UTSA film study: How new defensive front stifled Rice’s triple-option attack

As UTSA worked last week to install a new defensive counter to Rice’s triple-option offense, defensive tackle Jameian Buxton revealed in a first-time opportunity.

Instead of playing as a true nose tackle in the Roadrunners’ usual three-man front, Buxton lined up alongside fellow nose Jusiah Sampleton in a four-down set.

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Putting the defense’s two heaviest available players on the field forced the offensive line to split attention between the 325-pound Buxton and 315-pound Sampleton, freeing up the space eaters to make plays in the run game.

“You can only double one of us, so the other person has a one-on-one,” Buxton said. “When you try to stop me and him at the same time, it’s kind of hard, because he’s a dog, and I can get back there, too. So, it’s pretty hard on offense to try to stop both of us at the same time.”

Behind the extra force on the interior, UTSA held Rice to 144 rushing yards at an average of 3.1 yards per carry, sparking a 16-14 win on Saturday in Houston.

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The Owls entered the week ranked in the top 10 in the country in rushing at 268.9 yards per game, while the Roadrunners were in the bottom 10 against the run, giving up 213.3 yards per game. But with UTSA’s offense struggling to find a footing, coach Jeff Traylor saw the defense step up to carry the load Saturday.

“That’s what won the game,” Traylor said. “Our defensive line play was extremely physical. Our linebackers were very physical in their tackling.”

UTSA deployed four defensive linemen on about 60% of Rice’s defensive snaps, led by Sampleton playing on 45 of the Owls’ 61 offensive plays, per Pro Football Focus. Tai Leonard and Jeremiah Bailey each played 42 snaps, Buxton had 36, and the Roadrunners rotated deep into the reserves with opportunities for Eddy Smith (19), Drenon Fite (19), King Justice (12) and Jaylan Jones (6).

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Buxton said UTSA’s depth pieces “played up to the expectation,” not falling victim to the misdirection that an option offense brings.

“When you have an older and more mature team, you want to sit in that gap, play that gap, do your 1/11th and stay in that assignment,” Buxton said. “That’s basically what we did this week.”

UTSA delivered perhaps its most impressive defensive series to close out the game after Rice took over at its own 18-yard line trailing 16-14 with 1:45 left.

Linebacker Darion White opened the series with a sack, as he and Cam Cooper blitzed around the left side of Rice’s offensive line, creating confusion that allowed both players free runs at quarterback Jacurri Brown.

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After a short completion on second down, Cooper delivered another sack on third down, dipping his inside shoulder and speeding around Rice’s left tackle.