Cephus matures into No. 1 receiver
Sophomore leads ’Runners with 14 catches, two TDs
Outlining his goals for his sophomore season, UTSA wideout Joshua Cephus stepped outside the usual benchmarks.
First, he targeted 1,000 receiving yards — a lofty total for likely every wideout in the country to aspire. But Cephus also strives to finish the season with 20 “knockdowns” as a perimeter blocker, putting focus on a part of his role that can be easy to overlook.
Coach Jeff Traylor said Cephus’ biggest leap since last year is his maturity, with no better evidence than his commitment to doing more than simply catching the ball.
The growth has translated into production, as Cephus stands as UTSA’s leading receiver through two weeks with 14 catches for 133 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“I feel like I’ve developed as a player more mentally, not physically,” Cephus said. “I feel like I’m smarter than last year, and then on top of experience, I’m more relaxed. So that’s why I’m better this year.”
As a 6-foot-3, 185-pound freshman out of Spring Dekany, Cephus finished last season with
eight catches for 153 yards and a touchdown. Much of his production came on a 75-yard scoring reception against Southern Miss, when he hauled in a pass about 20 yards downfield, evaded a safety who took a poor angle and made a free run to the end zone.
With spring practice canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, Cephus said he and quarterback Frank Harris spent as much time as possible through fall camp working to develop a rapport.
Cephus’ height and weight haven’t changed, but his mentality has. Harris said Cephus is “unselfish” and “plays with a motor.”
“He’s matured a lot since last year,” Harris said. “I trust him a lot more, I’ll say that, just because of getting the reps with him. He’s been proving himself all though camp, learning the playbook, running his routes, catching the ball, and just being a leader. He’s doing a great job.”
Cephus’ 14 catches are double UTSA’s next highest total, and he’s been a consistent target on short perimeter passes. He’s also been a deep threat for the Roadrunners, notching UTSA’s longest pass play Saturday when he leapt over a defender to haul in a 35-yard reception.
His touchdown came on a crossing route as he slid through the back of the end zone before Harris found him for a 4-yard score.
Cephus said he wants to improve his run-after-catch production, but one of his highlights Saturday was grabbing a short slant pattern over the middle and
juking a defender to convert a third-and-6.
“The first thing that comes to mind is maturity,” tight end Leroy Watson said. “He had a great year last year, but he wasn’t the player he is right now, and that just goes to show the work he put in during the offseason.”
Traylor said Cephus’ standout trait is the energy he brings to the practice field, becoming “as good without the ball as he is with the ball.”
Downfield blocking rarely comes naturally to receivers, Traylor said, but UTSA has tried to glorify the dirty work.
“We don’t show a lot of great catches,” Traylor said, “but we show a lot of great blocks in our video sessions.”
While perhaps not a popular pick in the Roadrunners’ film room, Cephus’ overtime touchdown catch against Texas State during UTSA’s opener earned plenty of replays nationally and was selected as the No. 1 play on SportsCenter’s Top 10 for Sept. 12.
With UTSA facing third-and-10 at Texas State’s 25-yard line, Cephus said he recognized press coverage and knew he could attack. When the defender gave him an opening to the outside, Cephus took it, streaking for the end zone.
The defensive back was draped over Cephus’ left arm, so Cephus lunged toward a low pass and reached down with only his right arm to pull in the one-handed grab, helping UTSA to the eventual 51-48 victory in two overtimes.
Cephus said he enjoyed being showered with compliments, but he committed to stay focused. Asked how he felt about his play in UTSA’s opener, Cephus was modest. He might have made progress on one goal, but he never loses sight of the other.
“Overall, I believe I did OK,” Cephus said. “I would give myself maybe a C+. I believe I could’ve gave more effort when I didn’t have the ball in my hand. I believe I could’ve made more blocks.”