UTSA Offensive Preview: Don't Be The Coyote

It's Week Three, and Oklahoma State (1-1) is now preparing for its second-biggest game of the out-of-conference schedule. Yes, I know they only play three OOC games, but trust me. This one is big time.

Last season, the Cowboys traveled to San Antonio looking to roll over the brand new baby football program known as the Roadrunners (such a cool mascot, if you ask me). Although the final score was 56-35 for the Pokes, UTSA proved to have rather large huevos and gave OSU quite a scare with a 4th quarter rally that fell short.

This year, the Roadrunners (1-1) are back at it, going toe-to-toe with the big boys. They nearly pulled off a thrilling upset in Arizona, and now have their sights set on the Pokes. Head coach Larry Coker, a former Cowboy coach himself, has put together a fantastically talented team that is going to claim the season hopes of more than one larger school before all is said and done.

UTSA has an offense that, this season, averages 25 points a game, nearly 10 points more than its opponents. The Runners are led by 6'3", 220 lbs Tucker Carter, who so far this season has a passing percentage of 64.9 percent with 349 total yards and a touchdown.

Tucker likes to show his entire team some love, as he doesn't necessarily have one or two favorite receivers. The entire receiving corps averages 174.5 yards per game. The biggest part of that happens to come from 6'4" TE David Morgan II (14.8 YPP/one TD) and Kam Jones (7.1 YPP).

Offense on the ground will be the Cowboys biggest problem. You know how Wyle E. Coyote would paint the fake train tunnel in the rocks and then a real train would come out of it and run over him? For UTSA, that train is 5'10", 205 lbs David Glasco II. Glasco has netted 116 yards so far this season, scoring three touchdowns. He is aided by Jarveon Williams, who has netted only 88 yards, but is able to bull through defensive lines for an average of 4.6 YPP. He also leads the Runners in kick returns, averaging 21.2 yards per return.

Spencer's defense is going to need to be better than last week if they're planning on stopping UTSA. But, after hearing Spencer speak this week, I believe he'll have them whipped into shape. Reguardless,  this is not an opponent OSU should overlook. In fact, Mike Gundy himself has said that the Runners are a Big 12-esque team (IN ONLY ITS 4TH YEAR OF EXISTENCE!!!).

The Pokes will have the home crowd on their side, but that can only go so far. The defense will need to be focused, the secondary on-point and the line as strong as steel. Do that, and the game will go to the orange and black. Forget to respect the opponent, and the Cowboys may find themselves at the bottom of a canyon.