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Opportunity to play has been long time coming for UTSA quarterback Harris

Two knee injuries have sidelined Clemens grad Frank Harris since the eighth game of his senior season in high school.
Credit: David Flores / KENS5.com
UTSA sophomore quarterback Frank Harris, flashing the "Bird's up" sign after reporting to fall camp earlier this month, was a standout at Clemens.

Incarnate Word vs. UTSA

When, where: Saturday, 5 p.m., Alamodome

Series record: First meeting

UIW last year: 6-5 overall, 5-2 in Southland Conference

UTSA last year: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in Conference USA, fifth in West Division

SAN ANTONIO – UTSA quarterback Frank Harris finally will have the opportunity Saturday to do what injuries have prevented him from doing the past two seasons: play in his first college game. 

The Clemens High School graduate not only will play against Incarnate Word in the season opener for both teams, he'll start in the highly anticipated game at the Alamodome.

Given that Harris had pulled ahead of the pack in the competition for the starting job during preseason workouts, it would have been a surprise if he hadn't gotten the nod from coach Frank Wilson on Monday.

"We named our starter today," Wilson told reporters at the start of his weekly session with the media. "Frank Harris will be the starter. A very, very tough decision for us. We thought that it was very competitive. The other guys looked very well."

Wilson told Harris of his decision after meeting Monday morning with each of his three other quarterbacks – senior Cordale Grundy, sophomore Lowell Narcisse and redshirt freshman Jordan Weeks – vying for the starting spot.

Grundy started nine games last season and completed 111 of 220 passes for 989 yards and five touchdowns.

"We do believe that we have four quarterbacks that are competent enough, that are prepared enough, to go into a game to be productive for us," Wilson said. "But at the end of the day, the consistency of production throughout a spring season, throughout a summer program, throughout the fall camp, were the things we looked for.

"We think that Frank Harris, at this time, gives us our best opportunity for our offense to move down the field."

Credit: Photo by Antonio Morano bit.ly/XR79FT / Special to KENS5.com
Frank Harris, on the run against Johnson in a 2015 playoff game, piled up 8,169 yards in total offense and had a hand in 101 touchdowns in three seasons as Clemens' starting quarterback.

A 2017 Clemens grad, Harris hasn't played in a game since tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament in the eighth game of his senior season. Harris was on track to be UTSA’s starting quarterback last season before he tore the ACL in his right knee during spring training in April 2018.

Harris was unavailable for comment Monday. He did not attend Wilson's session with the media because, under NCAA rules, players have Mondays off each week during the season. 

Asked what Harris brings to the offense, Wilson said: "Accuracy, poise, composure in the pocket, the ability to take advantage of plays that are given.

"And when everything breaks down, an opportunity to still create a big play for us where you're (the defense) forever going to have to account for him because of his dual-threat ability, a guy who can really move our offense, we feel, at this time for us."

Harris was one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the state during his three-year run at Clemens, passing for 3,968 yards and 41 touchdowns and rushing for 4,201 yards and 60 TDs. He had his best season when he was a junior, throwing for 2,033 yards and 17 TDs and running for 2,741 yards and 38 TDs.

UTSA finished 3-9 overall and 2-6 in Conference USA's West Division last year. The Roadrunners' fortunes could start to trend upward if Harris returns to the form he demonstrated as a dual-threat in high school.

Credit: David Flores / KENS5.com
UTSA quarterback Frank Harris talks to reporters after a spring training workout on Monday about his comeback from a knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2018 season.

Twenty-two pounds heavier since he enrolled at UTSA, Harris drew praise from Wilson after a preseason scrimmage.

"The biggest misconception is that he's only a runner," Wilson said. "He's so much more than that. He's an athletic quarterback who has enough arm strength to throw the ball from one hash to another, to put it on a line, to throw it down the field, to put air on it."

Harris will be counted on to jump-start a UTSA offense that struggled mightily last season. The Roadrunners finished last among 130 FBS teams in total offense with an average of 247.1 yards per game, and were held to a field goal in two of their six league losses. UTSA was shut out once.

UTSA was ranked 129th in scoring, averaging just 14.2 points per game. The Roadrunners were 128th in rushing offense and 119th in passing offense.

UTSA is working under its third offensive coordinator in three years. Jeff Kastl, who coached the team's wide receivers the previous three seasons, succeeded Al Borges in January.

Wilson, who is starting his fourth season as the Roadrunners' coach, is 15-21 since succeeding Larry Coker in January 2016.

The UIW-UTSA game Saturday will be the first meeting in football between the two schools. UIW competes in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly NCAA Division I-AA, and kicked off its first season in 2009. UTSA played its inaugural season in 2011 and plays in the Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly NCAA Division I-A. 

"2019 game week is here," Wilson said. "Highly anticipated kickoff on the 31st for our hometown showdown, an opportunity for the city of San Antonio to view the game that they asked for. We'll take on a very quality opponent in Incarnate Word."

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