UTSA (1-0) vs. BAYLOR (1-0)
When, where: 3 p.m., McLane Stadium, Waco
Series history: Tied 1-1
Last meeting: Baylor 37, UTSA 20, Sept. 8, 2018, Alamodome.
UTSA's last game: Beat UIW 35-7, Aug. 31, Alamodome
Baylor's last game: Beat Stephen F. Austin 56-17, Aug. 31, Baylor
SAN ANTONIO – It took two years, but UTSA quarterback Frank Harris' college debut was well worth the wait for the Roadrunners.
Playing for the first time since the eighth game of his senior season at Clemens High School, Harris rolled up 329 yards of total offense and threw three touchdown passes in UTSA's decisive 35-7 victory over Incarnate Word on Saturday at the Alamodome.
A crowd of 26,787 watched Harris complete 18 of 26 passes, including his first 13 attempts, for 206 yards and rush for 123 yards on 15 carries. The only bad play he had was getting picked off at the UIW 2 with 29 seconds left in the first half.
Harris' rushing total set a school record for rushing yards by a quarterback. It eclipsed the mark of 102 yards, set by Eric Soza in the Roadrunners' inaugural game on Sept. 3, 2011.
After getting its ninth season in history off to a rousing start at home, UTSA goes on the road to play Baylor on Saturday. The Bears, who beat UTSA 37-20 in San Antonio last year, rolled to a 56-17 blowout of Stephen F. Austin in their opener Saturday. The Roadrunners defeated Baylor 17-10 in Waco in their first meeting two years ago.
Roadrunners coach Frank Wilson made it clear he had no doubt Harris would be up to the challenge after being sidelined for so long by two knee injuries.
But even then, did Harris exceed Wilson's expectations?
"We had very, very high expectations from the moment we got here for Frank Harris," Wilson said Monday during his weekly session with the media. "It took (him) a while to get here.
"I wouldn't say that we were surprised because we've had good defenses over the years, and whether it was in a spring or fall camp, he's flashed that against our very talented defenses. To see him do it against someone else was confirmation of something that we thought, to be honest."
Harris was beginning the second semester of his junior year at Clemens in January 2016, when Wilson was hired to succeed Larry Coker as the Roadrunners' second head football coach.
Harris was an assistant coach at LSU for six years before landing his first college head coaching job at UTSA.
"We had been in this area quite a bit and (it) was familiar, so when I got here, (I) went and followed up with all the area coaches that over the years, we (LSU) had relationships with," Wilson said. "We asked those questions, 'Hey, man, talk to me about your guys.
"'Who's the best player that you've seen in the city? Frank Harris. Who's the best player that you've played against. Frank Harris. Who's the can't-miss guy? Frank Harris.'"
Wilson said he never doubted what he heard from the area's high school coaches.
"It was consistent," he said. "Grassroots are going to tell the truth. The high school coach, the opponent. It was consistent throughout, as we went around. Needless to say, it (Clemens) was one of the first schools we went to. Our recruitment started on him immediately.
"He was identified as a guy we needed to pursue. Did so in his senior year. At a home visit is when he committed to us. We were delighted. At that time he was being recruited by Baylor, by Oregon, Houston. We felt very fortunate to get him at that time."
Harris' senior season at Clemens in 2016 ended when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He signed with UTSA in February 2017 and sat out his freshman season after graduating from Clemens that same year.
Harris was on track to be the Roadrunners' starting quarterback last season before he tore the ACL in his right knee during spring training in April 2018.
Wilson honored his commitment to Harris after he was injured as a high school senior.
"There was never any reservation in our mind," Wilson said. "Should we get out of it, should we drop him? When we verbally, mutually, the prospect and UTSA, when we commit to one another, we commit to one another.
"We were committed to that time, as well as the times that he's been on our campus, to get him up to par and readily available to be able to do what we thought he could do. And that is to move this football program forward."
One of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the state when he played at Clemens, Harris breathed life into a UTSA offense that struggled mightily last year.
Playing in their first game under new offensive coordinator Jeff Kastl, UTSA's third OC in three seasons, the Roadrunners outgained UIW 490-209 in total offensive yardage. They finished with 284 yards rushing on 47 attempts, a 6.0 average, to go with Harris' 206 passing yards.
UTSA ranked last among the NCAA's 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total offense last season, averaging 247.1 yards per game. The Roadrunners were ranked 129th in scoring (14.2), 128th in rushing offense (87.3) and 119th in passing offense (159.8).
Harris gives the UTSA offense an added dimension with his running ability and knack for escaping pass rushers with his speed and quickness.
"He has escapability, he is elusive," Wilson said. "The thing for us is to allow him to run the offense, and the offense designed as it was for 11 different receivers to catch a pass, for multiple people to touch the ball. He doesn't have to put the team on his shoulders and bear it all himself.
"There are enough weapons around him to spread the wealth. That would be ideal, that we wouldn't have to go Frank run right, run left, up the middle, Frank. But to hand it off, to keep them honest. And then when they're not prepared, to be able to squirt one out there for a big play."