UTSA will be looking to go 4-0 in conference play for the third straight season when the Roadrunners host the East Carolina University Pirates on Saturday afternoon in the Alamodome.
The Roadrunners’ 3-0 start in American Athletic Conference play is due in no small part to the improved play of the defense.
“Our defense is really good when we’re locked in,” UTSA Head Coach Jeff Traylor said. “When we have [missed defensive assignments] and we’re not focused, we can look like we don’t know what we’re doing. We’ve put together four good games, but four out of seven is not good enough.
“Can we stack another one? Can we play good three weeks in a row? … That will be the challenge this Saturday.”
UTSA’s defense has been getting more quarterback sacks and forcing more turnovers through the first three games of conference play after not getting any turnovers in the first three games of the season.
UTSA (4-3 overall, 3-0 AAC) vs. East Carolina (1-6, 0-3)
When: Saturday, Oct. 28, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Alamodome
If you go: VIA Park & Ride service is available from Crossroads Park & Ride. This is UTSA’s homecoming game.
How to watch: ESPN+
Last week at Florida Atlantic, UTSA’s defense held the Owls to 10 points and got five sacks, two interceptions and a safety. Through the first three conference games the defense has 12 sacks, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
“We are getting better,” defensive lineman Joe Evans said after the Florida Atlantic game. “We’ve always got room for improvement but I feel like we dominated. Everyone played to a high standard.”
East Carolina (1-6 overall, 0-3 AAC) also has a good defense although its offense has struggled. The Pirates are coming off a 10-7 home loss to UNC Charlotte in which they gained just 127 yards.
Regardless of the Pirates’ record, the Roadrunners are not taking this weekend’s opponent lightly, especially the defensive players, who will get another opportunity to add to their impressive conference start.
“This is the perfect game to be a trap game,” UTSA cornerback Nicktroy Fortune said. “[ECU’s] schedule has been quite difficult but they do have some players. They can come in here and humble us. We just have to go in there and keep being that defense we’ve always been and limit” missed assignments.
A Roadrunners slogan from recent years, “Don’t eat the cheese,” has made its return this week. It’s a warning to not get caught up in the hype of a 3-0 start and to not look past the next opponent.
To drive home the point, each Roadrunner found a rodent trap in their locker earlier in the week. One of those traps found their way to Traylor’s podium in the team room, where it sprung on his unsuspecting finger.
“I put my hand there, and it looks like my pinkie got smashed by a hammer,” Traylor said. “It would’ve killed a lesser man, but I’m OK.”
If the Roadrunners can halt the Pirates’ offense and turn in the kind of defensive performance they did in victories against Temple, Alabama-Birmingham and Florida Atlantic, there is a good chance UTSA will have its third straight 4-0 start in conference play.
“We’re winning some games but we don’t want to get too high on ourselves,” UTSA linebacker Trey Moore said. “Guys continue to win their one-on-ones and we are really playing together as a defense, which I think is the biggest reason for everything.”
