Film Breakdown: Kennesaw State 2024

Following a sloppy win over Kennesaw State, the Roadrunners are 1-0 to start the 2024 season. UTSA played well in most phases of the game, but 10 penalties for 109 yards and an inability to run the football efficiently prevented the Roadrunners from turning this game into the blowout that it should have been against an out-matched opponent.

In this film room breakdown we’ll take a look at what went well for the Roadrunners, as well as what will need to be cleaned up ahead of UTSA’s road trip to San Marcos this year.

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To no surprise, Owen McCown got the start at quarterback and played quite well. Owen was in total command of the offense from the jump, making the right decisions on run-pass options and reading coverages efficiently. The Roadrunners raced out to a 7-0 after Owen found Devin McCuin in the end zone to cap the drive. McCown saw single man coverage on his outside receivers and went to the line to call an audible to crossing routes, leaving McCuin wiiiide open.

UTSA used a TON of 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) in the first quarter against KSU. This look was essentially 13 personnel if you’re willing to consider 6’4″, 225 pound JJ Sparkman a tight end. UTSA employed this unique jumbo bunch formation to run a sweep pitch to the boundary. This creates incredibly favorable match ups for UTSA, forcing corners and safeties to take on blocks from very large men, without much space to avoid the blocks. It’s an easy pick up of six for Kevorian Barnes.

The turf monster stole a few touchdowns from UTSA and this was one of them. Great concept from Justin Burke to introduce threats at all three levels of the defense as Willie McCoy goes downfield on a streak, the slot receiver runs a bubble screen, and DJ Allen runs a delayed release up field after a quick feint of a block. This fake-out sells the bubble screen, drawing the secondary’s attention to the flat. Owen McCown delivers a strike to Allen in stride just as the pressure got to him. Great play from UTSA’s offense.

Kennesaw State may have their roots in the triple option, but it was actually UTSA that scored first off a triple option play, though this one isn’t your daddy’s flexbone triple option.

The play call is a run-pass option with a motion receiver running to the field side flat. Owen’s first read here would be either the middle linebacker or the field safety, and both step up to blitz on second and goal. McCown then moves to the pass option, but sees a defender has followed Jace Wilson out into the flat. With the defensive backs on the field side of the play being pulled away from the sideline, it leaves plenty of open grass for Owen to take his third option – a keeper into the end zone.

Shout out to Wilson for recognizing the keeper and turning to throw a good block on the outside linebacker. That is the type of block that will earn you snaps in UTSA’s system.

With starter Donyai Taylor sidelined due to an unknown injury, I was thrilled with the way the Money Backers played on defense. On this snap we see Marcellus Wilkerson, a guy that has traditionally been used more in coverage situations, come up on a play forcefully to blow up the tight end and push him into the running back, leaving an easy tackle for Brevin Randle to clean up. Wilkerson would then fly into the backfield to take down Kennesaw’s quarterback in open space for a tackle for loss on the next play.

As UTSA built an early lead, Kennesaw’s defense started to ramp up their aggression as shown here on a six man blitz on 3rd and 7. UTSA had the perfect play call as they busted out the running back mesh concept that took college football by storm last season. McCown and Robert Henry executed it perfectly to get Henry out in space for a huge play.

Unfortunately, heralded transfer center CJ James had a really bad debut as a Roadrunner. He missed a lot of blocks and lost plenty of 1:1s, but what was most harmful to the offense were his mistakes in identifying blitzes. This play is a perfect example of that as James fails to check a blitzing middle linebacker, giving the defense a free shot at the quarterback. Really inexcusable from you starting center, but James is a veteran so this is something that I expect to get cleaned up quickly.

Kennesaw State’s biggest play of the game came on this running back check down on third and 10. UTSA had both of their backup linebackers in, and Brevin Randle took a really poor angle to pick up the running back out of the backfield. Randle had his eyes on the quarterback a bit too long, and should have checked for the running back once the tight end crossed his face. Thankfully Elliott Davison had an incredible hustle play to cross the field and force the ball carrier out of bounds to prevent a touchdown.

It was so great to see Oscar Cardenas involved in the deep passing game again, this time on the infamous Y Cross play that he used to get the ball downfield in UTSA’s 2022 C-USA Championship win over North Texas. Beautiful ball placement from Owen, and I’m not sure that Cardenas could have gotten open on this route at his 2023 playing weight. Also note how well the pocket held up when KSU only sent four on the pass rush!

Will Henderson’s touchdown run on his first touch as a Roadrunner was possibly the fastest I’ve ever seen a UTSA player run on the field. This is just jaw-dropping speed which I can’t wait to see more often throughout Henderson’s career. The holding flag to negate this touchdown was incredibly weak, it’s really a shame that such a great moment for the freshman got negated by such an iffy flag. This game probably turns into the blowout that it should have been had this touchdown stood.

Kennesaw State gave UTSA fans a scare after they grabbed their first and only touchdown of the game. It was a great play call against UTSA’s zone blitz, and might have been a score even if UTSA’s safety had made the correct read and picked up the tight end in the seam instead of following the slot receiver on a corner route. I couldn’t make out who the safety was on this play, but I think this score is the result of UTSA losing a proverbial game of rock, paper, scissors, and the KSU QB managing to sneak the ball out of his hands just a split second before Jimmori Robinson put him on the turf.

My two biggest gripes with the coaching staff in this game were 1. Going to empty formation sets so often 2. Over-rotation of the running back room. I know Will Henderson had just ripped off a 75 yard run, but going to a (skinny) true freshman running back in crunch time to run between the tackles was a strange call to me. CJ James got man-handled on this play and slowed down Cardenas’s block, but Henderson still had a path for a big gain here had he shown a bit more patience and vision in the backfield. I could picture one of UTSA’s more experienced running backs making the right cut here and following Kamar Missouri’s excellent block on the defensive tackle.

Here’s the play of the game from Stanford transfer Jimmy Wyrick. UTSA had just gone three and out and shanked a punt, giving KSU real confidence they could win the game. But a former Power 5 athlete obliterated a former FCS receiver to jar the ball loose, giving the Roadrunners an opportunity to put the game on ice with a touchdown off the first down turnover. Wyrick was a beast in his first game in San Antonio. He’ll see the field a lot this week against Texas State.

What about the run game?

Given the range of issues I noticed with the run game, it was hard to find a clip that succinctly explains the lack of production on the ground. First and foremost, the offensive line did not create the push at the line of scrimmage that they should have. I did not notice UTSA’s offensive line getting downfield to block linebackers often which was concerning.

I don’t think it was wholly the offensive line that slowed down the run game though. It’s easy to forget that UTSA’s run blocking wasn’t very great last season either. Kennesaw State played with much of their defense in the tackle box and geared up to stop the run, preventing UTSA from having a numbers advantage on most plays. UTSA’s running backs, specifically the underclassmen, missed a lot of holes and cutback opportunities late in the game.

Lastly, Kennesaw’s defense was pretty good. They were extremely fundamentally sound, rarely missing tackles in the run game. Unless you have a numbers advantage, the running back usually has to make a man miss to create a big run but KSU’s safeties and linebackers did their job. UTSA’s running backs created just four missed tackles in the run game and only picked up a total of 44 yards after initial contact. I think KSU’s run defense will be among the best in the G5 by the end of the season, so I’m curious to see if UTSA’s difficulties in the running game will be a recurring issue or not.

Game Balls

Owen McCown – The redshirt sophomore was fantastic in his first home start as he consistently made wise decisions with the football, placed the ball well, and made plays with his feet. UTSA is in good hands under center with McCown, yet he still has so much room to grow.

Marcellus Wilkerson – Wilkerson played his best game as a Roadrunner as Donyai Taylor’s injury opened up more snaps for the junior JUCO transfer. UTSA is much deeper at the money backer position than I realized, as Wilkerson showed his ability to make plays against the run as well as contribute to the pass rush.

Patrick Overmyer – UTSA’s hidden weapon isn’t so hidden anymore. Overmyer caught three passes for 31 yards and held his own in the blocking game. Overmyer has the speed to stretch the field at tight end, and is smooth enough coming out of his routes and catching the football to be used as a wide receiver.

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