Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl
No. 24/25 UTSA Roadrunners (12-1) vs. No. 24 San Diego State Aztecs (11-2)
6:30 p.m. | Tuesday, Dec. 21
Toyota Stadium | Frisco, Texas
TV: ESPN
Radio: Ticket 760 AM/Bowl Season Radio/SiriusXM 84
Opening drive
• UTSA will make its second straight and third overall bowl appearance when it meets San Diego State in the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl on Dec. 21.
• The Roadrunners are 0-2 in bowl games, dropping a 31-24 decision to Louisiana in the 2020 First Responder Bowl and a 23-20 contest to New Mexico in the 2016 New Mexico Bowl.
• UTSA is 4-3 all-time in non-Saturday contests and this will mark the first time the Roadrunners have played on a Tuesday.
• The Roadrunners are ranked No. 24 in the AP Top 25 and 25th in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
• Conference USA Coach of the Year Jeff Traylor is 19-6 at the helm of the Roadrunners, the best 25-game start for a UTSA coach.
• UTSA has won 15 of its last 17 contests dating back to last season.
• This will mark the first meeting between UTSA and San Diego State and the Roadrunners' first matchup against a ranked team since facing No. 16 Louisiana on Dec. 26, 2020, in the First Responder Bowl.
Setting the scene
The Conference USA champion and No. 24/25 UTSA Roadrunners (12-1) will make their second straight and third overall bowl appearance when they face No. 24 San Diego State (11-2) in the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 21. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Toyota Stadium and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN. UTSA has won 15 of its last 17 games dating back to last season but is seeking its first bowl victory.
Tuning in
Saturday's game will be televised nationally on ESPN and can be viewed via WatchESPN and ESPN Deportes or the ESPN app. Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst) and Tiffany Blackmon (reporter) have the call. The contest will air live on Ticket 760 AM in the San Antonio area, on XM channel 381 and SiriusXM app channel 971. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Pat Evans (reporter) will call the action. The pregame show will begin at 4:30 p.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The radio broadcast will not be available via streaming. Bowl Season Radio will provide live national radio coverage of the game on terrestrial radio stations throughout the country, as well as SiriusXM channel 84. In addition, the game will stream live on Tune-In, Audacy and The Varsity Network apps. Toby Rowland (play-by-play), Gabe Ikard (analyst) and Chris Mycoskie (reporter) will handle the call.
Going bowling
The Roadrunners will make their second straight and third overall bowl appearance when they face San Diego State on Dec. 21 in the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl. UTSA equaled an NCAA modern startup program record by playing in a bowl game in just its sixth season, dropping a 23-20 decision to New Mexico in the 2016 New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque. A year ago, Roadrunners rallied from a 24-7 third-quarter deficit to No. 16 Louisiana to tie the game at 24-all before a late touchdown sent the Ragin' Cajuns to a 31-24 victory in the First Responder Bowl in Dallas. UTSA originally was selected to play SMU in the Frisco Bowl last year but COVID-19 protocols within the Mustangs' program forced the game to be canceled and the Roadrunners slid into the First Responder Bowl. This will mark the second time UTSA will face a team from the Mountain West Conference in a bowl game.
Weeknight football
While college football typically is played on Saturdays, UTSA is no stranger to having a game on a weeknight to accommodate a television broadcast. In 2014, the Roadrunners opened the year with a 27-7 victory over Houston on a Friday night broadcast on ESPNU. UTSA also played a pair of Thursday night contests that fall, including a 26-23 setback to Arizona and a 12-10 win against Southern Miss. UTSA played its 2015 season lid-lifter on a Thursday at Arizona, and then hosted Arizona State a year later in a Friday night showdown on ESPN2. The Roadrunners beat Middle Tennessee 37-35 on a Friday last season and made their most recent non-Saturday appearance earlier this month when they beat WKU 49-41 to capture the Conference USA Championship on Dec. 3 at the Alamodome. In 2012, UTSA was scheduled to open the year on a Thursday versus South Alabama, but that game was postponed to Saturday, Sept. 1, due to Hurricane Isaac. UTSA is 4-3 all-time in games played on a weeknight.
Record-setting season
Under the direction of second-year head coach Jeff Traylor, UTSA has set several program benchmarks in 2021. UTSA won its first 11 games — a school record for single-season victories and the longest winning streak in program annals — and now has pushed the school standard to 12 wins entering the bowl game. The Roadrunners also came out on top in each of their first seven Conference USA contests, a program record for most league victories in a season and a stretch that pushed their conference winning streak to 10 dating back to the 2020 campaign before the loss to North Texas on Nov. 27. UTSA also enjoyed a six-week stretch of being ranked in both the AP Top 25 and USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, appearing as high as No. 15, and it has been ranked in both polls once again as of Dec. 5. The Roadrunners, who have won 15 of their last 17 contests dating back to last season, made more history by capturing their first C-USA Championship with the 49-41 victory over WKU on Dec. 3 at the Alamodome. The previous best overall start to a season before the first loss came when the 2012 team started 5-0, while the best start to a conference schedule was 2-0 in 2018.
Nationally ranked Roadrunners
After a one-week hiatus, UTSA again is ranked nationally in both major polls, appearing at No. 24 in the AP Top 25 and 25th in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll as of Dec. 5. Earlier this season, the Roadrunners were ranked in both polls for six consecutive weeks, appearing as high as No. 15 in the AP Top 25. UTSA first cracked the AP Top 25 at No. 24 on Oct. 17 before moving up one position after the 45-16 win at Louisiana Tech and then to 16th on Oct. 31 before being ranked 15th for three straight weeks until the loss to North Texas. This marks the 11th consecutive week and 12th time overall UTSA has received votes in the poll. On Sept. 20, 2020, UTSA collected two votes in the AP Top 25, a first for the program. The Roadrunners made their first appearance in the coaches poll at No. 25 on Oct. 17 and were ranked as high as 16th on Nov. 7. This marks the 13th straight week the Roadrunners have collected votes in that poll. UTSA also made appearances in the College Football Playoff rankings for three weeks in a row, debuting at No. 23 on Nov. 9 and moving up to 22nd for two straight weeks before falling out of the top 25.
Roadrunners from the Metroplex
UTSA boasts a roster with 90 players from the state of Texas, including 19 who will be returning home to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex for the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl.
Player (High School)
Trumane Bell II (Lake Highlands HS)
Myles Benning (The Colony HS)
Sean Berry (Dallas Wilson HS)
Tre'Von Bradley (Cleburne HS)
Caleb Cantrell (Birdville HS)
De'Corian Clark (Fort Worth Wyatt HS)
Christian Clayton (Fort Worth South Hills HS)
Kaedric Cobbs (Denton Guyer HS)
Zakhari Franklin (Cedar Hill HS)
River Gordon (Mansfield HS)
Terrell Haynes (Arlington Seguin HS)
Kennedy Lewis (Melissa HS)
Jaylon Lott (Hebron HS)
Corey Mayfield Jr. (North Forney HS)
Dru Prox (Kaufman HS)
Ken Robinson (South Grand Prairie HS)
Brandon Rolfe (Commerce HS)
Monte Williams (Mesquite Horn HS)
Tariq Woolen (Fort Worth Arlington Heights HS)
UTSA pair lone holdovers from 2016 bowl team
UTSA super seniors Hunter Duplessis and DeQuarius Henry are the lone holdovers from the 2016 team that made the first bowl appearance in program history. Both players took a redshirt that season and did not see action in the 23-20 setback to New Mexico in the 2016 New Mexico Bowl.
Roadrunners claim C-USA crown
Sincere McCormick rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns and Jahmal Sam intercepted a pass as time expired to help lead UTSA to a 49-41 victory over WKU in the 2021 Ryan Conference USA Championship Game on Dec. 3 in front of 41,118 fans at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners captured their first conference title and improved to 12-1 on the season with their school-record 10th straight home win in beating the Hilltoppers for the second time this season. McCormick's second career 200-yard game came on 36 carries, and a 218-yard, two-touchdown night from quarterback Frank Harris helped propel an offense that piled up 556 yards. Meanwhile Sam had one of two interceptions and three takeaways, as Donyai Taylor recovered a muffed punt and Antonio Parks picked off a pass on back-to-back possessions early in the second half to help UTSA build a 29-point advantage. UTSA's defense held the Hilltoppers to a C-USA Championship-Game record minus-9 rushing yards, the seventh opponent limited to fewer than 100 yards on the ground.
Scouting San Diego State
The Aztecs fell to 11-2 on the season after a 46-13 loss to Utah State in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game on Dec. 4. San Diego State, which is 24th in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, owns a pair of wins over Pac-12 Conference teams including a 33-31 triple-overtime victory over league champion Utah. The Aztecs are averaging 26.5 points and 330.9 yards per game while allowing 19.5 points and 319.5 yards per contest. Lucas Johnson has seen the most action at quarterback and has completed 114 of 187 passes for 1,091 yards and nine touchdowns. Greg Bell paces the ground game with 990 yards and eight TDs, while Jesse Matthews is the top receiver with 46 catches for 467 yards and seven scores. Patrick Morris leads the defense with 83 tackles and Cameron Thomas has 68 stops, including 16 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. Ray Guy Award winner Matt Araiza leads the nation with 51.4 yards per punt and also has made 17 field goals and all 40 extra-point attempts this season. Head coach Brady Hoke is 28-18 in his second stint and fourth overall season at the helm of the Aztecs.
Series history
Saturday will mark the first meeting between UTSA and San Diego State, a member of the Mountain West Conference. The Roadrunners have faced five current members of the Mountain West in their history including defeating UNLV 24-17 on Oct. 2 in San Antonio. UTSA is 0-2 versus Colorado State, 1-2 against New Mexico, 0-1 versus San Jose State and 0-1 against Utah State.
Who's counting?
Now in their 11th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 132nd game in program history on Tuesday when they face San Diego State in the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl. UTSA is 64-67 all time and 0-1 in neutral-site games. By comparison, the Aztecs have been playing football since 1921 and are 580-433-32 all-time.
Roadrunners versus ranked opponents
UTSA has faced seven nationally ranked FBS opponents in its 11-year history prior to the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl clash with No. 24 San Diego State. The last time the Roadrunners played a top-25 team was against No. 16 Louisiana in the 2020 First Responder Bowl on Dec. 26 in Dallas. The highest-ranked foe UTSA has played was No. 13 Oklahoma State in 2013.
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. This year's squad has surpassed the 2012 team that went 8-4 by winning a program-record 12 games, while the Roadrunners finished with seven victories in 2013 and 2020.
Traylor off to resounding start at UTSA
Second-year UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor made history in several ways in his first season at the helm in 2020 and has continued that success this fall. The 2021 Conference USA Coach of the Year and AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year has guided the Roadrunners to a 12-1 record, the Conference USA title and a second straight bowl appearance during his second campaign. UTSA 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. A finalist for the AFCA National Coach of the Year and the Eddie Robinson Award, 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-point 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 before winning for the first time in Ruston with a 45-16 triumph over Louisiana Tech. UTSA broke the school record for wins in a season following the 44-23 road win over UTEP before back-to-back home victories over Southern Miss and UAB made it 11 straight wins to start the season. He guided the Roadrunners to their first conference crown with the 49-41 victory against WKU in the C-USA Championship Game on Dec. 5, pushing the school-standard win-total to 12. Last fall, Traylor became the first head coach in program annals to win his first three games and to notch seven victories in his debut season. He 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. 9, 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. On Oct. 31, Traylor agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in San Antonio through 2031.
McCormick picks up postseason plaudits
Sincere McCormick has continued to add to his impressive collection of honors earned as a Roadrunner. The third-year running back has been named an All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (second team), Associated Press (third team) and Phil Steele (second team), giving him five career total All-America certificates. The former Converse Judson High School star repeated as the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference, while he also was named Best Running Back and All-Texas College First Team by Dave Campbell's Texas Football. A semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award for the second straight season, he has been chosen as a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award for the second time in as many years.
Program-record 23 Roadrunners honored by C-USA
A program-record 23 Roadrunners have been honored by Conference USA with the league's all-conference and all-freshman teams as selected by the 14 head coaches. Additionally, Sincere McCormick repeated as C-USA Offensive Player of the Year and Jeff Traylor was voted Coach of the Year. UTSA placed a school-record 22 players on the all-conference teams with a league-high and program-record six on the first team, five on the second squad and 11 on the honorable mention list. The 11 Roadrunners on the first and second teams combined were the most among league schools. Additionally, a pair of Roadrunners landed on the C-USA All-Freshman Team, giving UTSA a school-record 24 total honors this season (Brandon Brown received honorable mention and all-freshman accolades).
UTSA's All-Conference USA Selections
First Team
Spencer Burford, OL
Hunter Duplessis, K
Zakhari Franklin, WR
Clarence Hicks, LB
Sincere McCormick, RB
Rashad Wisdom, DB
Second Team
Caleb Cantrell, LS
Lucas Dean, P
Frank Harris, QB
Jaylon Haynes, DT
Ahofitu Maka, OL
Honorable Mention
Brandon Brown, DT
Joshua Cephus, WR
Lorenzo Dantzler, DE
Trevor Harmanson, LB
Makai Hart, OL
Terrell Haynes, OL
Jamal Ligon, LB
Corey Mayfield Jr., DB
Dadrian Taylor, KR
Charles Wiley, DE
Tariq Woolen, DB
All-Freshman
Brandon Brown, DT
Dan Dishman, TE
Burford, Woolen invited to postseason all-star games
UTSA offensive lineman Spencer Burford and cornerback Tariq Woolen each received invitations to play in three postseason all-star games. The two players have accepted invitations to the Reese's Senior Bowl, and both also were invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
UTSA collects C-USA weekly awards
UTSA earned a combined nine Conference USA weekly awards this season. Hunter Duplessis led the way as a three-time C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week honoree, while Frank Harris and Clarence Hicks were named the league's offensive and defensive player of the week twice, respectively. Additionally, Trumane Bell II picked up C-USA Defensive Player of the Week accolades on Sept. 20 and Sheldon Jones earned the special teams award one week prior.
UTSA's C-USA Player of the Week Honorees
Offense
10/11 Frank Harris
11/22 Frank Harris
Defense
9/20 Trumane Bell II
9/27 Clarence Hicks
11/22 Clarence Hicks
Special Teams
9/6 Hunter Duplessis
9/13 Sheldon Jones
9/27 Hunter Duplessis
11/22 Hunter Duplessis
High-scoring Roadrunners
UTSA has emerged as one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation this season, ranking second in Conference USA and 12th in the FBS at 37.8 points per game. The Roadrunners have topped the 30-point barrier in nine games and have surpassed 50 points twice this fall, including in the 52-46 shootout win at WKU on Oct. 9. UTSA ended up scoring 40-plus points in a four-game stretch — a program record — and surpassed it again in the 49-41 C-USA Championship Game victory over WKU. With 492 points scored through 13 games, the Roadrunners have shattered the program's single-season record of 379 points scored in 13 contests in 2016, and they also are on pace to take down the points-per-game standard of 31.2 established in 12 games in 2012.
Scoring in unconventional ways
While UTSA might be averaging 37.8 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, as well. UTSA ranks fourth in the FBS behind Middle Tennessee, Nevada and Ohio State with five defensive touchdowns — three interception returns and a pair of fumble returns — to go along with one special teams TD this year. The Roadrunners are one of 11 FBS teams to have scored in all three phases in a single game this season, doing so in the 54-0 shutout of Lamar on Sept. 11. Additionally, UTSA has broken the school record with three interception return touchdowns this season, all of which occurred in back-to-back games in October.
Limiting penalties
UTSA ranks as one of the least-penalized teams in the nation this season. The Roadrunners have committed 62 penalties for 628 yards for an average of 4.77 penalties and 48.31 penalty yards per game, league-leading figures that rank 16th and 48th, respectively, among FBS teams. The program record for fewest penalties committed in a season is 63 set in 10 games in 2011.
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 and 194 passing 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 261 as part of a 403-yard output in the 45-0 shutout of Rice on Oct. 16. The Roadrunners unleashed a balanced attack in road wins over Louisiana Tech and UTEP, running for 213 yards and throwing for 193 against the Bulldogs and then tallying 276 rushing yards and 286 passing yards for a total of 562 versus the Miners. In the last outing, UTSA racked up 556 yards with a season-best 304 on the ground in the 49-41 win over WKU in the C-USA Championship Game. On the season, UTSA is averaging 254.3 passing yards and 188.6 rushing yards (2nd/C-USA) per outing to rank third in the league and 26th nationally in total offense (442.9 ypg).
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 the season 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 120 on 23 carries in the 52-46 win at WKU and gashed Rice for 117 yards on 13 totes, including a career-long 81-yard sprint, before posting 113 yards and three scores on 23 rushes in the 45-16 win at Louisiana Tech. In the 44-23 road win over UTEP, McCormick went for 169 yards on 21 carries, including a 75-yard TD dash on the second play from scrimmage. He registered a season-high 204 yards and three TDs on 36 rushes in the 49-41 victory versus WKU in the C-USA Championship Game and now has 1,479 yards (5th/FBS) and 15 scores (10th/FBS) on 298 rushes — all school records.
Rewriting the record book
Sincere McCormick has rewritten the program's record book during his three years with the Roadrunners. UTSA's career rushing leader with 3,929 yards, he is the active FBS leader in rushes per game (20.11) and he ranks second in rushing yards per game (109.1) and fourth in rushing yards. He owns the best averages for rushing yards per attempt (5.4) and game in program annals and his 18 career 100-yard rushing games and 123.3 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 34. He raced past Jarveon Williams' career rushing attempts mark of 474 earlier this season and now has 724 carries. He also is the program's all-time leader in points scored by a non-kicker with 210. Last fall, he smashed the school's single-season standards with 1,467 rushing yards, 11 rushing TDs and 249 carries but since has broken all three marks in 2021 with 298 carries for 1,479 yards and 15 scores. A five-time All-American and two-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, he broke his own single-season mark with eight 100-yard rushing games this fall, giving him a UTSA-best 18 for his career, and he has surpassed his own single-season all-purpose yardage standard with 1,663 this year.
Sincere McCormick's UTSA Records
Game
251 rushing yards (vs. North Texas, 11/28/20)
3 rushing TDs (4x, last vs. WKU, 12/3/21)
41 rushes (vs. Memphis, 9/25/21)
Season
1,479 rushing yards (2021)
15 rushing touchdowns (2021)
298 rushes (2021)
133.4 rushing yards/game (2020)
8 100-yard rushing games (2021)
1,663 all-purpose yards (2021)
145.3 all-purpose yards/game (2020)
Career
3,929 rushing yards
34 rushing touchdowns
35 total touchdowns
210 points (non-kicker)
724 rushes
5.4 yards/rush
109.1 rushing yards/game
18 100-yard rushing games
4,438 all-purpose yards
123.3 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 27 games under center during his UTSA career and owns a 20-7 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
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-threat quarterbacks in the nation. A semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose 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 28 contests with 27 starts (20-7 record). The second-team all-conference pick 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 passed for 264 yards and a pair of scores and added 56 rushing yards in the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee and 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. The Schertz Clemens High School product accounted for 362 yards and four scores in the 44-23 road triumph over UTEP, completing 22 of 34 passes for 286 yards and 2 TDs and rushing for 76 yards and 2 scores. He logged his second 300-yard game of the year with 323 and three TDs on 25-of-36 passing in the 34-31 win over UAB, earning player of the week plaudits from both the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and C-USA. He passed for 218 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 81 yards and a score in the 49-41 win over WKU in the C-USA Championship Game in his last outing. Harris now has completed 241 of 362 passes for school records of 2,906 yards and 25 touchdowns and he also has set the UTSA standard for rushing yards by a QB with 565 and six TDs, giving him a program-record 3,471 yards of total offense this fall. The 2021 Dave Campbell's Texas Football Offensive Player of the Year currently owns UTSA career records for completion percentage (.663) and passing efficiency (141.4), while he ranks third in passing yards (5,022) and TDs (40).
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 2,414 yards and 23 touchdowns on 188 receptions through 13 games. Despite missing the UNLV game, Franklin paces the squad with 938 receiving yards and 11 TDs on 73 receptions, all school records. Cephus is close behind Franklin for the program standard in receptions with 69 and has 793 yards and six TDs. Clark — whose nickname "J.T." is short for his middle name, John Thomas — exploded onto the scene in the month of October and now has 46 catches for 683 yards and six scores. The trio's individual yardage totals this year all currently stand in the program's top four receiving seasons of all-time, with Franklin and Cephus ranking 1-2 and Clark in third, 11 yards shy of Franklin's previous school standard of 694 set in 2020. Franklin, a Cedar Hill High School product, has become the program's all-time receiving yardage (2,123), receptions (160) and receiving TDs (21) leader, doing so in just 31 career contests. Cephus, a Houston native, now ranks second on the program's career list with 135 catches and third with 1,493 yards. All three receivers were part of UTSA's 2019 signing class and have seen action in each of the past three seasons.
Making his mark
UTSA wide receiver Zakhari Franklin is making his mark as one of Conference USA's top pass-catchers, earning first-team all-league accolades while taking down several school receiving marks in the process. The third-year wide receiver has registered four 100-yard performances this season and nine for his career, both school records. He opened the 2021 campaign by catching 10 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown in the 37-30 road victory over Illinois and then surpassed the century mark again with 114 yards and a score on eight catches in the 27-13 win versus Middle Tennessee. The Cedar Hill native topped 100 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in back-to-back outings, going for 118 yards on five catches in the 45-16 road triumph over Louisiana Tech before catching 10 balls for 114 yards in the 44-23 win at UTEP. He caught six passes for 97 yards and two TDs in the win over UAB. Franklin leads the Roadrunners with 938 receiving yards and 11 TDs on 73 catches, all program records. He ranks 11th nationally in receiving touchdowns and is third and sixth, respectively, in the league in receptions (6.1) and yards (78.2) per contest. He also has moved atop the UTSA career charts for receiving yardage (2,123), receiving yards per game (68.5), receptions (160) and receiving TDs (21).
Experience up front
UTSA boasts one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country, as the unit now has a combined 186 starts among its roster. Leading the way is the senior trio of Spencer Burford, Kevin Davis and Ahofitu Maka with a combined 118 starts during their UTSA careers. Burford, a San Antonio Wagner graduate, a Phil Steele honorable mention All-American and a first-team all-conference selection, has made 42 starts at both guard and tackle. Maka, a Hawaiian who has earned second-team all-league honors for the second straight season, has drawn 36 starts with all but one at center. Davis a native of Angleton, Texas, has earned 40 career starts, including 14 at center. UTSA's line also has shown adaptability and versatility, as the Roadrunners have used six different starting lineups through 13 games, tied for the fourth-most combinations used this season in the FBS.
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 Conference USA in several categories. The Roadrunners rank second in C-USA and 14th nationally in rushing defense (111.5) and they stand third in the league by allowing just 23.6 points per game. UTSA has dialed up the pressure throughout the year with 84 tackles for loss and a program-record 32 sacks. 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. 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. In fact, the Roadrunners are one of only three FBS teams to hold two opponents — Rice and Lamar — to fewer than 40 passing yards in a game this season. In the win over Southern Miss, UTSA surrendered only 189 total yards — the fourth opponent this season held below 200 — and gave up only 52 passing yards, the third time holding a foe to fewer than 60 yards through the air in 2021. UTSA yielded only 62 rushing yards to Louisiana Tech on Oct. 23 and limited WKU to minus-9 in the C-USA Championship Game victory, the second-fewest rushing yards allowed in program annals and the fourth-best performance in the FBS this season. UTSA, which has held seven opponents to under 100 yards on the ground, joins Alabama and Wisconsin as the only teams to yield fewer than 10 rushing yards in a game twice in 2021.
Creating turnovers
The Roadrunners have displayed a knack for creating turnovers during the Jeff Traylor era. Through the first 13 games this season, UTSA has tallied 25 takeaways, the eighth-best total among FBS teams and only four shy of the program record set in 12 games in 2012. The Roadrunners boast a near-even split with 13 fumbles recovered (3rd/FBS) and 12 interceptions in 2021. Lorenzo Dantzler is tied for third among FBS players with a school record-tying three fumble recoveries this fall, while Kelechi Nwachuku and Charles Wiley have two apiece (21st/FBS). Caleb Cantrell, Denzel Feaster, Brandon Matterson, Lamonte McDougle and Jahmal Sam all have one recovery each. Corey Mayfield Jr., Antonio Parks and Jahmal Sam pace the Roadrunners with two interceptions each, while Trevor Harmanson, Clarence Hicks, Jamal Ligon, Jarrett Preston, Dadrian Taylor and Tariq Woolen have one pick apiece. Last season, UTSA forced 19 turnovers to lead C-USA and rank 19th in the country. Eleven of those takeaways came via an interception, good for first in the league and 23rd nationally, while the Roadrunners' eight recoveries ended up 25th among FBS teams.
A disruptive force
Outside linebacker Clarence Hicks has developed into a disruptive force on the edge for UTSA this season, which resulted in a spot on the first-team All-Conference USA defense and an honorable mention All-America nod from Phil Steele. The super senior has made the most of his 35 tackles, as 16 have resulted in lost yardage including a program-record 10 sacks. He eclipsed the previous program standard of 8.5 sacks shared by Marcus Davenport and Jason Neill with two in the C-USA Championship Game win, while he is within range of Davenport's TFL mark of 17.5. Hicks, who leads C-USA and ranks 21st in the FBS with 0.77 sacks per game, also owns six quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble this fall. 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 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 C-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 on Oct. 9. Hicks recorded 2.5 sacks and a pair of pressures in the 45-16 win at Louisiana Tech and he collected C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honors for a second time after posting three TFLs and two sacks in the 34-31 win over UAB. For his UTSA career, he has tallied 106 tackles, 30.5 TFL to rank second in program history, 12 sacks (3rd/UTSA), 16 QB pressures (4th/UTSA), 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 33 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, as well as five quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup. 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 posted 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. The two-time honorable mention all-conference performer recovered his second fumble of the fall in the 27-17 win over Southern Miss and now ranks 21st among FBS players in that category. A native of Stockbridge Ga., who transferred from Ole Miss in 2020, Wiley has piled up 133 tackles, including 31 behind the line of scrimmage, during his collegiate career with 76 stops, 19 TFL and 5.5 sacks coming in his two seasons at UTSA.
Wisdom in the secondary
UTSA safety Rashad Wisdom has emerged as one of the 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 37 games and drawn 35 starts at safety during his career. A two-time first-team all-conference selection in the secondary, 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 paced the defense with six stops in the 27-13 victory over Middle Tennessee and then tallied five tackles, including one behind the line, and a PBU in the 31-28 comeback win over Memphis. Wisdom logged a career high-tying 13 tackles, including matching the UTSA record with 11 solo stops, in the road win over WKU. He also made double-digit tackles with 10 in the 44-23 road triumph over UTEP and again in the 34-31 home triumph over UAB. After registering eight stops in the C-USA Championship Game win, he paces the defense with 87 total tackles and 66 solo stops to go along with six PBUs, one hurry and a forced fumble this season. He ranks second in UTSA history with 157 career solo tackles and fourth in total stops with 226. 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 seconds 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. The honorable mention all-conference selection missed all four November contests but returned to post a pair of stops in the C-USA Championship Game win, giving him 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, five PBUs, one interception and a hurry in nine games this season.
Veteran corner provides steady presence
With the most games played (46) and starts (34) 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 13 games and made 12 starts this season en route to earning honorable mention all-conference recognition. He has posted 34 tackles, including 31 solo stops, three tackles for loss, one sack, a team-high two interceptions and a trio 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. He played a key role in another takeaway in the Southern Miss win, as his strip-sack in the fourth quarter led to Charles Wiley's 8-yard fumble return that set up the final score, and he had four tackles and a PBU in the C-USA Championship Game victory over WKU. The son of former Oklahoma and NFL defensive lineman Corey Mayfield is just outside the UTSA top five in career interceptions and his 18 career passes defended give him a share of fifth place on the program's all-time list.
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 Tennessee Titans defensive linemen Kevin Strong Jr., Eric Banks, Ashaad Mabry, Jason Neill and Brian Price. Leading the way is super senior Jaylon Haynes, a second-team all-league performer this season who owns 25 tackles for loss — fourth on UTSA's career chart — and eight sacks in 50 career games. The Roadrunners' experienced line also includes super senior Lorenzo Dantzler, a two-time honorable mention all-conference pick who boasts 22.5 TFL and 11 sacks in 48 games as a Roadrunner. Brandon Matterson, a fourth-year player from San Antonio Brandeis High School, made C-USA's honorable mention list in 2020 and has logged 74 tackles, nine TFL and seven QB hurries in 42 career contests.
Dependable Duplessis
UTSA place-kicker Hunter Duplessis has developed into a dependable option with his right leg during his career. A first-team all-league selection and a three-time Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week this season, he has made 23 of 29 field goals and 60 extra points — both school records — in 2021. The former walk-on 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. He turned in his second straight three-field-goal game after connecting from 46 yards twice and again from 41 in the 54-0 shutout of Lamar. Duplessis, who landed on the semifinalist list for the William V. Campbell Trophy and was a Burlsworth Trophy nominee 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. He 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 and he drilled all three field goal tries in the road win over UTEP, including a career-long 51-yarder that is tied for the second-longest kick in program history. He matched his career long and also connected from 49 in the 34-31 win over UAB and turned in his fourth three-field-goal game of the season versus North Texas. He has 49 career field goals to tie Sean Ianno's UTSA record and rank 25th among active FBS players and he has broken program marks with 125 extra points and 272 points scored. He currently leads C-USA with 23 field goals and ranks fourth in the FBS with 1.77 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. Also an excellent student, he is a 2021 second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American, a two-time first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, the 2020-21 C-USA Football Scholar Athlete of the Year and a two-time C-USA All-Academic Team selection. A member of UTSA's first-ever bowl team in 2016, 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 carries a 4.0 GPA in technology management as part of an MBA program.
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. 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 opened his third year 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 and 45.6 yards on five punts with three inside the 20 against Rice. He averaged 47.0 yards on three punts with two inside the 10-yard line, including a 51-yarder that pinned Southern Miss at the 2, before posting a 50.2 mark on four punts that included a school-record 73-yard bomb in the win over UAB. Dean, a preseason second-team All-American by the Sporting News, averaged 51.2 yards on four punts including a 63-yarder that was downed at the North Texas 3-yard line, and he currently averages 45.4 yards per punt with 20 of his 44 kicks inside the 20.
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 on Oct. 16. 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.
Comeback kings
UTSA has rallied from second-half deficits four times this season, including in two of the last four games. The Roadrunners trailed UAB by four points before Frank Harris' game-winning touchdown pass to Oscar Cardenas lifted UTSA to a 34-31 victory on Nov. 20. The week prior, Southern Miss took a 17-10 advantage early in the third quarter before the Roadrunners closed the game with 17 unanswered points. UTSA overcame a 31-28 deficit at WKU on Oct. 9 for a 52-46 win on the road. The Roadrunners also trailed Memphis 21-0 early, 28-14 late in the third quarter and by seven in the fourth before squeaking out a 31-28 victory on Sept. 25.
Down to the wire
UTSA is no stranger to close contests dating back to last season, as 16 of its last 25 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 on Oct. 2 before securing a 52-46 win at WKU a week later with an interception by Clarence Hicks in the final minute. The Roadrunners broke a 17-17 fourth-quarter deadlock against Southern Miss with two late scores in a 10-point victory before upending UAB 34-31 on a TD pass with three seconds remaining. UTSA used an interception on the final play of the game to secure a 49-41 C-USA Championship Game win over WKU in its last outing. 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 7-0 this season for a combined mark of 12-4.
TV birds
Saturday's Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl against San Diego State will be televised nationally on ESPN, marking 110 straight televised/streamed appearances for the Roadrunners. 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
Prior to the season, UTSA 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
-UTSA-
