Five things to watch as UTSA begins preseason practice

Aug. 1, 2023
Entering his seventh season at UTSA, quarterback Frank Harris has racked up enough experiences for multiple lifetimes. He holds more than 30 school records, he said he’s been through nine knee surgeries, he won back-to-back Conference USA championships and he even graduated twice, receiving a masters in public administration in May.
But as the Roadrunners ramp up the march toward the 2023 season with the start of fall practices Wednesday, Harris is leading the program into a fresh challenge as UTSA enters the American Athletic Conference.
For Harris, another primary goal is fixing perhaps the lone zero on his resume — an 0-3 record in bowl games.
“That’s the only thing that sticks out to me,” Harris said. “That’s a terrible stat to have. That’s what’s left on my bucket list, is to get a bowl game. I will feel like I failed the city of San Antonio if that does not happen.”
Here are five questions to watch with UTSA set to begin preseason practice on Wednesday.
Veteran core
The Roadrunners welcome back 16 players who started at least half the season last year — nine on offense and seven on defense.
Nine of those stalwarts already hold multiple years of starting experience, and five have been fixtures since the 2020 season.
Harris and safety Rashad Wisdom, another fifth-year starter, have been leaders through every step of coach Jeff Traylor’s tenure, earning single-digit jerseys by a unanimous vote of their teammates and coaches last season.
“We laugh, we cut up with each other, but when you tell them it’s time to play, they know when to get serious,” Traylor said. “Very grateful for their leadership.”
Finding Franklin’s replacement
While the Roadrunners mostly fought off potential losses to the transfer portal, the team enters 2023 needing to replace wideout Zakhari Franklin, who departed for Ole Miss after setting every major receiving record at UTSA.
“I wish him nothing but the best. He just called me two nights ago, and we still have a great relationship,” Harris said at the AAC’s media day event last week. “I respect him a ton. The guys that stayed, we definitely appreciate them staying.”
UTSA remains stocked at the position, with Joshua Cephus returning for a fourth year as a starter after making 87 catches for 985 yards and six touchdowns last season. Cephus sat out the spring to recover from a procedure on his knee, and Traylor said Tuesday that the injury is “really trending up,” allowing Cephus to participate in “some controlled reps” as practice opens.
De’Corian Clark is also back, though Traylor said the Roadrunners “won’t put him out there until he’s ready” as he recovers from a gruesome knee injury suffered in November. Prior to the injury, Clark had emerged as a top target and perhaps UTSA’s best NFL draft prospect, racking up 741 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in nine games.
Sixth-year player Tykee Ogle-Kellogg, JUCO transfer Willie McCoy, speedy junior Chris Carpenter and true freshman David Amador all have a chance to enter the fold.
Asked about the impact of Franklin’s transfer, Traylor instead praised the players who had the option to leave but chose to remain at UTSA, highlighting Harris, Wisdom, Clark, Cephus, linebacker Trey Moore, tight end Oscar Cardenas, running back Kevorian Barnes and linebacker Jamal Ligon.
Wisdom, a Converse native, noted that the “grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”
“We're happy where we’re at. We have everything we need right here where we are, honestly,” Wisdom said. “We have a great staff, coach Traylor takes great care of us. … Why do we have to leave?”
Harris’ health
What was expected to be a minor procedure to clean up Harris' knee this offseason turned into “probably the hardest thing I’ve been through my whole life,” he said, as he contracted an infection that required another emergency procedure, putting him on bed rest for two weeks.
Though Harris’ summer workload was significantly reduced, Harris said last week that he’s “back to almost 100 percent,” and Traylor said Tuesday that UTSA has seen “amazing, miraculous healing” in Harris’ knee through the past month.
“His story is what makes him so unique,” Traylor said. “I don’t know if anybody really knows all the surgeries he’s been through. … He’s really grateful to play the game. His smile is authentic, and it’s real. I’m the luckiest coach in the world. He’s magic. As long as 0 is back there behind center, you have a chance.”
Changes on offense
UTSA will enter fall with a new offensive coordinator for a third straight season, as last year’s tandem of co-coordinators Will Stein and Matt Mattox departed for Power Five offers.
New coordinator Justin Burke assumed play-calling duties for the Cure Bowl, marking another internal promotion as the Roadrunners continue to use the system they installed upon Traylor’s arrival in December 2019. Harris said the offseason allowed Burke time to add new plays to UTSA’s attack.
“He’s so smart,” Harris said. “He does a great job of calling plays and making up plays, and I’m excited to see what he does this year. … He’s just going to go crazy.”
Leaving a mark
After using the offseason to recover from a torn labrum that forced him to miss the final seven games of 2022, Wisdom enters his final year needing just 40 tackles to become the program’s all-time career leader.
As one of the foundational pieces guiding UTSA’s jump to a new league, Wisdom said another conference title and a bowl win stand as his biggest aims.
“Just leaving it better for the people who come after me,” Wisdom said. “There’s no better way to go out than to leave on a big bang. That’s my way of looking at it, and that’s what we’re shooting for.”