« Football 2013

Eric Soza

School
Texas at San Antonio
Position
Quarterback
Major
Physical Education (graduated May 2013)

Classroom

Soza graduated in May 2013 with a 3.95 GPA in physical education (made As in all coursework with the exception of one B) and currently is pursuing his master’s degree with the intention of getting into coaching when his playing career is complete. He was a fall 2012 Western Athletic Conference All-Academic honoree and the 2012-13 UTSA Will & Mary Hathaway Academic Athlete of the Year. He was selected as one of 16 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes and is a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, given to the nation’s top scholar-athlete.

Character

Soza is a two-year team captain and one of five finalists for the 2013 Coach John Wooden Citizenship Cup. He’s one of 10 finalists for the 2012 Awards and Recognition Association Sportsmanship Award and was named to the 2013 Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. He has been an instrumental part of the program’s successful transition from a Football Championship Subdivision independent in 2011 to a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Western Athletic Conference in 2012, as well as the upcoming move to Conference USA this fall. He was a 2012-13 UTSA University Life Awards honoree. He was the first­-ever UTSA student-athlete to earn the Golden Feather Award, which recognizes top students whose contributions to UTSA have greatly benefited the university during their entire UTSA career (academic achievement and leadership roles are the primary criteria used in determining the recipients). He was the winner of UTSA’s Jane Findling Award, which is given to Roadrunners students that best demonstrate outstanding excellence in leadership and service to the University and best represent the ideal UTSA student leader.

Community

He begins his third year as the President of the UTSA Student-­Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in 2012-13 and is a nominee for the 2013 AFCA Good Works Team. He also served as the Western Athletic Conference SAAC Vice President in 2011-12 and currently is a member of Conference USA’s SAAC. He is an active member of UTSA’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has served as a guest speaker at various schools in the San Antonio metropolitan area. Soza worked through the night and early-morning hours to build a home for a Wounded Warrior and also has served meals to war veterans. He has coordinated and led two service projects on the UTSA campus (Bubbles for Troubles/Samaritan’s Feet) and is an active participant of the Rowdy Readers program where he visits children and reads books to them at local elementary schools. He spoke to UTSA student leaders at the Leadership Now seminar and was a speaker at the Carrizo Springs High School athletics banquet. He volunteered through “For the Kids,” playing with pediatric cancer patients, the Special Olympics and with disabled children to discuss the importance of nutrition and exercise. He has spoken to numerous local youth football teams and served as a volunteer coach at youth camp for underprivileged athletes.

Competition

Soza is on the 2013 Manning Award (nation’s top QB) watch list. He owns a 12-8 record (.600) in two seasons as UTSA’s starting quarterback and is the program’s all-time leading passer (338-for-589/4,233 yards/34 TDs) and rusher by attempts (162). He completed 166-of-282 (58.9 percent) passes for 2,085 yards and 20 touchdowns, including a program-record four at #22 Louisiana Tech (Nov. 3), in 2012 as a junior. His 314 passing yards against the Bulldogs and 82-yard TD toss to Kenny Bias at New Mexico State (Sept. 29) also were school marks. He threw just three interceptions and, at one time, went an FBS-leading 256 passes between picks. He rushed for 364 yards and six TDs on 67 carries (5.4 avg.) and tied a program record with three rushing scores at Idaho (Nov. 17). Soza started all 10 games as a sophomore in his first action since his senior year of high school in 2008. He completed 172-of-307 passes (56 percent) for 2,148 yards and 14 touchdowns, had five passes of at least 50 yards (three TDs) and averaged 24.9 yards per touchdown. He was second on the team with 285 rushing yards and scored three times on 95 carries. He scored the first touchdown in program history when he reached paydirt from 14 yards out against Northeastern State (Sept. 3). He onnected on 17-of-29 passes for 237 yards and a pair of scores in addition to rushing for 102 yards on 14 totes in the historic 31-3 victory.