Texas Way-Too-Early Week 3 Opponent Preview: UTSA

Texas will host southern neighbors for the third game of the 2023 season

Texas Orange team wide receiver Ryan Wingo (5) carries the ball in for a touchdown as Texas White team defensive back Kobe Black (6) chases in the second quarter of the Longhorns' spring Orange and White game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, April 20, 2024. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA

Despite the only 79-mile difference between Austin and San Antonio, Texas and UTSA haven't played each other more than once.

The Roadrunner football team is young compared to 1893-founded Texas football. In fact, UTSA didn't have its debut until 2011.

Following Texas' 41-20 win in 2022, the two UT system programs will face each other again.

Head coach Jeff Traylor will return to San Antonio for the fourth season and holds a 39-14 record with the program.

One year into being in charge of the Roadrunners, he led the team to its best start in program history, winning eleven consecutive games before dropping the last match of the season. UTSA finished the year as regular season conference champions with its 11-1 record and earned the tournament title with a 49-41 defeat over Western Kentucky.

Though he only played against Texas once, he is very familiar with how things work in the Forty Acres as he served as special teams and tight ends coordinator from 2015 to 2016.

Traylor is not the only one in the group with Texas experience. Former Longhorn linebacker Kendrick Blackshire entered the transfer portal for the first time in what would be a busy spring for him on January 10. Blackshire committed to Texas only six days later, but that wouldn't last long. Days after the annual Orange-White scrimmage, on April 30, Blackshire reentered the transfer portal and soon committed to UTSA.

His time at Texas might've been short, but the linebacker was there for all of spring training and is likely familiar with Sarkisian's game.

On the opposite side, an experienced Roadrunner joined the Texas roster for the upcoming season.

Edge Trey Moore enrolled at UTSA in Fall 2021 and stayed with the program for two years. In December 2023, he joined the transfer portal, committing to Texas that same month.

In his last year in San Antonio, Moore and the Roadrunners finished third in the American Athletic Conference and wrapped up the season with a 9-4 record.

UTSA Roadrunners

2023 Record: 9-4, 7-1 in AAC

Head Coach: Jeff Traylor

Passing: QB Frank Harris

2023 stats: completed 218 of 336 passes for 2,506 yards and 18 touchdowns

Rushing: RB Kevorian Barnes

2023 stats: 147 carries for 715 yards and six touchdowns.

Receiving: WR Joshua Cephus

2023 stats: 89 catches for 1151 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Returning Defensive Leaders:

Tackles: LB Ken Robinson - 41 solo, 25 assisted, 66 total

Sacks: LB Trey Moore - 14