SAN ANTONIO — Growing pains are a part of college football, and conference realignment has magnified those agonies for many teams.
University of Texas at San Antonio head football coach Jeff Traylor knows this firsthand.
Since Traylor took over the UTSA program in 2020, the Roadrunners have put together some magical seasons -- including two that ended with the team hoisting the Conference USA championship trophy on its home field in the Alamodome.
Last season, though, the Roadrunners left Conference USA to join the American Athletic Conference (AAC), which is widely known as the last stop for teams before they make the jump to a Power 4 conference. But the step up in competition didn't appear to phase the Roadrunners one bit. In fact, Traylor and his team only continued their dominance in conference play, winning seven straight AAC games before dropping their final one against Tulane, who was ranked as the No. 18 team in the country at the time.
The Roadrunners finished out the 2023 season with an overall 9-4 record, and although they weren't able to secure a third consecutive conference title, Traylor and his team were able to secure the program's first postseason win ever by beating Marshall in the Frisco Bowl.
"There's no doubt we belong in the league," Traylor said at this year's AAC Media Days, reflecting on his team's first season in the conference "But we didn't win it. We went on the road in Tulane and didn't get it done. So, what can we do to put ourselves in a position to get to that point again -- but this time finish the deal?"
Traylor is not alone in his belief that the Roadrunners very much belong in their new conference. In a preseason media poll, UTSA was picked to finish second in the AAC this season, behind only Memphis.
While the 2023 season might not have been the one UTSA and its fans had in mind, it was one they performed well in -- despite the circumstances surrounding its quarterback position, which troubled the team early in the season after the now-retired Frank Harris suffered a turf toe injury against Texas State, sidelining him for two weeks.
"The great thing about coaching Frank was he was so tough and a winner," Traylor said. "The negative to that was he got hit a lot, and was injured quite a bit."
But the fifth-year head coach said these injuries allowed backup quarterbacks Owen McCown and Eddie Lee Marburger to get some much-needed playing time and experience heading into this season. That's something Traylor said will help both players going into this season.
At this point, though, Traylor's still not ready to name a Week 1 starting quarterback. He said both quarterbacks are very similar to each other -- they are accurate, smart and know where to go with the football. One of the only differences between them, Traylor said, is that McCown is left-handed and Marburger is right-handed.
"They might be out there together on the first snap," Traylor said. "And then you'll have to figure out who's gonna take the second."
The Roadrunners open up the season at home against Kennesaw State before heading up I-35 to face Texas State and Texas in back-to-back weeks. Traylor believes these hostile environments could pose significant issues for his inexperienced quarterbacks. He said his team will have to play great defense and run the football well, hopefully allowing McCown (the son of former NFL quarterback Josh McCown) and Marburger the space to flourish.
"We've got young quarterbacks," Traylor said. "We've got four of our first six [games] on the road. The schedule favors the Roadrunners way later in the season."
Traylor admits these early-season games mean more this season than they might have in previous years. That's because, starting this season, the College Football Playoffs will include 12 teams as opposed to four.
"I think that needs to be put in the back of their mind," Traylor said. "The games in September are now just as important if you really think you have a chance to go to the playoff. And we feel like we are good enough to be in that conversation."
Despite a daunting schedule in front of him, Traylor said he is also remaining adamant that the Roadrunners don't focus on winning or losing. Instead, he said it's important his team try its best on the practice field, in the weight room and in the classroom every single day.
It's unclear what the future holds for the Roadrunners as a new team leader has yet to fill the void quarterback Frank Harris left behind. But with a veteran team in just about every other position, Traylor is hopeful his Roadrunners will once again find a way piece together an impressive season -- just as it has the last few years under his watch.
"We haven't done a thing yet," Traylor said. "But the last four years, I'm really proud of what our kids have accomplished."
Full UTSA 2024 Football Schedule
- Aug. 31 | Kennesaw State vs. UTSA - 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 7 | UTSA at Texas State - 3 p.m. on ESPNU
- Sept. 14 | UTSA at Texas - 6 p.m. on ESPN
- Sept. 21 Houston Christian vs. UTSA - 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- Sept. 28 | UTSA at East Carolina - TBA*
- Oct. 12 | UTSA at Rice - TBA*
- Oct. 19 | FAU vs. UTSA - TBA*
- Oct. 26 | UTSA at Tulsa - TBA*
- Nov. 2 | Memphis vs. UTSA - TBA*
- Nov. 15 | North Texas vs. UTSA - 8 p.m. on ESPN2*
- Nov. 22 | Temple vs. UTSA - 6 p.m. on ESPN2*
- Nov. 30 | UTSA at Army - 11 a.m. on CBSSN*
