiving yardage leader against WKU, as he now has 1,639 yards. Cephus, a Houston native who tied the UTSA single-season record with 58 receptions in 2020, sits third in the league and 19th in the FBS in catches per contest (6.6). Cephus and Clark, a graduate of Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt High School, are tied for fourth in C-USA and 30th in the nation in receiving TDs. All three receivers were part of UTSA's 2019 signing class and have seen action in each of the past three seasons.
Experience up front
UTSA boasts one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country. Entering this season, nine different Roadrunners owned at least two starts, the second-best total in the country behind Minnesota's 10. Leading the way is the senior trio of Spencer Burford, Kevin Davis and Ahofitu Maka with a combined 102 starts during their UTSA careers. Burford, a San Antonio Wagner graduate and member of the Outland Trophy watch list, has made 36 starts at both guard and tackle. Maka, a Hawaiian who appears on the watch list for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, has drawn 30 starts with all but one at center. Those two Roadrunners earned second-team All-Conference USA accolades last fall after helping UTSA set school records for rushing yards (2,585), rushing yards per game (215.4), yards per rush (5.21) and rushing touchdowns (24). Davis a native of Angleton, Texas, is tied with Burford with 36 career starts, including 14 at center.
Protecting the QB
UTSA's experienced offensive line has emerged as one of the best in the nation when it comes to protecting the quarterback. Through seven games, the group has yielded only seven sacks, a conference-best average that ranks 10th in the FBS. The Roadrunners have surrendered just one sack in the last three contests while attempting 93 passes over that stretch.
Defensive prowess
Under the direction of co-defensive coordinators Jess Loepp and Rod Wright, UTSA's defense has emerged as one of the best in the conference, especially against the run. The Roadrunners are allowing a league-best 81.9 rushing yards per contest to rank fifth in the nation. In the home opener on Sept. 11, the Roadrunners posted the first shutout in school history in a 54-0 rout of Lamar. UTSA allowed just 122 yards of offense — then a school record — and held the Cardinals to 89 rushing yards and only 33 passing yards. For an encore, the Roadrunners limited Middle Tennessee to 199 yards, including just eight on the ground, which is tied for the third-fewest rushing yards allowed in a game in program annals and the 10th-best performance in the FBS this fall. The Roadrunners surrendered 78 rushing yards in the comeback win at Memphis and yielded only 35 in the 24-17 victory over UNLV, capping a four-game stretch that saw them allow just 210 rushing yards combined. UTSA held Rice to 102 total yards to better the program standard for fewest yards allowed in a game, and they limited the Owls to only 36 yards through the air. The Roadrunners are the only FBS team to hold two opponents — Rice and Lamar — to fewer than 40 passing yards in a game this season.
Experience on the edge
UTSA boasts a ton of experience throughout its 2021 roster, especially at both outside linebacker positions. The defense made the switch to a 3-4 base alignment prior to the 2020 campaign and the dividends paid off, as the Roadrunners led the conference in sacks (25), tackles for loss (85), interceptions (11), takeaways (19) and turnover margin (+7) a season ago. Most of that production is back this fall. On one edge, a pair of super seniors are back at the "Will" spot in Charles Wiley and DeQuarius Henry. Wiley, a native of Stockbridge, Georgia, who transferred from Mississippi last year, earned honorable mention All-Conference USA accolades after posting 43 tackles, a team-high 10 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and four quarterback hurries. Henry, a Houston native, owns 20 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in 46 career contests. On the other side at the "Sam" position, super senior Clarence Hicks and the Taylor brothers — senior Dadrian and sophomore Donyai — now boast a combined 28.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and four interceptions during their careers.
A disruptive force
Outside linebacker Clarence Hicks has developed into a disruptive force on the edge for UTSA this season. The super senior has registered 18 tackles, including a team-best 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a pair of quarterback hurries, one interception and a forced fumble through seven games. A native of Pensacola, Fla., he opened the campaign with three stops, including a TFL, in the 37-30 road victory over Illinois. He notched four tackles, including a sack for a 5-yard loss in the win against Middle Tennessee before turning in arguably his top game as a Roadrunner in the comeback win at Memphis. Hicks led UTSA with six tackles, including three behind the line of scrimmage and a pair of sacks. His strip sack in the fourth quarter led to a 12-yard fumble return by Lorenzo Dantzler that set up the game-tying score, and he was named Conference USA co-Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Tigers. Hicks was part of a key sack in the 24-17 win over UNLV, combining with DeQuarius Henry to drop the Rebels quarterback on fourth down in the final minute to seal the win. He made yet another key play in the final minute of a game, picking off WKU's Bailey Zappe inside the UTSA 5-yard line to secure a 52-46 victory. For his UTSA career, he has tallied 89 tackles, 22 TFL, 5.5 sacks, five pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a pair of INTs.
A wily veteran
UTSA outside linebacker Charles Wiley has emerged as one of the leaders on the defensive side of the ball. The super senior has registered 21 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, as well as three quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. He had three stops and returned a fumble 44 yards for a touchdown in UTSA's 54-0 rout of Lamar before registering five tackles, including 1.5 sacks for a total of 12 yards, and a pair of pressures in the 27-13 victory against Middle Tennessee. He had three tackles, including a half-tackle for loss, in the 24-17 win over UNLV and then tallied five stops and a PBU versus WKU and a sack for a 22-yard loss in the 45-0 shutout of Rice. A native of Stockbridge, Wiley has piled up 121 tackles, including 27.5 behind the line of scrimmage, during his collegiate career with 64 stops, 15.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks coming in his two seasons at UTSA.
Dantzler tops FBS in recoveries
UTSA super senior defensive lineman Lorenzo Dantzler is tied with Kerby Joseph of Illinois for the FBS lead with three fumble recoveries this season, all coming during a three-game stretch. The Starkville, Miss., native scooped up a fumble caused on a strip sack by Trumane Bell II and returned it three yards for a touchdown in the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 18. One week later in the 31-28 comeback win at Memphis, Dantzler picked up a fumble caused by Clarence Hicks on a strip sack and rambled 12 yards to the Tigers 7-yard line to set up the tying TD in the fourth quarter. On Oct. 2, he pounced on a loose ball that resulted from a strip sack by Dru Prox late in the third quarter of the 24-17 triumph over UNLV. Dantzler now has four career fumble recoveries, tied for second in school history, and a pair of fumble return touchdowns.
Wisdom in the secondary
UTSA safety Rashad Wisdom has emerged as one of the unquestioned team leaders during his two-plus years on campus. One of seven current Roadrunners who starred at Converse Judson High School, he has played in 30 games and drawn 28 starts at safety during his career. He landed on preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik and Jim Thorpe Awards after a sensational sophomore season that saw him earn first-team all-conference and Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas College honors. Wisdom led the Roadrunners and ranked second in C-USA with 95 tackles and he picked off a league-high four passes, which tied the program's single-season record. He also recorded a team-best 60 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss, a pair of forced fumbles and a pass breakup in 2020 and he returned an interception 81 yards for a touchdown for his second career pick-six, which is tied atop the program's all-time list, in the 51-48 double-overtime victory against Texas State last September. He started off his third year as a Roadrunner by making three tackles, forcing a fumble and breaking up a pass in UTSA's 37-30 season-opening victory over Illinois. He added three more stops despite playing less than a half in the 54-0 shutout of Lamar before pacing the defense with six stops in the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee. Wisdom tallied five tackles, including one behind the line, and a PBU in the 31-28 comeback win over Memphis, and then led the Roadrunners with eight stops in the 24-17 victory against UNLV. In the win at WKU, he logged his sixth career double-digit game with a career high-tying 13 tackles, including matching the UTSA record with 11 solo stops. He led the team in tackles for the third straight game with six in the 45-0 shutout of Rice and he paces the defense with 45 total tackles and 32 solo stops to go along with two PBUs, one hurry and a forced fumble this season. Wisdom's family has captured the hearts of the UTSA football program and the San Antonio community over the past two years 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 2020.
Riq the Freak
Tariq Woolen's development into one of UTSA's starting cornerbacks is unique. The Fort Worth native, whose nickname is Riq, started his college career as a wide receiver, catching 24 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown over his first two seasons. Late in his redshirt sophomore campaign, Woolen made the switch to the defensive side of the ball and posted a pair of tackles as a cornerback in the season finale against Louisiana Tech. Prior to the 2020 campaign, Woolen decided to make the position change permanent. That decision paid off as he emerged as one of the team's top defensive backs with 35 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and an interception last fall. Earlier this year, he made Bruce Feldman's annual Freaks List, landing at the No. 6 spot out of 101 college football players after turning in eye-opening numbers during summer strength and conditioning testing. He leaped 11 feet, five inches in the broad jump and clocked a time of 4.34 second in the 40-yard dash, in which he hit 23.33 miles per hour. Woolen started off his senior season with a bang, recording a career-high nine tackles and a pass breakup in the 37-30 road triumph over Illinois. He added his second PBU of the year in the 54-0 shutout of Lamar before posting a TFL and a PBU in the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee and two more stops in the 31-28 comeback win at Memphis. Woolen picked off his second career pass and tallied three tackles in the 24-17 win over UNLV and then registered three tackles in the win at WKU. He is tied for the team lead with four passes defended and his three PBUs this season give him eight for his career.
Veteran corner provides steady presence
With the most games played (40) and starts (28) among UTSA's cornerbacks, Corey Mayfield Jr. is one of the leaders in the secondary. A product of North Forney High School, Mayfield has appeared in all seven games and made six starts this season. He has posted 16 tackles, including 14 solo stops, two interceptions and a pair of pass breakups. He picked off his first pass of his fourth campaign to go along with two tackles in the 27-13 win over Middle Tennessee. He made three stops in the comeback win at Memphis and logged a season-best five tackles in the 52-46 road triumph over WKU. Mayfield logged his second interception of the season and fourth of his career when he stepped in front of a pass and returned it 49 yards to the end zone in the 45-0 shutout of Rice in his last outing. He is just outside the UTSA top five in career interceptions and his 17 career passes defended stand one shy of fifth place in program annals.
Tackling machine
UTSA inside linebacker Trevor Harmanson has emerged as one of the team's top tacklers during his time as a Roadrunner. The Dickinson High School product transferred to UTSA in 2019 following one season at Blinn College, and he made an immediate impact with 48 tackles, including 8.5 behind the line of scrimmage in his debut campaign. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2020, earning honorable mention All-Conference USA accolades after ranking second on the team with 73 tackles, including nine TFL, to go along with seven quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, an interception, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Harmanson, a preseason all-league pick by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele, opened his 2021 campaign by tying for the team high with nine tackles, which included a team-best seven solo stops, in the 37-30 road win over Illinois. Despite playing less than a half in the 54-0 rout of Lamar, he tallied three stops. He then made a pair of tackles, including being part of a fourth-down stop, in the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee before posting four tackles in the 31-28 comeback win at Memphis. Harmanson logged four stops, including one TFL, in the 24-17 victory against UNLV, and he tallied five unassisted tackles in the 52-46 win at WKU. He recorded a sack and returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown in the 45-0 shutout of Rice in his last outing. He ranks second on the team with 29 tackles this season and has recorded 150 total tackles and 19.5 TFL in 31 games as a Roadrunner.
D-line factory
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. Several current Roadrunners have their eyes on joining the likes of Davenport, current Detroit Lions defensive linemen Eric Banks and Kevin Strong Jr., Ashaad Mabry, Jason Neill and Brian Price. Leading the way is super senior Jaylon Haynes, a two-time honorable mention all-conference performer with 22.5 tackles for loss — tied for fourth on UTSA's career chart — and seven sacks in 44 career games. The Roadrunners' experienced line also includes super senior Lorenzo Dantzler, who earned honorable mention all-league recognition a year ago and boasts 21.5 TFL and 10 sacks in 43 games as a Roadrunner. Brandon Matterson, a fourth-year player from San Antonio Brandeis High School, also made C-USA's honorable mention list in 2020 and he has logged 68 tackles and nine TFL in 36 career contests.
Dependable Duplessis
UTSA place-kicker Hunter Duplessis has developed into a dependable option with his right leg. A member of the Lou Groza Award preseason watch list, he started his super senior season by making all three field-goal attempts and going 4 for 4 on extra points in the 37-30 road win over Illinois, earning Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his performance. He turned in his second straight and fourth overall three-field-goal game after connecting from 46 yards twice and again from 41 in the 54-0 shutout of Lamar. Duplessis, who is a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy for the second straight year, went 2 for 4 on field goals and 3 for 3 on PATs in the win over Middle Tennessee and then made all four PATs and drilled the game-winning 42-yarder as time expired in the 31-28 win over Memphis, earning him his second C-USA weekly award. He made one field goal against UNLV and was good on his only try from 35 yards to go along with tying the UTSA record with seven PATs in the 52-46 win at WKU. He made six extra points and his only FG attempt from 30 yards in the 45-0 shutout of Rice and now has 38 career field goals and 98 extra points for 212 points, totals that stand second in school history. He currently shares the C-USA lead with 12 field goals and ranks ninth in the FBS with 1.71 field goals per game. The San Antonio Cole High School product was a Phil Steele honorable mention All-American, Lou Groza semifinalist and first-team all-conference selection in 2020 after he made 17 of 20 field goals and 40 of 41 PATs, marks that both rank second on the school's single-season chart. Duplessis finished ninth nationally in field goals made, 21st in field-goal percentage (.850) and 25th in field goals per game (1.42), and he scored a UTSA-record 91 points. Also an excellent student, he was the 2020-21 C-USA Football Scholar Athlete of the Year, a C-USA All-Academic Team selection, a Campbell Trophy semifinalist and a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree. Duplessis earned his bachelor's degree as a double major in cyber security and information systems, graduating with a 3.78 GPA in August 2020, and he currently is studying technology management while earning an MBA degree.
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. Lucas Dean has emerged as the next in that strong punting lineage. A product of Prokick Australia and the first Roadrunner 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. Dean provided quite the encore in 2020, shattering UTSA's single-season punting average record with a 46.0 mark to lead Conference USA and rank sixth nationally. A semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, he was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year and a second-team All-American by the Sporting News. Dean registered 27 punts that pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line, including 15 inside the 10 and seven inside the 5, and he recorded 21 punts of 50-plus yards, including a career-best 67-yarder against Florida Atlantic, during his sophomore season. Dean opened his third season by averaging 44.2 yards on five punts with one inside the 20 and a long of 55 in the 37-30 road victory over Illinois. He averaged 50.8 yards on five punts with three inside the 20 and a long of 63 in the 31-28 win at Memphis. He averaged 45.6 yards on five punts with three inside the 20 against Rice in his last outing. Dean, who is on the Ray Guy Award watch list and has been tabbed a preseason second-team All-American by the Sporting News, currently averages 44.3 yards per punt with 10 of his 25 inside the 20.
Jones emerges as punt return threat
Sheldon Jones has emerged as one of the top punt returners in the nation this season. The New Orleans native currently leads Conference USA and ranks eighth in the FBS with an average punt return of 13.1 yards. Jones, whose nickname is Sticks, has returned 19 punts for 249 yards in 2021. He returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown in the 54-0 rout of Lamar on Sept. 11 and he had five returns for 68 yards, including 33- and 22-yarders in the second half of the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee. He logged a 38-yard return against WKU that prevented UTSA from starting a second-half possession from inside its own 10-yard line and had six returns for 39 yards with a long of 14 in the win over Rice. Jones is one of 31 FBS players with a punt return TD this year and he became just the second Roadrunner to return a punt for a score, joining Kenny Harrison (2012 vs. Texas State). He owns UTSA career records for punt returns (62) and has amassed 368 punt return yards as a Roadrunner, and his current average of 5.9 yards per return ranks fourth on the school's career chart.
Scoring in unconventional ways
While UTSA might be averaging 38.6 points per game, not all of the scoring has come from the offense. The Roadrunners have found ways to reach the end zone in the other two phases of the game in 2021. UTSA owns four defensive touchdowns — two fumble returns and a pair of interceptions returns — and one special teams TD this year, which is tied with Ohio State for the most among FBS programs at five non-offensive TDs.
UTSA's Non-Offensive Touchdowns
Touchdown Play Opponent
Sheldon Jones 76-yard punt return - Lamar (9/11)
Charles Wiley 44-yard fumble return - Lamar (9/11)
Lorenzo Dantzler 3-yard fumble return - Middle Tennessee (9/18)
Trevor Harmanson 40-yard interception return - Rice (10/16)
Corey Mayfield Jr. 49-yard interception return - Rice (10/16)
Limiting penalties
UTSA ranks as one of the least-penalized teams in the nation through seven games this season. The Roadrunners have committed only 25 penalties for 249 yards so far, league-best figures that stand third and 16th nationally, respectively. UTSA's averages of 3.57 penalties and 35.57 penalty yards per game also lead Conference USA and rank second and sixth among FBS teams. The program record for fewest penalties committed in a season is 63 set in 10 games in 2011.
Down to the wire
UTSA is no stranger to close contests dating back to last season, as 13 of its last 19 have been one-score ballgames in the fourth quarter. In the season opener, UTSA held off Illinois 37-30 in a game that saw the Illini have a chance to tie things up with two throws into the end zone in the final seconds. The Roadrunners rallied from a 21-0 first-quarter deficit for a 31-28 victory over Memphis, as Hunter Duplessis' 42-yard field goal as time expired sealed the win. UTSA held off UNLV 24-17 to improve to 5-0 on the year on Oct. 2 before securing a 52-46 win at WKU a week later with an interception by Clarence Hicks in the final minute. In 2020, UTSA's matchups against Texas State, Stephen F. Austin, Middle Tennessee, UAB, No. 15 BYU, Army, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss and No. 16 Louisiana all were one-score games in the final stanza. The Roadrunners posted a 5-4 record in those contests and are 4-0 this season for a combined mark of 9-4.
TV birds
Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech will be televised by Stadium, marking 104 straight televised/streamed appearances for the Roadrunners. All 12 of UTSA's regular season games have been selected for broadcast, which will extend that streak to at least 108. The last UTSA game that was not broadcast was the 2012 season finale against Texas State.
Brotherly duos
UTSA has two sets of brothers on the 2021 roster in offensive lineman Kevin Davis and wide receiver Isaiah Davis, along with outside linebackers Dadrian and Donyai Taylor.
Dozen Roadrunners back for super senior season
A dozen UTSA football seniors elected to return to the Roadrunners for an extra year of eligibility in 2021, taking advantage of an NCAA blanket waiver for all 2020 fall sports student-athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 12 Roadrunners who are back for their super senior season are:
Myles Benning, TE
B.J. Daniels, RB
Lorenzo Dantzler, DL
Hunter Duplessis, PK
Jalyn Galmore, OL
Jaylon Haynes, DL
DeQuarius Henry, OLB
Clarence Hicks, OLB
Antonio Parks, S
Dominic Pastucci, OL
Leroy Watson, TE
Charles Wiley, OLB
A focus on recruiting Texas
UTSA's 115-man roster features 90 players — 78% — who hail from the state of Texas. The next-closest state is Louisiana with seven, while there are five players from Mississippi. California and Florida are considered home for three players apiece and two are from Georgia. UTSA has one player each from Iowa, Hawai'i, Tennessee and Virginia, while Lucas Dean is the first Roadrunner from Australia.
Keeping them home
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor and his staff have placed an emphasis on recruiting the city of San Antonio and surrounding area. The current roster includes 29 players from Greater San Antonio with a team-high seven hailing from perennial power Converse Judson High School.
Player (High School)
Josh Adkins (Smithson Valley)
Rudy Aleman Jr. (Warren)
Brenden Brady (Steele)
Spencer Burford (Wagner)
Oscar Cardenas (Brandeis)
JayVeon Cardwell (Steele)
Cade Collenback (O'Connor)
Hunter Duplessis (Cole)
Frank Harris (Clemens)
Caden Holt (New Braunfels Canyon)
Jaden Jones (East Central)
Ethan Laing (Boerne Champion)
Caleb Lewis (Steele)
De'Anthony Lewis (Judson)
Frankie Martinez (East Central)
Brandon Matterson (Brandeis)
Sincere McCormick (Judson)
Trey Moore (Smithson Valley)
Xavier Player (Steele)
Jalen Rainey (Brandeis)
Jaren Randle (Johnson)
Robert Rigsby (Judson)
Justin Rodriguez (Johnson)
Daniel Santallana (East Central)
Kamron Scott (Judson)
Xavier Spencer (Judson)
Dre Spriggs (Harlan)
Julon Williams (Judson)
Rashad Wisdom (Judson)
UTSA's 210 Triangle of Toughness
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has installed many new ideas, 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. The numbers 2, 1 and 0 — San Antonio's area code — 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, Leroy Watson
2 — Joshua Cephus, Charles Wiley
3 — Sincere McCormick, Tariq Woolen
4 — Zakhari Franklin, Antonio Parks
5 — Brenden Brady, Hunter Duplessis
6 — Lorenzo Dantzler
7 — Dadrian Taylor
8 — Josh Adkins, Jamal Ligon
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, Makai Hart and Ahofitu Maka 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.
Quarterbacks — Josh Adkins, Frank Harris
Running Backs — Brenden Brady, Sincere McCormick
Wide Receivers — Joshua Cephus
Tight Ends — Leroy Watson
Offensive Line — Spencer Burford, Ahofitu Maka
Defensive Line — Lorenzo Dantzler, Jaylon Haynes
Inside Linebackers — Jamal Ligon
Outside Linebackers (S) — Dadrian Taylor
Outside Linebackers (W) — Charles Wiley
Safeties — Rashad Wisdom
Cornerbacks — Ken Robinson
Special Teams — Myles Benning, Kelechi Nwachuku
Specialists — Hunter Duplessis
Up next
UTSA will take a week off before traveling to El Paso to face UTEP on Saturday, Nov. 6. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT at the Sun Bowl and the game will air on ESPN Networks and Ticket 760 AM.
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