SAN ANTONIO — The COVID-19 pandemic has put a halt on sports across all platforms—from professional leagues to local t-ball games.
However, colleges are still out in full (virtual) force, trying to get the best recruits possible for when they can hit the ground running again.
CBS19 spoke with first-year University of Texas at San Antonio head football coach Jeff Traylor about navigating the collegiate football world as the coronavirus continues to spread and his love for the East Texas area.
See the full interview below:
ABOUT JEFF TRAYLOR
Traylor was hired by UTSA in December 2019 to lead the Roadrunner football program.
Traylor took over for Frank Wilson who was fired in early December after four seasons leading the Roadrunners. Wilson compiled a 19-29 overall record in San Antonio, including a 4-7 record in 2019.
RELATED: IT'S OFFICIAL: Jeff Traylor signs 5-year deal to become head football coach at UT San Antonio
Traylor's five-year contract began on December 13, and includes $800,000 in guaranteed compensation in year one. It also includes financial incentives for various goals including, but not limited to, regular season game wins, achievement of a bowl game and ticket sales milestones.
UTSA is a member of Conference USA along with:
- Charlotte
- FIU
- Florida Atlantic
- Louisiana Tech
- Marshall
- Middle Tennessee
- North Texas
- Old Dominion
- Rice
- Southern Miss
- UAB
- UTEP
- WKU
"As we conducted an extensive national search, one candidate prominently rose above the others for his record of success, his commitment to preparing student-athletes for life and his deep ties to football here in the state of Texas," said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy at the time of Traylor's hiring. "Coach Traylor embodies all of these characteristics and has an outstanding reputation among his high school, college and professional peers for his ability to recruit, develop and mold champions—on the field and in life."
To help achieve his goals, Traylor has put together a stellar coaching staff including:
- Tyrone Nix - Defensive coordinator
- Kurt Traylor - Tight ends coach
- Barry Lunney Jr. - Associate head coach, offensive coordinator
- Jess Loepp - Recruiting coordinator, safeties
- Tommy Perry - Special teams coordinator
To see Traylor's full coaching staff, click here.
In December 2019, Traylor announced his inaugural Early National Signing Day class, which consisted of eight highly decorated players from the state of Texas, including an East Texan.
The early signing class included three offensive players, three who were projected for the defensive side of the ball, one athlete and one specialist.
Seven of the early signees come from the high school ranks, while one is a redshirt sophomore transfer from Oklahoma State.
The signees are listed below:
- JayVeon Cardwell - Cibolo, Texas (Steele HS/Oklahoma State)
- Jamal Ligon - Tyler, Texas (Tyler Lee HS)
- Dan Dishman - League City, Texas (Clear Falls HS)
- Jaylon Lott - Carrollton, Texas (Hebron HS)
- Everett Orenstein - Houston, Texas (Langham Creek HS)
- Cam Peters - Stafford, Texas (Stafford HS)
- Asyrus Simon - Humble, Texas (Atascocita HS)
- Donyai Taylor - Shiner, Texas (Shiner HS)
On National Singing Day in February, Traylor added eight more players to the 2020 class:
- Ernesto Almaraz - Los Angeles, California (Salesian HS/East Los Angeles College)
- Walker Baty - Liberty Hill, Texas (Liberty Hill HS)
- Kaedric Cobbs - Denton, Texas (Guyer HS)
- Makai Hart - Clinton, Iowa (Clinton HS/Trinity Valley CC)
- Allen Horace - Crockett, Texas (Crockett HS)
- Avery Morris - Humble, Texas (Atascocita HS)
- Xavier Spencer - Converse, Texas (Judson HS)
- Monte Williams - Mesquite, Texas (Horn HS)
Before getting hired at UTSA, Traylor, an SFA alum and walk-on football player, served as the associate head coach/running backs coach at the University of Arkansas under Chad Morris, with whom he also worked at Southern Methodist University, for two years. Morris was let go by Arkansas after the 2019 season. Morris, an East Texas native, was later hired by Auburn University as the offensive coordinator.
RELATED: East Texas native, former Arkansas head coach Chad Morris named Auburn offensive coordinator
Before following Morris to Arkansas, Traylor served as SMU's interim head coach following the Razorbacks’ hiring of Morris in December 2017. He helped lead the Mustangs to their first bowl game since 2012.
Traylor’s unit at SMU totaled 2,223 yards rushing in 2017, highlighted by three players who rushed for 500-plus yards with sophomore Xavier Jones leading the group at 1,075. The Mustangs topped the 200-yard mark on the ground six times with a season-best 311 in a win against Arkansas State.
Prior to his time at SMU, Traylor spent two seasons at the University of Texas (2015-16). In his first season in Austin, he coached tight ends and was named Scout.com’s Big 12 Recruiter of the Year. In 2016, Traylor coached tight ends and wide receivers for the Longhorns, who boasted the nation’s No. 16 ranked offense that averaged 491.3 yards per game.
During his time in Austin, Traylor recruited punter Michael Dickson, who went on to earn multiple All-America honors, win Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017 as well as the 2017 Ray Guy Award.
Before making the move to college ball, Traylor spent 15 seasons (2000-14) as the head coach at Gilmer High School. He acquired an overall record of 175-26 with three state championships and two state runner-up finishes.
Under Traylor, Gilmer reached the 10-win mark 11 times, while also recording seven 13-win campaigns. The Buckeyes posted 15 wins three times, all of which resulted in undefeated state championship years, including two 16-0 seasons in 2004 and 2014.
In 2014, the Gilmer offense put up the second-most points in the history of Texas high school football with 950 in 16 games for an average of 59.4 points per game and won the 4A Division 2 state title. The Buckeyes scored 60-plus points nine times, including two 80-point performances. Gilmer also averaged 536.1 total yards per game (8,577) behind a balanced 293.9 passing yards and 242.1 rushing yards per contest. The defense was equally dominant, allowing only 276 points (17.3) with five single-digit efforts and two shutouts, while recording 23 interceptions and forcing 17 fumbles. Gilmer closed out the season with a win over West Orange-Stark at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and had eight different players earn 4A All-State honors from either the Associated Press or Texas Sports Writers Association.
Gilmer’s two other state titles under Traylor both came in 3A in 2004 (Division 2) and 2009 (Division 1), before the change in class structure in Texas high school football moved the school into 4A last season. After 15 years on its sidelines, Gilmer renamed Buckeye stadium to Jeff Traylor Stadium in Traylor’s honor.
Prior to Gilmer, Traylor was an assistant coach at Jacksonville High School (1993-99), where he served as passing coordinator, defensive backs coach, receivers coach and special teams coordinator.
Traylor began his coaching career at Big Sandy High School, where he spent four years as an assistant coach (1990-1993).