UTSA Football: Roadrunners prepare for rapid rebuild in 2020

Offense expecting heavy competition for starting jobs

Much of the Roadrunners’ success for the upcoming season hinges on the efficiency and success on the offensive side of the ball. They return seven opening-week starters from 2019 and UTSA ranked 117th in points per game (20.3) and 107th in total yards per game (344.9).

The biggest priority of the season for the Roadrunners is to establish a starting quarterback between either redshirt junior Frank Harris or redshirt junior Lowell Narcisse. This was a similar quarterback competition from the 2019 preseason. Harris won the starting job in the fall camp of 2019 as he started four games for the Roadrunners before suffering an upper-body injury. The former LSU transfer in Narcisse started the following 11 games after the injury to Harris.

Narcisse was a more dynamic, dual-threat playmaker for the Roadrunners, rushing for 492 yards and four touchdowns. He passed for 1,226 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions with a 53 percent completion rate. Harris was a more accurate and progressive passer. Before being knocked out for the season, he passed for 486 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions with a 73 percent completion rate.

Both quarterbacks have extensive experience as starter for the Roadrunners. The key for the potential starter is for which quarterback will learn the system of new offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., both quickly and efficiently.

Whoever will be the starting quarterback for UTSA will have a reliable sophomore running back in Sincere McCormick. Last season, the true freshman rushed for 983 yards and eight touchdowns on. He was named second-team All-Conference USA by Athlon Sports.

The Roadrunners return five of their six leading receivers from last season. All of their projected wide outs have starting experience. The Roadrunners have a huge amount of depth in their receiver corps as well. They potentially have a corps with the most depth in the conference. Zakhari Franklin has the potential to explode for the Roadrunners as he caught 38 passes for 491 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman.

UTSA’s offensive line might cause most of their problems moving forward. Last season, the Roadrunners’ line allowed 31 sacks with 27 of those on dual-threat quarterbacks Harris and Narcisse.

The Roadrunners return three offensive linemen in junior left tackle Spencer Burford, junior left guard Kevin Davis and junior center Ahofitu Maka. Senior Dominic Pastucci is projected to start at the right tackle position after starting in three games for UTSA in 2019. They will rely on their transfer guard Ernesto Almaraz from East Los Angeles College to start at right guard.