Over the past four seasons, UTSA football has enjoyed an unprecedented amount of success. Two conference championships, four bowl game appearances and two nationally-ranked seasons are not something that happens by accident. A key reason why the Roadrunners have been regarded as a top Group of Five team is due to their stability at the quarterback position. However, program icon Frank Harris’ playing days are officially over. Can the ‘Runners continue their success without him? 

Having a top quarterback in the nation for four years is a privilege not a lot of schools can say they’ve had recently. Most quarterbacks at larger schools play maybe one or two years before declaring for the NFL Draft because they have nothing left to prove. We’ve seen this happen to national championship contenders like Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama, yet their success is uninterrupted. UTSA should be no different.

UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has built his program and culture with a strong enough foundation that the exit of one player cannot set the team back in a major way. In 2023, the ‘Runners were without Harris in arguably the most important game of the season. Colorado transfer quarterback Owen McCown stepped right in and put up 35 points on a bowl-eligible Marshall squad. The team around the quarterback is equally as important to team success. 

In Harris’ tenure as a starter, he was surrounded by elite talent. Zakhari Franklin, Sincere McCormick, Joshua Cephus and De’Corian Clark are just a few names that Harris shared the gridiron with. As good as Harris was, he had the right guys around him to help him succeed. That’s ultimately what it boils down to: the supporting cast. 

Whether it’s McCown or sophomore Eddie Lee Marburger running the offense in 2024, they will have plenty of weapons to work with. Robert Henry, Kevorian Barnes, Rocko Griffin, JJ Sparkman, Devin McCuin and Clark could end up being a better group than the one Harris had. Paired with an easy schedule that sees UTSA avoiding games against South Florida and Tulane, there is no reason the Roadrunners shouldn’t be contending for an American Athletic Conference title once again in 2024.