It requires a special kind of human being to become a program legend. Your impact must be felt — not just on the field, but off of it as well.
In the case of Schertz native Frank Harris, he is all that and a little more. The former quarterback will soon become synonymous with the UTSA football program, and his story of resilience and loyalty will be told as long as the Roadrunners are still in existence.
So, let us tell it just one more time.
Attending high school in the San Antonio area, UTSA was always an option for Harris. However, it was not proximity that drew Harris to the ‘Runners; it was the opportunity to write history.
“It was a new program, so nothing was established. I wanted to be a part of history,” Harris said. “Back-to-back conference championships and a bowl game, we did that. That stuff is always going to be in the history books. That is why I wanted to come to UTSA.”
Early on, Harris struggled to stay on the field. Three consecutive season-ending injuries began to take a large toll. Luckily for fans, Harris had the right people around him to keep his spirit strong and his mind right.
“It was a tough process. I was going to quit playing football,” Harris said. “My family was a big part of that process [in] getting through those tough times, my teammates as well. Ultimately, it was God. I figured he does everything for a reason. I just kind of sat back and let him take the wheel.”
A healthy-enough Harris finally got his shot in 2021, ultimately changing the trajectory of UTSA football forever. The ‘Runners were gaining national recognition, and slowly but surely, fans began to pack the Alamodome for their hometown team.
“Man, it was like out of a movie. We felt like movie stars, it was crazy,” Harris said. “You couldn’t go nowhere in San Antonio if you had UTSA gear on without people showing some love. I grew up here; they’re die-hard Spurs fans. Getting them to be UTSA fans the same way they are with the Spurs, it was a crazy feeling knowing you were a part of the team that did that.”
With more attention on the ‘Runners than ever, as well as the transfer portal becoming universally accepted, other programs may have tried to reach out and attempt to snag Harris to be their star quarterback. Unfortunately for them, Harris “never considered” leaving, as the teams reaching out knew about his loyalty to UTSA.
After the 2022 season, Harris underwent a procedure that left him with a serious infection. After undergoing an emergency surgery in March 2023, Harris was prepared to call it quits.
“It was the worst pain I’d ever been in in my entire life,” he said. “During that time, I was done. Mentally, I was out of there. There was no way I was playing football anymore. I wasn’t even sure if I was going to be able to walk again; this infection was killing me.”
With the encouragement of teammates and head coach Jeff Traylor, Harris decided to suit up for one final season.
“[In] June or July, I felt back to normal,” he said. “Then fall camp came around. I got released from the hospital, so I ended up playing. It was a miracle.”
Having accomplished nearly everything imaginable as a player at UTSA, Harris’ role at the university will continue. As he steps into his new role as Vice President of NIL collective City Fans 210, Harris hopes to help make student athletes’ lives a little easier as they aim to grow and represent the Roadrunner brand.
“Our main focus is to get NIL money for student-athletes at UTSA,” he said. “Whether it’s women’s basketball, men’s basketball, football or softball, it doesn’t matter. We just know how it can be being a student-athlete. We want to ultimately grow UTSA, and that is the first stepping stone in doing so.”
With his playing days officially over, Harris is forever grateful for the City of San Antonio and the fans at UTSA and hopes he was able to create a lasting impression not just as a football player but as a human being.
“I appreciate each and everybody,” he said. “I hope that I was impactful and they don’t remember me just as a football player, but as a better person – a kind person. It was a real tough season at first, but it meant a lot that they stuck through it all. We are onto bigger and better things.
“We’re going to need everybody’s help to compete and win the AAC. We will have to come together.”
A fitting farewell to San Antonio’s finest.
