FRISCO -- Owen McCown's performance fit the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl - a groggy 1-for-6 start with two interceptions that morphed into a breakout game once the caffeine buzz hit.

The Roadrunner faithful, who'd made the four-and-a-half hour drive north, rose to their feet with a minute remaining in the first half. Marshall had just burned a timeout after McCown rhytmically moved UTSA down the field with seven-straight completions. The first quarter of life without seventh-year quarterback Frank Harris, who was ruled out pregame with a shoulder injury, was jarring. Harris was the heart and soul of UTSA's program, having compiled 13 individual season and 14 career records. The McCown led offense had managed 16 yards on 16 plays. Now, they showed a more promising glimpse of the program's future.

McCown came out of the timeout and immediately threw a comback route to wide receiver Tyree Ogle-Kellogg that set up UTSA for a touchdown on the one-yard-line that put them up 21-10. It was part of a second quarter where the redshirt freshman caught fire, completing 12-of-15 passes for 230 yards and a TD.

Part of the stark improvement came from McCown adjusting to Marshall's surprise Cover 1 and Cover 3 looks after spending most of the year in middle-open, Cover 1. Part of it might've been getting his bell rung.

"The kid's gritty, he's tough," UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor said. "How about the hits he took early? Gosh almighty, he doesn't weigh but a buck-80."
"Maybe those hits are what knocked some of those silly decisions he was making out of him," Traylor said.

McCown is far from a surefire starter in 2024, but Tuesday night's performance may have given him a leg up in spring ball. Because for how discombobulated UTSA appeared in the first quarter, McCown was that surgical thereafter. His best throw was a 40-yard streak to Ogle-Kellogg on 3rd-and-14 that was dropped in a bucket and set up UTSA's first score. In the third quarter, he threw a 14-yard TD pass to Ogle-Kellogg that was called back for illegal man downfield, only to throw a 19-yard TD to North Shore alum David Amador II on the very next play.

He finished 18-of-27 for 227 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, helping secure the program's first bowl victory by a 28-17 margin.

McCown will compete this offseason with redshirt sophomore Eddie Lee Marburger, who finished this season 29-of-47 for 300 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in three games. But McCown getting the nod tonight suggests he has a leg up. UTSA will also look to add a quarterback in the portal, having offered former Frisco Independence star and 2022 Freshman All-American Braylon Braxton from Tulsa.

"He's (McCown) a pro, but so is Eddie," Traylor said. "When Eddie was the two and Owen was the three, they both supported each other. And then when we flipped it around, they've both been that way. They're pros. It's just our culture. It's who every kid is in that locker room."

No quarterback will be as connected to Traylor as McCown is, however. Traylor coached McCown's father, 18-year NFL veteran Josh McCown, and his uncles, 12-year NFL veteran Luke McCown and former Texas A&M quarterback Randy McCown, at Jacksonville High School in East Texas.

"The McCown's, they're raised from the country, they're raised on the farm," Traylor said. "They're just tough people. They're honorable people. They're good people. That's who they are in their core and fiber. That's who he was tonight."