Tennessee opponent preview: University of Texas at San Antonio

Tennessee’s final non-conference tune-up before the SEC grind begins in earnest comes on Sept. 23 when the Vols welcome University of Texas at San Antonio to Knoxville. On paper, this might look like a dress rehearsal before league play, but UTSA is a program that has enjoyed some recent success.

This will be the first meeting ever between the Vols and Roadrunners. UTSA has won the past two Conference USA championships, but this year they’re moving into the American Athletic Conference.

2022 record: 11-3

Head coach: Jeff Traylor, 4th year: 30-10

SEASON OUTLOOK

UTSA has won 23 games in the last two seasons and consecutive conference championships. This is a winning program that won’t be looking to come to Knoxville and simply collect a paycheck. They’ll be eyeballing a program defining upset.

The Roadrunners won’t be put off by Tennessee’s high-flying offensive style. This is a team that also hangs its hat on its offense and is bringing back a veteran trigger man to call the shots.

Frank Harris is back at quarterback for his fifth season after throwing for 4,063 yards and 32 TDs with nine INTs in 2022. Harris is (incredibly) in his seventh year with the program and has thrown for over 9,000 yards with 74 career TDs.

Harris also has to be respected for his legs. He’s got 1,800 career rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns in his time.

UTSA led Conference USA in scoring last fall at 36.8 ppg and were second in total offense at 476 ypg. This group was 12th in the nation in total offense last fall and 14th in scoring offense. They probably won’t shy away from a shootout.

Not surprisingly, after that kind of offensive production, other programs sniffed around the UTSA coaching staff last offseason and offensive coordinator Will Stein was hired away by Oregon, so Justin Burke moves into that role after previously serving as special teams coordinator.

There’s a hole at wideout after last year’s leading receiver, Zakhari Franklin (94 rec., 1,136 yards, 11 TDs) transferred to Ole Miss after spring practice.

Outside of that loss though the offense brings back virtually every other starter from last year. Franklin’s loss is a blow at receiver, but one that’s softened by the fact that UTSA is bringing back two guys in Joshua Cephus (87 rec., 985 yards, 6 TDs) and De’Corian Clarke (51 rec., 741 yards, 8 TDs) who were responsible for a ton of production last fall in their own right.

Last year’s leading rusher Kevorian Barnes is back after going for 845 yards while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He’ll be working behind a line that brings back four starters from last year’s group.

Harris and an explosive group of wideouts garnered much of the attention last fall, but it was a balanced offensive attack. UTSA was fourth in C-USA in rushing offense (175.6 ypg) and second in passing offense (300.7 ypg).

That offense stole the headlines in 2022, but the Roadrunners also fielded a competent defense last fall. UTSA was third in C-USA in scoring defense (25.9 ppg), fourth in total defense (387 ypg), third in rushing defense (144 ypg) and sixth in passing defense (243 ypg).

The defense doesn’t return quite as much proven experience as the offense, but it’s close. There are seven returning starters on this side of the ball, and some proven playmakers coming back, especially in the front seven.

Edge Trey Moore exploded on the scene as a freshman, leading the defense with 8.0 sacks and an impressive 18.0 total TFLs. He’s obviously someone to watch after posting those kind of numbers in his debut season.

The Roadrunners also return leading tackler Jerome Ligon (90 tackles) at inside linebacker from a defense that gave up a very respectable 5.5 yards per play last fall.

There’s some big bodies up front with Brandon Brown (6-foot-2, 305 pounds) back after earning honorable mention All C-USA as a freshman. LSU transfer Joe Evans (6-foot-5, 340 pounds), who made 10 starts in three seasons for the Tigers, will have a chance to make an impact.

The secondary was a little vulnerable last year, but it brings back a couple of proven veterans. Cornerback Nicktroy Fortune played three years at West Virginia before transferring last year and starting all 14 games for UTSA. He’s back to lock down one side.

At safety Rashad Wisdom battled injuries and missed a great deal of time in 2022 but prior to that was a two-time first-team All C-USA selection as a sophomore and a junior. He will provide a big boost to the back end if he can stay healthy this fall.

FINAL OUTLOOK

This probably isn’t a game where you should look at all the letters in the program’s abbreviation and dismiss it as a cakewalk.

USTA can score and they’ve got a ton of guys back from one of the most productive offenses in the country in 2022. In fact, it’s a pretty safe bet that in game No. 4, this will be the best offense that Tennessee has seen to date after facing Virginia, Austin Peay and Florida to start the year.

Tennessee will be a solid favorite, but USTA will come into this game with some confidence and Harris is a legitimate weapon at quarterback that the defense is going to have to respect and plan for. Even without last year’s top receiving target gone, Harris still has some veterans to work with.

The Roadrunners played one Power Five opponent last year, losing 41-20 to Texas. That score was a little deceiving though as USTA led 17-7 at one point in the first half and the game was tied 17-17 at the half. Texas led 24-17 late in the third quarter before pulling away.

In last year’s season opener at Houston the Roadrunners lost a heartbreaker, falling 37-35 in triple overtime.

Tennessee is likely going to put up a bunch of points in this game, but the Vols’ defense had better be ready for a test themselves.