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Illinois Football: Preview of the UTSA offense against the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

Dec 26, 2020; Dallas, TX, USA; UTSA Roadrunners running back Sincere McCormick (3) runs the ball against Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns cornerback Eric Garror (19) in the third quarter at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2020; Dallas, TX, USA; UTSA Roadrunners running back Sincere McCormick (3) runs the ball against Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns cornerback Eric Garror (19) in the third quarter at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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UTSA might be the best non-power five program Illinois football has played in the last decade.

I am impressed with the offense the Roadrunners are bringing on Saturday. They had a high-powered bunch in 2020, and they are all returning to the program in 2021. The Illini being able to stop this underrated UTSA squad is going to be a challenge.

Here is the preview of the UTSA offense against the Illinois football team.

  • Strength

There are a couple of strengths that pop out to me about the UTSA offense. The first strength is their running game. UTSA had one of the best running attacks in college football last season ranking No. 18 in the nation and gaining 216 yards per game on the ground.

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Sincere McCormick was a big reason for the great numbers. He had 249 carries for 1,467 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2020. Sadly, for the Illini, McCormick is back for another season. Illinois’ defensive line played well against Nebraska, so this should be a fascinating matchup to watch on Saturday.

Another great strength for UTSA is their turnovers. They only averaged 0.9 turnovers per game in 2020, which ranked No. 12 in the nation. That is an impressive number. A turnover helped change the momentum in the Nebraska game in favor of the Illini, so I will be curious to see if Illinois can force a turnover against a disciplined program.

  • Weakness

I think the obvious weakness with the UTSA offense is their passing attack. In 2020, the Roadrunners only threw for 193.6 yards per game, which ranked No. 99 in the nation.

UTSA’s starting quarterback, Frank Harris, is back for his senior season. He doesn’t rely on his arm, as he ran for 528 yards last season. But Harris can fling the ball around the field at times. While I think it is their weakness, Harris is no slouch behind center. He had a 63.6% completion percentage in 2020. He also threw for 1,630 yards.

I like the fact Illinois plays man-to-man coverage now. This will enable the defensive backs to take care of business while the first and second levels of the defense can focus on stopping the run. I think we need to test just how good Harris is as a quarterback on Saturday. We can’t let the run kill us.

Next. Optimism from Illini fans after win over Nebraska. dark

  • Confidence

I am going on record saying this. UTSA is a better team than Nebraska. They have a better offense for sure. This game scares me. UTSA can run the ball well with multiple players. Illinois’ defense looked good against Nebraska, but Calvin Hart Jr. might miss some time with an injury. The defense is also still learning the playbook. For a confidence rating, I’ll give a confidence of 4.5 out of 10. I am nervous.

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