This weekend, the battle of the University of Texas will take place at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. Today, watch our Devon Messinger and Dylan DeRaud discuss their scouting report of the UTSA Roadrunners in the YouTube video above.
Messinger’s Scouting Report of the UTSA Defense:
Last weekend, the UTSA defense struggled mightily against Texas State. In their 49-10 loss to the Bobcats, the Roadrunners defense allowed 309 passing yards and 195 rushing yards. Of course, this does not bode well for UTSA as they are set to face a Longhorns team that has plenty of firepower offensively.
On defense, the Roadrunners return three of their top four leading tacklers from last year’s team. In the secondary, redshirt senior safety Ken Robinson leads the way for UTSA, paired with cornerback Denver Harris. Some might remember Harris from his days as a star-studded recruit coming out of high school before transferring from both Texas A&M and LSU. Now, Jeff Traylor’s defense will have to try to slow down a passing attack that has torched opponents in two straight games.
Lastly, in the middle of the defense, seniors Jamal Ligon and Martavius French headline UTSA’s linebacker position. Their matchup against Texas tight end Gunnar Helm will be one to watch following his breakout game against Michigan.
DeRaud’s Scouting Report of the UTSA Offense:
UTSA’s offense, led by offensive coordinator Justin Burke, has faced early-season challenges after a productive 2023 campaign where they averaged 421.6 yards and 31.9 points per game. QB Owen McCown has struggled with consistency in their first two games. McCown showed his potential earlier in the season with a standout 340-yard, 3-TD game against Kennesaw State. However, he was benched against Texas State following a 10/23 for 105 yards performance.
The offense has struggled to establish the run as well, with just 79 total rushing yards this season. In fact, running back Robert Henry currently leads the team with only 56 yards on 15 carries. On top of that, the offensive line has struggled both in the run game and in pass protection, allowing 5 sacks on the season.
On the outside, the Roadrunners’ passing attack is led by wide receivers Willie McCoy and Devin McCuin. To begin, McCoy has been the primary playmaker with 118 yards on 7 receptions and a touchdown. Meanwhile, McCuin has tallied 17 receptions for 108 yards and 2 TDs, including an 11-catch game against Kennesaw State.