San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
’Runners hang tough in loss to Cougars
With each passing snap in the fourth quarter, UTSA linebacker CharlesWiley felt his team’s confidence swelling on the sideline.
The Roadrunners, a nearly fivetouchdown underdog, were within one score of No. 15 BYU, staying in range of the first win against a ranked opponent in UTSA program history.
“When we really, truly understood and felt we had a shot,” Wiley said, “you can see that energy take it to the next step.”
Quarterback Lowell Narcisse, entering in place of an injured Frank Harris, jolted the Roadrunners’ offense with a touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter to cut the Cougars’ lead to eight.
But coach Jeff Traylor said UTSAcameup “just a play short,” unable to find one more stop or one extra conversion that might have flipped the outcome.
At the end of UTSA’s 27-20 loss to BYU on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, Traylor said he told the players they were formidable enough to win if they were “extraordinary at the ordinary,” cleaning up the small details that could have led to a historic victory.
“We’re getting better every week, but our best is good enough,” Traylor said. “Proud of them for their effort, but we’re pretty hurt right now, obviously.”
Narcisse, who began the year relegated to a short-yardage and goal-line rushing package, completed17 of 20passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns.
He had connected on just 52.9 percent of his passes in his Roadrunners career before hitting 85 percent Saturday, andTraylor said Narcisse was more comfortable with the downfield passing game after splitting first-team snaps through practice this week.
Entering late in the third quarter last week against UAB, Narcisse threw for 33 yards on 2-of-5 passing.
“Just trusting yourself, man,” Narcisse said. “If you play timid, if you play scared, you’re going to make mistakes. I felt like I went out there, I was comfortable and I trusted the process of the things coach has prepared me to do.”
Narcisse has kept a mantra of staying ready to play despite opening the year as UTSA’s fourth option under center. Harris started the first three games before injury, and Josh Adkins stepped forward to start last week’s matchup against UAB.
When Adkins also was injured, JordanWeeks took the reins of the offense but was ineffective, giving way to Narcisse late in last week’s third quarter.
Traylor said through this week that Harris would play only if he was 100 percent healthy and not limping because of a right knee sprain, and Harris took the first snaps on Saturday.
He completed 7 of 13 passes for
58 yards with an interception before taking a hit below the waist and gingerly leaving the field late in the second quarter.
Traylor said he chose to stick with Narcisse despiteHarris being healthy enough to return to the game.
“Lowell Narcisse’s performance was nothing short of remarkable,” Traylor said. “Every time you put him out there, he plays great. The decision was made by me, and itwas a coaching decision based on what I felt was best forFrank and our teamat that time.”
Early in the fourth quarter, Narcisse took a free shot down the field when BYU (4-0) jumped offside and connected with a leaping Zakhari Franklin for a 32-yard touchdown to pull the Roadrunners (3-2) within 21-13.
UTSA’s defense forced a threeand-out on the next possession, but the Roadrunners’ attempt to
drive for the tying score reached only as far as BYU’s 46-yard line before the Cougars forced a punt.
BYUfaced three third downs on its next drive but converted all of them, covering 80 yards over 12 plays and more than six minutes of game clock. Tyler Allgeier’s 6yard run pushed the Cougars’ advantage to 27-13 with just more than two minutes remaining.
Narcisse connected with Brennon Dingle for a 34-yard score, but UTSA’s onside kick attempt was unsuccessful.
“It’s tough, man, especially when you come on the road, all odds against you,” Narcisse said. “Nobody believes but us. We feel like we let another one slip. It’s painful knowing that we didn’t play our best ball, and it was still right there.”
BYU entered the week averaging 49.3 points and a nation-leading 585.7 yards per game. The Roadrunners’ defense held the
Cougars in check for stretches, allowing 470 yards but forcing four punts, a takeaway via fumble and a turnover on downs.
Quarterback Zach Wilson completed 22 of 30 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns, and running back Allgeier picked up 116 yards and a score.
“They battled their tails off,” Traylor said. “I was very proud of our defense. They gave us a chance to win the ballgame, and we didn’t score enough points to win it.”
BYU defeated its first three opponents — Navy, Troy and Louisiana Tech — by an average margin of 41.3 points.
UTSA entered Saturday 0-5 against ranked FBS opponents alltime, with none of the matchups decided by single-digit margins.
“We knew this was not going to be an easy game,” Wiley said. “We knewthat evenifwe executedperfectly, they’re still good enough to beat us. … We definitely came in and didwhatwewere supposed to do. We just couldn’t finish it.”