UTSA came into Friday night's game flying high after a tough first win of the season over Texas State. The battle of I-35 left some bumps and bruises however, some that were too tough to overcome as Army defeated the Roadrunners in the Alamodome 37-29.
Odds heading into this game:
Line: UTSA -7.0
O/U: 42
UTSA Offense Better than Expected without Frank Harris
Although UTSA was without 7th year Senior Frank Harris at quarterback and starting right tackle Makai Hart, the offense was way more impressive than expected.
That was thanks to Redshirt Sophomore Eddie Lee Marburger.
Marburger was forced into action after Frank Harris was ruled out with a foot injury before the game began Friday and expectations were low after seeing him take the field briefly in Week 2 against Texas State.
However, Marburger played great for his first career start and made the offense click. He went 17/25, 239 yards and threw for 3 touchdowns.
Coach Traylor and the UTSA coaching staff should have a huge amount of confidence in Eddie Lee Marburger if his number is called again this season, even if it is next week against Tennessee.
Big Adjustments Needed Before Knoxville on Defense
Let's not try and sugar coat this one, the defense was completely outplayed Friday against Army. In comparison to the last two weeks, the UTSA defense was just a shell of itself and wasn't playing anywhere near the caliber the Triangle of Toughness demands.
Injuries to Trey Moore, who had himself an outstanding 3-sack game last week against Texas State definitely didn't help, but the entire Roadrunners defense could not stop Bryson Daily and the Army offense who surpassed 440 yards of total offense.
This won't pan out well for UTSA if they continue down this path heading into Tennessee who will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after a tough loss to SEC Rival Florida.
I expect defensive coordinator Jess Loepp to get this squad right before this upcoming weekend, as they were LIGHTS OUT in Week 2 against Texas State.
Although UTSA has an immense amount of depth, it's clear fatigue was an issue Friday for the defense. The easiest way to fix that is to find ways to get off the field. Army was perfect on 4th down efficiency (6-6) and won the time of possession battle the entire game (44:25-15:35). This will not be this bad again this season.
Let's just hope this past game was a "hiccup" in the system, and they get right back on track this week in Knoxville. They have what it takes, it's just about executing it when needed.
Running Game is Crucial for UTSA Success.
In the small amount of time the UTSA offense possessed the ball, the running game had a tough time getting moving. Kevorian Barnes, who entered the game with two 100-yard games on the season fumbled early.
The entire team was limited to 19 carries on the day, in comparison to 26 carries by Barnes alone vs. Texas State where he had 103 yards and a touchdown and 16 carries against Houston where he also had 103 yards and a score.
Rocko Griffin and Robert Henry made an impact when they were in on the play, but the frequency was not enough for any three of the running backs to find a groove.
Look for the coaching staff to push the running game early against Tennessee.
Final Word, Much Respect to Coach Traylor
After the game, Coach Traylor took full responsibility for the loss and stated, "He was outcoached".
Although this hardly happens for Traylor, especially in the Alamodome, you have to give the coach a nod for being transparent and taking full accountability for the defeat. Expect this type of action to be contagious, and hopefully light a fire in the team as they head on the toughest road trip the program has seen in quite some time this week.
Highly Anticipated Matchup this Week
The Roadrunners will look to even up to 2-2 before they head into conference play as they head to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers.
Tennessee is coming off an upset themselves, after losing to Florida in Gainsville. The Volunteers are 2-1 and are currently Ranked 23rd in the country according to the AP Poll.