UTSA’s season ended with a 42-7 loss to Middle Tennessee State University. The Roadrunners will not going bowling after a 3-9 finish to the season that never got on track after a 0-4 out-of-conference record.
The honeymoon is over
UTSA was an up-and-coming program on the national horizon after a 7-5 record in a 2013 season that didn’t end in a bowl game because of NCAA rules. Since then, the Roadrunners are 7-17 and Larry Coker and his staff are facing unrest from the fans for the first time in program history. Eric Soza quarterbacked this program to quick success, but Coker and offensive coordinator Kevin Brown have failed to find an answer at quarterback since the 2013 season.
No one expected UTSA to contend for a conference championship in 2015 like some did with all the experience returning before the 2014 season, but the fact that both ended in losing records means the young program is already at an early crosshairs moving into a critical 2016 campaign.
No offensive identity
UTSA hasn’t had an identity on offense since Soza left the program after 2013. Injuries have no doubt played a huge role in the revolving door at the position. In 2014, UTSA played four quarterbacks due to injury. This season, the Roadrunners ended the year with a walk-on sophomore starting the final half of the season. Running back Jarveon Williams set school records for a rusher, but lack of stability at the quarterback position hurt this team all year, including this loss.
The Roadrunners don’t create big plays, which magnifies every mistake. UTSA’s two longest plays in the loss were 31 yards. One came on a run in the first quarter. The other came on the lone touchdown of the game, a catch by JaBryce Taylor in the fourth quarter.
Can’t get off the field
The UTSA defense is the strength of the program, but the Roadrunners couldn’t get off of the field against MTSU. MTSU was 6-of-10 on third down and 2-of-2 on fourth down throughout the game. MTSU scored on seven of 11 possessions, in large part due to success on third or fourth down. Getting off the field was a problem all season for a UTSA defense that lacked a consistent four-man pass rush.
The honeymoon is over
UTSA was an up-and-coming program on the national horizon after a 7-5 record in a 2013 season that didn’t end in a bowl game because of NCAA rules. Since then, the Roadrunners are 7-17 and Larry Coker and his staff are facing unrest from the fans for the first time in program history. Eric Soza quarterbacked this program to quick success, but Coker and offensive coordinator Kevin Brown have failed to find an answer at quarterback since the 2013 season.
No one expected UTSA to contend for a conference championship in 2015 like some did with all the experience returning before the 2014 season, but the fact that both ended in losing records means the young program is already at an early crosshairs moving into a critical 2016 campaign.
No offensive identity
UTSA hasn’t had an identity on offense since Soza left the program after 2013. Injuries have no doubt played a huge role in the revolving door at the position. In 2014, UTSA played four quarterbacks due to injury. This season, the Roadrunners ended the year with a walk-on sophomore starting the final half of the season. Running back Jarveon Williams set school records for a rusher, but lack of stability at the quarterback position hurt this team all year, including this loss.
The Roadrunners don’t create big plays, which magnifies every mistake. UTSA’s two longest plays in the loss were 31 yards. One came on a run in the first quarter. The other came on the lone touchdown of the game, a catch by JaBryce Taylor in the fourth quarter.
Can’t get off the field
The UTSA defense is the strength of the program, but the Roadrunners couldn’t get off of the field against MTSU. MTSU was 6-of-10 on third down and 2-of-2 on fourth down throughout the game. MTSU scored on seven of 11 possessions, in large part due to success on third or fourth down. Getting off the field was a problem all season for a UTSA defense that lacked a consistent four-man pass rush.
