The UTSA Roadrunners have named Jeff Traylor as their new head coach. Frank Wilson was fired as UTSA’s head coach on December 1st. In Wilson’s four-year tenure, he led the Roadrunners to a 19-29 record. However, he was able to lead the Roadrunners to their first-ever bowl appearance in 2016. Traylor will instill a new culture into the UTSA program with hopes of taking them to the next level. The two previous coaches were unable to deliver on their promises. However, Traylor believes he has a chance to turn the program around. Here is what you need to know as UTSA Hires New Head Coach Jeff Traylor.
UTSA Hires New Head Coach Jeff Traylor
There has been an ongoing debate as to who should be Frank Wilson’s replacement. It was announced that Jeff Traylor would be named the head coach on December 9th. There were other coaches ‘ names in the mix. Originally, Traylor’s name was not one of the ones listed. However, UTSAathletic director Lisa Campos believed that the former Arkansas associate head coach and running back’s coach was the best option.
Closing The Book On The Frank Wilson Era
Frank Wilson was the second coach in UTSA’s history, following Larry Coker. Wilson had a terrific start to his career. He took UTSA to their first-ever bowl appearance. He also led them to a winning record in his second season. However, he fell off in his last two years. He had a combined record of seven wins and 17 losses in his final two years. Following the final game of the 2019 season, Frank Wilson would be let relieved of his duties.
UTSA will be paying Frank Wilson’s contract buyout through February of 2022. He was given a pay raise that would payout more than a million dollars. This was a big hit to a smaller program considering they would be forced to pay two coaches at once. This ultimately may have led to the decision of Jeff Traylor as the new head coach. UTSA might have pursued a coach with bigger credentials, but the school had financial realities to deal with.
Jeff Traylor’s Football History
Traylor was most recently the associate head coach as well as the running back’s coach at Arkansas. Head coach Chad Morris was fired mid-season and the rest staff was not retained at the end of the year. In 2017, he was the associate head coach and running backs coach for the SMU Mustangs, again, working for Morris. Traylor began his collegiate coaching career with the Texas Longhorns in 2015 as the team’s tight end coach. He was the Big XII Recruiter of the Year in 2015 and 2016, landing a top recruiting class each year.
Traylor had a notable high school coaching career in Texas also. He was the head coach at Gilmer High School for 15 years. Traylor was able to win three state championships in his time at Gilmer. This also included three undefeated seasons. He is also a renowned recruiter. UTSA hopes that his great history as a high school, football coach will aid in the recruiting process.
Coaching Style
Traylor is known for having a fast and upbeat offensive scheme. He enjoys getting to the ball and snapping it fast. He spreads the ball out to many players throughout the team. With this being said, Traylor must have reliable players that can make plays for him consistently. Traylor will likely utilize Sincere McCormick as well as Brenden Brady in the running game. However, he will also use them in the passing game in order to spread defenses out and open up the playbook.
2020 Season Outlook
The Roadrunners will have a substantial learning period in which they transition from a culture under Frank Wilson to that of Jeff Traylor. He will implement a new playbook and scheme for the Roadrunners. Whether this ill fit his player’s playstyle will be a sight to see. However, the change was needed as the Roadrunners were only digressing under Frank Wilson. This coaching change will give UTSA fans hope coming into the 2020 season. This has been something missing from the Roadrunners for the last two seasons. The Roadrunners have definitely felt the pressure from their fans to perform. This change will give the fan base something to look forward to in the future.
