SAN ANTONIO – Will UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor leave the 210 for the 979? Only time will tell, but it appears he’s on the Texas A&M radar after the program fired Head Football Coach Jimbo Fisher Sunday after six seasons.
Coach Traylor was interviewed for the Aggies head coach opening, per multiple reports.
Recommended Videos
According to the Austin American Statesman, Traylor interviewed for the football opening Tuesday via Zoom and the interview last 90 minutes, nearly an hour longer than scheduled.
GigEm247 says they can confirm that Texas A&M Athletics Director Ross Bjork held the virtual interview.
During his presser with the San Antonio media on Monday, Traylor addressed the rumors that his name was being mentioned for the opening in College Station.
“Me coaching in the state of Texas my entire life and the success we’ve had at Gilmer and here at UTSA, it’s natural,” Traylor said in response. “It means we’ve been winning a lot of ballgames. It means I’ve had a group of seniors, 21 of them, that are going to play their last home game this Friday night. So they’ve had four years of success.”
Coach Traylor is a three-time state champion with Gilmer High School and is a shining star in the college ranks, thanks to turning the UTSA football program around.
Traylor joined UTSA in 2020 and is 37-13 overall with the Roadrunners and 27-3 against conference opponents. He led UTSA to back-to-back Conference USA championships in 2021 and 2022, before the program moved to the American Athletic Conference in July of 2023.
The Roadrunners are currently 7-3 this season and 6-0 in the AAC and in the hunt to play for the conference crown. Clearly his success has caught the attention of the Aggies.
Traylor also told the media that success breeds speculation.
“It comes up every year except for my first year here,” Traylor said. “And I told (the players) it is a good thing. It means they are winning a lot of ballgames for us, and as long as they keep winning ballgames, there is always going to be speculation.”
In Oct. 2021 Traylor signed a contract extension to remain with UTSA through 2031 valued at $28 million. His average salary will average $2.8 million annually in addition to potential bonus. But that is nothing compared to what the Aggies and their oil-rich boosters can offer him in salary. Texas A&M is paying Fisher a record $76 million to not coach. Traylor’s buyout from UTSA is a reported $7 million.
Traylor is one of several candidates linked to the A&M opening. Others include Duke’s Mike Elko, Kansas State’s Chris Klieman, Kansas’ Lance Leipold, and Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, among others.
Some feel Traylor and Elko are co-favorites because of their ties to the Lone Star State. Traylor hails from East Texas and is Texas through and through. Elko was a former defensive coordinator under Fisher before getting the job at Duke.
GigEm247 is also reporting that Traylor and Elko are among the top targets for the Aggies’ vacancy so far.