WKU Football: UTSA Q&A Pt. 2 with Underdog Dynasty
Long time friend of the blog Jared Kalmus joins us to break down the rematch between the Hilltoppers and Roadrunners on Friday.
The rematch we’ve all been waiting for has arrived. WKU vs. UTSA II, coming to a television screen near you this Friday.
Obviously a lot has happened for both teams since they last played each other October 9 and to help us get up to date with the Roadrunners, we got our friend Jared Kalmus to answer our questions. Jared is a C-USA editor for Underdog Dynasty and hosts a UTSA podcast called Alamodome Audible. Be sure to follow him on Twitter as well as UDD and Alamodome Audible.
The Towel Rack: We all know that UTSA was able to beat WKU 52-46 earlier in the season. How would you say things have gone for the Roadrunners since then?
Jared Kalmus: Winning the division title and losing just one game is practically a dream come true for UTSA so I'd say pretty well! Of course there have been challenges and concerns along the way, but in the grand scheme of things the past few months have been unbelievably successful for UTSA.
TTR: North Texas spoiling UTSA’s perfect season was definitely unexpected. What went wrong in that game for the Roadrunners?
JK: Mostly the weather. UTSA's passing game vs. North Texas' secondary was UTSA's most favorable matchup heading into the game but a non-stop downpour throughout the entire afternoon prevented UTSA from really getting the ball moving through the air. The rain also caused six fumbles for UTSA, three of which UNT recovered within the UTSA thirty yard line. More concerning was UTSA's inability to match North Texas' physicality, an issue we also saw against Southern Miss and UAB.
TTR: How do you expect UTSA to bounce back after getting beat for the first time this season?
JK: I have no doubt they're going to respond really well. Jeff Traylor has repeatedly stressed for months now that going undefeated was never the goal heading into the season, but winning the conference title was. If WKU wins this game it will be because they're the better team.
TTR: For the WKU fans who haven’t watched a UTSA home game, what kind of home environment do you expect the Alamodome to have Friday?
JK: It's going to be insane. I'm expecting a crowd of around 40,000 as San Antonio will be hosting a championship football game for the first time since 2007. The indoor acoustics of the Alamodome will make that number sound even larger. Western Kentucky will have to use a silent snap count on every play, and they'll likely have a hard time communicating audibles and pass protections on the field. The Alamodome crowd has been a huge factor in the last two home games, as UAB committed 13 penalties for 124 yards, while USM committed 16 penalties for 88 yards.
TTR: UTSA had 564 total yards against WKU in the first matchup this season but the Hilltopper defense has improved since then. Do you think the Roadrunners will be able to score as easily the second time around?
JK: I don't think so, no. Other than WKU's improvement on defense, UTSA has looked sluggish on offense lately. The offensive line doesn't look as athletic as they did a month ago, perhaps due to continuous minor injuries upfront. UTSA has taken their opponent's best shot every week for two months now and I think that has taken a toll on the team.
TTR: Bailey Zappe had 523 passing yards with five touchdowns and one interception. Obviously the one interception was the biggest flaw because it cost WKU the game but do you see him throwing for those kind of numbers again?
JK: While it wouldn't surprise me to see Zappe surpass 500 passing yards again, I think both teams will have diminished outputs on Friday as there will likely be a little bit more of a semblance of defense from both squads. The 523 yards against UTSA was Zappe's highest passing total of the year, perhaps a byproduct of UTSA's decision to drop eight into coverage in the first half and give Zappe a lot of time to work through his progressions to find the open route underneath the coverage. Crowd noise should slow down the WKU tempo a bit as well. Zappe was nearly perfect against UTSA last time and it's tough to have that kind of performance against a defense twice in one season.
TTR: WKU is currently projected as a one point favorite according to ESPN. What do you think the Hilltoppers need to do in order to win the C-USA title?
JK: On offense WKU will need to take the top off of the UTSA defense all night. The Roadrunners haven't defended the deep ball well at all this season. Defensively, the Hilltoppers will need to stop Sincere McCormick on the early downs to prevent UTSA from controlling the clock. The Roadrunners can still have offensive success when facing third and long thanks to the strength of their receivers but if the run game is clicking for UTSA then it keeps Bailey Zappe off the field which is a big win for the Roadrunners.
TTR: The rematch. For all the marbles. What’s your prediction for the game?
JK: I just can't find it in myself to pick UTSA to win this game due to how many long passes they've given up as a defense. Cornerback Tariq Woolen was masterful against WKU in the regular season matchup but he may not be available for this game, further complicating the secondary woes. I think this game will be a little bit more of a defensive battle than most would expect, but a couple of big time throws from Bailey Zappe will make all the difference. Western Kentucky hands Jeff Traylor his first conference loss in the Alamodome. WKU: 34, UTSA: 31.
We thank Jared again for his time and are thankful to have him answer our questions! Be sure to go check out Underdog Dynasty’s content before the C-USA title game as well as the newest episode of Alamodome Audible.