Both the UTSA men's and women's basketball teams open the season tonight.

The men are at home against Western Illinois. First tip at 7 p.m.

It is year eight of the Steve Henson era and could be the final year of his era in the Convo. Roadrunners will be trying to win at least 11 games for the first time since the 2020-21 season. UTSA is picked to finish last in the AAC men's preseason standings

The women are on the road at Arizona State. First tip at 7 p.m.

The women's program seems to be climbing under Karen Aston and will hope to have a good first year in the American Conference after making the conference semifinals last year before departing Conference USA. The Roadrunner women are picked to finish eighth in the conference preseason poll.

Both teams won their exhibition games leading up to the season. The Men beat Trinity and McMurry handily and the Women beat St. Mary's last week.

Consider this the go to thread for updates from both hoops programs as the season goes along.

SAN ANTONIO — A total of seven former UTSA football players participated in UTSA’s annual Pro Day on Monday at the Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence.



Defensive lineman Trumane Bell II, wide receiver Joshua Cephus, punter Lucas Dean, offensive lineman Payne He’Bert, defensive lineman Brandon Matterson, wide receiver Tykee Ogle-Kellogg and safety Rashad Wisdom all performed in front of personnel representing 20 NFL teams.



Below are some of the many highlights recorded during the testing circuit:

• Trumane Bell II — 9’8” Broad Jump; 4.82 40-Yard Dash; 4.58 Pro Agility Shuttle

• Joshua Cephus — 1.52 10-Yard Start

• Payne He’Bert — 1.70 10-Yard Start

• Brandon Matterson — 1.56 10-Yard Start; 4.52 Pro Agility Shuttle

• Tykee Ogle-Kellogg — 1.50 10-Yard Start; 4.52 40-Yard Dash

• Rashad Wisdom — 37” Vertical Jump; 4.49 40-Yard Dash; 6.89 3-Cone/L-Drill



The 2024 NFL Draft is set for April 25-27 in Detroit, Michigan.



The UTSA football team will continue spring practice on Tuesday, March 19, in advance of the UTSA Football Fiesta Spring Game, which will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, at the Alamodome. Admission is free and doors will open to the public at 1 p.m. Fan seating will be general admission on the Plaza (100) Level on the East sideline only. Additional fan information will be available in the coming weeks.



Season tickets for the 2024 home slate of six regular season games are on sale online or by calling the UTSA Ticket Office at 210-458-UTSA (8872) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Current UTSA football season-ticket holders may renew their tickets by logging into their UTSA Account Manager.

SAN ANTONIO – UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos on Sunday announced Austin Claunch as the seventh head coach of the Roadrunners’ men’s basketball program. Claunch, who calls Houston his hometown and currently serves as an assistant coach at national power Alabama, led Nicholls to a pair of Southland Conference titles as head coach.



“I am extremely excited to welcome Austin Claunch as our next head men’s basketball coach,” Campos said. “He had great success as the head coach at Nicholls and has gained valuable experience at some of the top programs in the country. He has high energy, a relentless work ethic and a strong basketball IQ. What really stood out to me is that when we talked to people about Austin, what kept coming up time and again was his unique ability to connect with people from all backgrounds and build great is completely aligned with my vision and our values as a department and an institution. He will be a terrific leader of our student-athletes and I am confident he will elevate our program to new heights.”



In his lone season with Alabama, Claunch has helped the Crimson Tide to a 21-11 record and an Associated Press Top-25 national ranking. Alabama currently sits at No. 9 in the latest NCAA NET rankings.



"This is genuinely a dream come true being from Texas and growing up in this state,” Claunch said. “I take a lot of pride in being a Texan and knowing the passion of the community as a whole. The potential of the UTSA program really excites me. I think we can be really good for a long time, but I don't think it will take a long time to be really good. I want to thank Dr. Eighmy, Dr. Campos and the whole administration for this opportunity. I am ready to get to work."



In five seasons as the head coach at Nicholls, Claunch won 90 games, recorded a pair of 20-win seasons and directed the Colonels to Southland Conference regular-season championships in 2021 and 2022. He was the 2020-21 Southland Conference Coach of the Year. Claunch served as the youngest head coach at the NCAA Division I level for three seasons (2018-21) and was named to ESPN’s 40 under 40 list for collegiate men’s basketball coaches in 2020.



In Claunch’s second year as the Nicholls head coach, he took a team that was projected to finish 11th in the Southland Conference and secured 21 wins, marking just the fourth 20-win season in program history at the time. That season included a win against Atlantic Coast Conference foe Pittsburgh.



In 2020-21, Claunch led his team to the outright Southland Conference crown with a 14-2 league tally. He coached three All-Southland honorees that season, including first-team selection and Newcomer of the Year Ty Gordon. A year later, he directed his squad to its second consecutive Southland Conference regular-season title and the program’s first-ever appearance in the National Invitation Tournament. Despite losing nearly 70 percent of the team’s scoring from the year prior, Claunch’s Colonels notched a 21-win season. In 2022, Gordon became just the second player in school history to be named Southland Conference Player of the Year.



Prior to taking over the head coaching position at Nicholls, Claunch spent two years as an assistant coach for the Colonels under current South Alabama head coach Richie Riley. He worked closely with Riley on offensive and defensive schemes and game plans and coordinated all basketball camps. Claunch was part of an historic 2017-18 campaign that included the most wins (21) since 1995 and the best Southland Conference record (15-3) since 1998. Among the players he worked with daily were guards Roddy Peters (SLC Newcomer of the Year, First Team SLC), Jahvaughn Powell (All-SLC Defensive Team), Lafayette Rutledge (Single-season three-point record holder) and Tevon Saddler (All-SLC Second Team).



Claunch spent three seasons at Clemson, two as a graduate manager and one as an assistant coach, where he primarily coordinated video services for the Tigers. Prior to joining Clemson, he spent the 2012-13 season as Director of Player Development at George Mason.



Claunch was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Houston, Texas. He played high school basketball at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory as a three-year starter and a two-time team captain. Claunch was a two-time recipient of Strake’s Kenneth McGregor Award, based on his leadership and dedication on and off the court.



He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in religion from Emory in 2012. Claunch earned a master’s degree in human resource development from Clemson in August 2015.



Claunch was a four-year starter and two-time captain at NCAA Division III member Emory University from 2008-12. He ranks first in Emory history in career assists (580), assists per game (5.8) and minutes played (3,132). He was a three-time All-Conference First Team honoree at Emory and a member of the University Athletic Association’s 25th Anniversary Team.



AUSTIN CLAUNCH FILE



Hometown: Houston, Texas

Education: Emory, 2012; Clemson, 2015



Coaching Experience

2023-Present: Assistant Coach, Alabama

2018-23: Head Coach, Nicholls

2016-18: Assistant Coach, Nicholls

2015-16: Assistant Coach, Clemson

2013-15: Graduate Manager, Clemson

2012-13: Director of Player Development, George Mason



Playing Experience

2008-12: Emory



HEAD COACHING RECORD





WHAT THEY’RE SAYING



“Austin is one of the hardest working guys in the business. His work as a head coach at Nicholls was unbelievable with one of the lowest budgets in the country. He won two championships in his last three years in the Southland, and that is a credit to his hard work and energy.”

Nate Oats, Alabama Head Coach



“People enjoy being around Austin. He’s a fun guy. He’s also very bright and knows how to get his message across if there’s work to be done. He can handle his business, but he’s also one of those guys that relates to people and enjoys people.”

Brad Brownell, Clemson Head Coach



“He’s a fantastic X’s and O’s coach on the court and very innovative with what he does. What makes him special to me is his ability to form relationships. He’s the guy all the guys gravitate towards all the time. It doesn’t matter where they come from or their backgrounds.”

Richie Riley, South Alabama Head Coach



“Austin has the confidence and courage to be successful at any level of coaching. He’s got great energy and he’s very knowledgeable of the game. The only word I can use – he’s kind of fearless. When he came to work for me at George Mason, he treated the players with respect, but they also respected him because he was a guy that didn’t back down.”

Paul Hewitt, Former George Mason/Georgia Tech Head Coach



“Austin had it in his mind to go into coaching before he came to Emory. He talked about coaching when he got out of school. Austin wanted to compete. He’s a competitor.”

Jason Zimmerman, Emory Head Coach

All signs point to Alabama assistant Austin Claunch as UTSA’s next head basketball coach.

This thread will be the place for all things regarding spring football practice.

IRVING, Texas — Commissioner Mike Aresco has announced the American Athletic Conference’s 111-game football schedule, including the 56-game conference slate, as the league begins a historic season in 2024.



The 2024 season will be the second in which The American has 14 teams under its banner, and the first with Army West Point as a football-playing member. Each of the 14 teams in The American will play eight conference games in 2024.



UTSA is set for its second season as a member of The American with four conference games scheduled for the Alamodome and four league road matchups. The Roadrunners also have four non-conference contests, hosting Kennesaw State and Houston Christian at home as well as traveling to Texas and Texas State in their fifth season under head coach Jeff Traylor. In fact, nine of their 12 regular season games will be played in the state of Texas.



Fans can purchase season tickets online or by calling the UTSA Ticket Office at 210-458-UTSA (8872) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Current UTSA football season-ticket holders may renew their tickets by logging into their UTSA Account Manager.



The Roadrunners will open AAC play on the road against East Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 28, in Greenville, North Carolina. UTSA defeated the Pirates, 41-27, on Oct 28, 2023, at the Alamodome in their first-ever meeting on the gridiron.



Following the first of two idle weeks, UTSA will travel to Houston to face Rice on Saturday, Oct. 12. The Roadrunners have won the last eight meetings with the Owls, including a 34-14 home victory on Nov. 11, 2023, and they lead the all-time series, 8-3.



UTSA will welcome Florida Atlantic to the Alamo City for its AAC home opener on Oct. 19. The Roadrunners raced past the Owls, 36-10, on Oct. 21, 2023, in Boca Raton for their first win in four meetings.



The Roadrunners will close out the month with a road date against Tulsa on Oct. 26. This will mark UTSA’s second meeting with the Golden Hurricane and first since a 34-15 road victory on Nov. 2, 2013.



UTSA will have three consecutive home games in the month of November at the Alamodome.



The Roadrunners will host Memphis on Nov. 2 in their second meeting with the Tigers. UTSA rallied for a 31-28 road triumph on Sept. 25, 2021, in the only previous matchup.



After their second idle week of the fall, the Roadrunners will host North Texas on Friday, Nov. 15. UTSA has won the past three meetings with the Mean Green, including a 37-29 road win last November, and leads the all-time series, 7-5.



The Roadrunners are set to host Temple on either Friday, Nov. 22, or Saturday, Nov. 23. UTSA scored a 49-34 win last October in Philadelphia in the only previous meeting.



UTSA will wrap up the regular season slate on the road on Nov. 30 taking on Army in West Point, New York. The Roadrunners were victorious in overtime, 41-38, on Sept. 10, 2022, in their only previous trip to the Empire State. The Black Knights outlasted UTSA, 37-29, last September in the Alamodome to improve to 3-1 all-time in the series.



The 10th American Athletic Conference Football Championship, which has been broadcast on ABC in each of the last nine years, will feature the top two teams in the final single-division regular-season standings on Friday, Dec. 6. It will be televised either on ABC or ESPN in prime time.



The Roadrunners will kick off their 14th season of play on Saturday, Aug. 31, when they welcome Kennesaw State to the Alamodome. This will mark UTSA’s first meeting with the Owls, who are transitioning to FBS in their 10th season of football and first as a member of Conference USA this year.



UTSA then will make the first of two short trips north on I-35 on Sept. 7 to face Texas State in San Marcos. The Roadrunners and Bobcats will meet for the second straight season and sixth time overall in a series led by UTSA, 5-0. The Roadrunners scored a 20-13 victory in the last meeting on Sept. 9, 2023, in front of 49,342 fans, the second-largest home crowd in program history.



The Roadrunners will meet 2023 College Football Playoff semifinalist Texas for the second time in the past three seasons on Sept. 14 in Austin. The Longhorns pulled away in the second half for a 40-21 home triumph in the only previous matchup on Sept. 17, 2022.



UTSA will close out the non-league slate on Sept. 21 with a home contest against Houston Christian. This will mark the Roadrunners’ first meeting with the Huskies, an FCS member of the Southland Conference who are entering their 11th season of play.



American Athletic Conference teams figure to be well-positioned for a second appearance in the College Football Playoff in 2024. The new playoff format allows for the five highest-ranked conference champions to reach the 12-team field — a distinction The American would have earned six times in the first nine years of the CFP era.



Kickoff times and television designations for the first three weeks of the season, as well as the season-long weeknight games, will be finalized by June 1. The rest of the schedule will fall under the customary 12-day and six-day selection processes.



The Roadrunners welcome back 51 lettermen, including 16 starters, and are coming off 9-4 campaign that saw them claim the first bowl win in program history with a 35-17 victory over Marshall in the 2023 Frisco Bowl. UTSA posted a 7-1 mark to finish third in The American in its debut season in the league.



2024 UTSA Football Schedule

* American Athletic Conference game

Schedule is subject to change

Dear Roadrunner Family:



Turning the page on a new year afforded me a natural opportunity to reflect on all we have accomplished together for UTSA Athletics and to share a vision for the continued success of Roadrunners Athletics.



I am excited to share with you that, thanks to incredible institutional support, fundraising efforts and newly identified financial opportunities, we will be investing an estimated $57 million into facilities and capital projects for UTSA Athletics. This includes a new, state-of-the-art volleyball and basketball training facility that will provide our student-athletes with 24-hour access to a top-tier training center.



Over the next five years, this emphasis will also allow us to focus on existing facility enhancements for baseball and softball, including player development centers for both sports, a nutrition performance center for all student-athletes and a covered football pavilion. As the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams in 2024, it is important for us to ensure our opportunities for CFP participation are maximized.



Bringing this ambitious vision to reality will be a collective effort, and your support is paramount.



A Bold Step Forward



A common theme among our student-athletes, coaches, staff and supporters is that there has never been a more exciting time to be a Roadrunner. Last year, I challenged our athletics community to take a bold step forward as we moved into the American Athletic Conference on July 1. Our move into the American has increased our competitive excellence and provided countless new opportunities for our student-athletes, while further elevating the national profile of our great university.



Thanks to you, we have a lot to be proud of this year. We have achieved countless milestones in game attendance and ticket sales. We saw a record number of donors and philanthropic gifts through the Roadrunner Athletic Fund, led by Harvey Najim’s $2 million gift to our football program and a $500,000 contribution from Ed and Linda Whitacre as part of a joint gift to UTSA Athletics and the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design. Our annual sponsorship revenue increased by more than 20 percent and we welcomed 16 new corporate partners in 2023-24, due in large part to our new partnership with Playfly Sports.



This year our football team won the first bowl game in program history, we opened a new facility on our Park West campus, in partnership with Bexar County, to support our soccer and track & field athletes, and we inducted six incredible trailblazers into the inaugural class of the UTSA Athletics Hall of Fame. For the third time in four years, UTSA Athletics reached a school-record NCAA Graduation Success Rate with an 89 percent GSR in the 2023 report.



We are taking that bold step forward.



A Vision For The Future



Although we are grateful for the past year’s successes, this is just the beginning and there is a lot of work to be done. An emphasis on student-athlete success in the classroom, graduation and community involvement remains our core objective, but developments over the past several years have caused institutions nationwide to reimagine the relationship between student-athletes and athletics departments. For instance, Name, Image and Likeness, widespread conference realignment, ever-evolving rules regarding transfer student-athletes and litigation across the country will continue to chart the landscape. This presents incredible opportunities for our nearly 400 student-athletes, but also some new and unique challenges. Further, we know that state-of-the-art facilities are imperative for attracting and retaining the best talent in all of our sports, and providing our student-athletes with first-class support in academics, strength and conditioning, athletic training and nutrition must continue to be an important focus.



As an institution, we benefit greatly from the support of our colleagues and peers who believe deeply in the vision of UTSA Athletics. Since my arrival in 2017, our Athletics operating budget has grown more than 50 percent from $30.1 million to close to $50 million, made possible largely because of institutional financial support.



To remain competitive, we will need to continue to enhance our existing facilities as well as build new ones. Moving forward, additional university funding for the Department of Athletics beyond those allocated for operating expenses, will be directed to capital projects. Along with our partnerships with the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, the university’s additional commitment will now focus

directly on real estate monetization and the sale of university land to provide the capital we need to

remain competitive.



Thanks to the visionary leadership and support of President Taylor Eighmy and the university leadership team, this important commitment by the university, will be critical in helping us meet our $57 million goal in facilities enhancements and capital projects. Under the leadership of Chief Enterprise Development Officer and Executive Vice President for Business Affairs Veronica Salazar, the institution has doubled its financial support of our programs over the past five years.



However, we cannot rely solely on university funding to address the pressing need to provide diversified opportunities for our student-athletes, and to build state-of-the-art facilities and programs to serve all Roadrunners. We also need philanthropic support to fully realize the capital improvements.



Will you join us in taking a BOLD step forward for UTSA Athletics?



Your continued support is imperative to our future success, especially for our facility enhancements, our bold operational objectives and to support the over $7 million annual cost of student-athlete scholarships. While today’s announcement will help spark the start of needed facility projects, it is just that - only a start.



A heartfelt thank you for the support you have shown for our programs and our phenomenal student-athletes. I am incredibly optimistic about our future, and I look forward to partnering with you to make this vision a reality.



Sincerely,





Lisa Campos, Ed.D.

UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor on Monday announced several updates to the football staff, including the hiring of Parker Cundiff as director of scouting and Corey Jordan as director of player personnel.



Cundiff comes to San Antonio from Washington State, where he served as lead scout and NFL liaison in 2023 after spending the previous season as transfer scout, assisting the recruiting and scouting unit with a primary focus on transfer players.



Prior to arriving in Pullman, Cundiff spent the previous seven seasons at Texas A&M Kingsville. He started his tenure with the Javelinas in January 2015 as a graduate assistant, helping with the defensive line and special teams. He then served as assistant special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and tight ends/fullbacks coach from 2016 to 2019. In 2020, he was the director of football operations, recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach before moving over to the running backs and assisting with special teams in 2021.



While in Kingsville, Cundiff coached all-conference performers in long snapper Clay Engelhardt, kicker Julio De La Garza, fullback Kyle Williams, who was a second-team all-super region selection, and tight ends Stehly Reden, Torrey Thomas and Brent Hertel, who also earned honorable mention All-America accolades.



A product of San Antonio Warren High School, Cundiff was a punter and kicker for UTSA during its practice season in 2010, as well as in the first two seasons in 2011-12.



The son of former Texas A&M-Kingsville head coach Richard Cundiff, Cundiff graduated from UTSA in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in communications. He earned his master’s degree in education administration from Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2018.



Jordan joins the UTSA staff after spending the past five years as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator under Marcus Shavers at McKinney High School near Dallas, helping turn the program into a state contender. During the 2023 season, he was the interim head coach for two games, leading the Lions to victories in both contests. McKinney finished the year with a 9-3 overall record after advancing to the area round of the Class 6A Division II playoffs. He helped lead McKinney to the third round of the playoffs in 2022, as the Lions finished the campaign with an 8-5 mark. He helped develop numerous NCAA Division I players, including Xavier Filsaime.



Prior to his tenure at McKinney High, Jordan was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for three of his four seasons (2015-18) at West Mesquite High School in the Metroplex. In his second season with the program, the Wranglers advanced to the second round of the state playoffs. He also served as the recruiting coordinator and helped aid more than 40 student-athletes earn scholarships to college, including the late Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe, whose No. 22 jersey numbers have been retired forever at Utah. He also was the head track & field coach at West Mesquite, guiding three relay teams to the region track meet in 2016.



Jordan got his coaching start at Allen High School and Ford Middle School in 2012-13. Jordan served as a varsity assistant at Allen High school where he helped the Eagles to two state titles.



A standout athlete at Dallas Bishop Lynch High School, Jordan rushed for 1,800 yards and 21 touchdowns and racked up 550 receiving yards as a senior, leading the Friars to the 2023 state championship while earning all-state honors.



Jordan went on to play four years as a cornerback at Abilene Christian, where he was an All-American and three-time All-Lone Star Conference performer. His 76-yard interception return for a touchdown against SW Oklahoma State in 2006 still ranks in the top 12 longest pick sixes in school history.



Jordan earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from Abilene Christian in 2008 and his master's in business administration from the University of Phoenix in 2011.



He and his wife, Andrea, have two sons, Corey Jr. and Canaan.



Traylor also unveiled new titles for several assistant coaches.



Justin Burke will return as offensive coordinator for his second full season in that role and he also will coach the quarterbacks.



Nick Graham is back as cornerbacks coach for his fifth season and he will add assistant head coach to his title.



Siddiq Haynes is now the defensive run game coordinator in addition to entering his second season as the defensive line coach.



Last week, Traylor announced Zach Brown as special teams coordinator and nickels coach, Hunter Rittimann as tight ends coach and Galen Scott as defensive pass game coordinator and linebackers coach.



Rounding out the on-field staff are defensive coordinator and safeties coach Jess Loepp, running backs coach and NFL liaison Julian Griffin, associate head coach, pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach Joe Price and run game coordinator and offensive line coach Kurt Traylor.



The Roadrunners are coming off a 9-4 campaign that saw them claim the first bowl win in program history with a 35-17 victory over Marshall in the Frisco Bowl. UTSA will open the 2024 season at home against Kennesaw State on Aug. 31 at the Alamodome. Fans can purchase season tickets online or by calling the UTSA Ticket Office at 210-458-UTSA (8872) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Current UTSA football season-ticket holders may renew their tickets by logging into their UTSA Account Manager.

Here is who is expected to sign with UTSA tomorrow. Two possible surprises:

Jaylen Garth - OL - Houston

Kamar Missouri - OL - Rutgers

Jermarius Lewis - S - New Mexico

Zach Morris - CB - New Mexico

Brevin Randle - LB - La. Tech

Ian Jackson - LB - Alabama

** Denver Harris - CB - LSU

** Will Henderson - RB - Gilmer HS

** Kristopher Ross - DL - Texas

With the transfer portal taking such a big role in the world of recruiting we have decided to break it out from the traditional HS/JUCO thread.

Transfer Tracker​

Transfer Search​

OUT:

CB - Syrus Dumas
CB - Xavier Spencer
CB - Kam Alexander
CB - Dywan Griffin
S - Je’von Dabon
S - Cinque Williams
LB - Trey Moore
LB - Avery Morris
LB - Rodney Groce
RB - Keadric Cobbs
OL - Daniel Ogundipe


IN:

OL - CJ James
OL - Kamar Missouri
OL - Jaylen Garth
WR - JJ Sparkman
WR - DJ Allen
DL - Daemian Wimberly
LB - Brevin Randle
LB - Ian Jackson
S - Jermarius Lewis
CB - Zach Morris
CB - Denver Harris

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor on Wednesday announced that the program has added seven transfers to the 2024 signing class, which now numbers 22 signees.



The Roadrunners welcomed Jaylen Garth (Port Neches, Texas/Port Neches-Groves/Houston), Denver Harris (Houston, Texas/North Shore HS/LSU), Ian Jackson (Prattville, Ala./Prattville HS/Alabama), Jermarius Lewis (Summit, Miss./North Pike HS/New Mexico), Kamar Missouri (Baltimore, Md./Mergenthaler-Vo Tech HS/Rutgers), Zach Morris (Highland Village, Texas/Flower Mound Marcus HS/New Mexico) and Brevin Randle (Marshall, Texas/Marshall HS/Louisiana Tech) to the program this week.



The seven transfers join early signees DJ Allen (Gladewater, Texas/Gladewater HS/TCU), Mekhi Anderson (Tampa, Fla./Armwood HS), Briley Brown (Helotes, Texas/O’Connor HS), Caile Hogan (Eltham North, Australia/Marcellin College), Davion Hurth (Mesquite, Texas/Horn HS), CJ James (Springfield, Mass./Central HS/New Mexico), Kenyan Kelly (Denison, Texas/Denison HS), Nate Markiewicz (McKinney, Texas/North HS), Jonah Miller (Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic HS/Santa Rosa [Calif.] JC), Elijah Newell (Maumelle, Ark./Maumelle HS), Chidera Otutu (Pflugerville, Texas/Weiss HS), Zechariah Robinson (Brookshire, Texas/Royal HS), JJ Sparkman (Longview, Texas/Pine Tree HS/Texas Tech), Joseph Ugwu Jr. (Katy, Texas/Paetow HS) and Daemian Wimberly (Austin, Texas/Vandegrift HS/SMU).



The group features 14 players from the state of Texas, one apiece from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts and Mississippi, as well as one from Australia. Of the players from the Lone Star State, four hail from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex/North Texas, three each are from the Greater Houston Area and East Texas, two call Central Texas home and one apiece come from San Antonio and Southeast Texas.



Eleven of the players are slated to play on the offensive side of the ball, 10 are pegged for the defense and one is a specialist.



Ten of the players are joining the Roadrunners from the high school ranks — including seven from Texas — while the other dozen are transfers who were part of FBS programs.

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor on Thursday announced that he has elevated Hunter Rittimann to assistant coach. A veteran of the Roadrunners’ staff since 2018, he will oversee the Roadrunners’ tight ends.



Rittimann moved into his new role following a two-year stint as UTSA’s Director of High School Relations. Prior to that, the San Antonio native was a graduate assistant for the offense for four seasons. During his time on staff, he has primarily worked with tight ends (2021-23) and wide receivers (2018-20), helping the Roadrunners to 46 wins, two conference championships and four bowl appearances.



In 2023, Rittimann helped the Roadrunners to a 9-4 record, including a 7-1 league mark in their debut campaign in the American Athletic Conference, and the program’s first bowl win with a 35-17 victory over Marshall in the Frisco Bowl. UTSA’s tight ends combined to catch 44 passes for 411 yards. Oscar Cardenas was named third-team all-conference after posting 32 receptions for 280 yards and a pair of touchdowns.



Rittimann helped guide UTSA to an 11-3 record, a second straight Conference USA Championship, a national ranking as high as No. 22, and a third consecutive bowl appearance in 2022. The tight ends hauled in 51 passes for 672 yards and three TDs, paced by Cardenas, who caught 31 balls for 438 yards and two scores en route to honorable mention all-league accolades. Overall, the offense set program records with 6,664 total offense yards, 476.0 yards per game, 4,210 passing yards, 300.7 passing yards per game, 34 passing touchdowns, 362 first downs and 25.9 first downs per game.



In 2021, Rittimann worked with the tight ends and helped the Roadrunners post a 12-2 record, earn a national ranking as high as No. 15, capture the program’s first league crown and make their second straight bowl game. The offense set single-season program records for total points (516) and points per game (36.9) with the tight ends combining to catch 28 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns.



Rittimann helped mentor the wide receivers for his first three years on the UTSA staff. In 2020, the unit combined for 170 receptions, 1,923 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, while helping lead a balanced offensive attack that piled up 2,399 passing yards and a school-record 2,585 rushing yards. UTSA won seven games, finished second in the C-USA West Division and made the program’s first bowl appearance since 2016.



During his time as a graduate assistant, he also helped coordinate on-campus events such as junior days as well as official and unofficial visits.



Rittimann was a member of the Texas Tech football program in 2014-16 under then-head coach Kliff Kingsbury, playing quarterback, wide receiver and on special teams.



He played quarterback at San Antonio Johnson High School under his father, head coach Ron Rittimann. He was a first-team All-District 26-5A and honorable mention Class 5A All-State selection as a senior in 2013 after throwing for 2,898 yards and 32 touchdowns on 158-of-252 passing.



Rittimann earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Texas Tech in 2017 and his master’s degree in health and kinesiology from UTSA in 2020.

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor on Wednesday announced that he has named Zach Brown, a four-year veteran of the Roadrunners staff, as the program’s special teams coordinator and nickels coach.



Brown has moved into his new role after a two-year stint as UTSA’s Director of Player Personnel. Prior to that, he was a defensive analyst for two seasons which included serving as Senior Analyst and Director of Defensive Recruiting in 2021. He has primarily worked with the nickel/“money” backer position during his time in San Antonio.



During Brown’s time on the UTSA staff, the Roadrunners have enjoyed the most successful four-year run in program history with a 39-14 overall record, 27-4 regular season league mark, two conference championships and four straight bowl appearances.



Brown joined the UTSA program prior to the 2020 season. He was a defensive analyst before being promoted to interim linebackers coach that November. The Roadrunners won seven games, finished second in the Conference USA West Division and made the program’s first bowl appearance since 2016. The defense led the conference in sacks (25), tackles for loss (85), interceptions (11), takeaways (19) and turnover margin (+7). In fact, the Roadrunners ranked in the top 30 nationally in five categories — 19th in turnovers gained, 23rd in passes intercepted, 25th in fumbles recovered (8), 26th in turnover margin and 29th in tackles for loss per game (7.1).



In 2021, Brown helped UTSA post a 12-2 record, earn a national ranking as high as No. 15, capture the Conference USA crown and make a second straight and third overall bowl game. The defense recorded the first two shutouts in school history with a 54-0 rout of Lamar and a 45-0 blanking of Rice. The Roadrunners ranked 14th in the country in rushing defense (114.7 ypg) and fourth nationally with 14 fumble recoveries, and they set school standards for sacks (33) and sacks per game (2.4).



Brown was integral in the emergence of Clarence Hicks as one the league’s top defenders in 2021, as the honorable mention All-American set a then-school record with 10.5 sacks and registered 16.5 tackles for loss, 37 total tackles, six quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble en route to first-team all-conference accolades.



The 2022 campaign saw the Roadrunners finish with an 11-3 record, earn a national ranking as high as No. 22, capture a second straight league title and make a third consecutive bowl trip. UTSA ranked 25th nationally with 22 takeaways and finished in the top three in the league in several categories, including sacks (6.6 per game), interceptions (15) and red zone defense (.812). Dadrian Taylor picked up honorable mention all-conference recognition after posting 36 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, six pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, one forced fumble and a 73-yard interception return, giving him the program record with three pick sixes.



In 2023, Brown helped guide UTSA to a 9-4 record, including a 7-1 mark in its debut season in the American Athletic Conference. The Roadrunners capped the year with the program’s first bowl win, a 35-17 victory over Marshall in the Frisco Bowl. The defense broke program single-season records with 46 sacks, 99 tackles for loss and 56 quarterback hurries, finishing the year ranked second nationally with 3.54 sacks per game and fifth in the FBS with 7.6 tackles for loss per contest. Individually, Donyai Taylor garnered second-team all-league accolades after recording 46 tackles, seven TFLs, two sacks, six QB hurries, two pass breakups, a 78-yard interception return and a 19-yard fumble return.



Prior to joining the Roadrunners, Brown spent three seasons at Ole Miss. He was a graduate assistant in 2017 before being promoted to Player Personnel Analyst for the defense for the 2018 and ’19 campaigns. The Rebels climbed from 113th in the FBS to 60th in points allowed per game during his tenure. He worked directly with five defensive backs who went on to the NFL including Javien Hamilton, Myles Hartsfield, A.J. Moore, C.J. Moore and Ken Webster.



Brown spent two years at St. Lawrence University, an NCAA Division III member of the Liberty League. He was a graduate assistant and defensive backs coach in 2015 before being elevated to the full-time defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator in 2016.



During his time in Canton, New York, the Saints won back-to-back Liberty League Championships. St. Lawrence ranked second nationally in scoring defense and 10th in total defense in 2016 after finishing the previous season sixth in the nation with 23 interceptions and 16th in pass defense (159.6 ypg). Leondre Simmon was named an All-American and first-team all-conference at cornerback, while James Holley-Grisham garnered first-team all-league honors both seasons and was named 2015 Liberty League Special Teams Player of the Year as a punt returner.



He spent the 2013 season at Columbia as a volunteer defensive intern before being promoted to quality control for that side of the ball in 2014. He worked with the outside linebackers and defensive backs during his time with the Lions.



Brown got his coaching start at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, New York, for one season before joining the staff at Skaneateles (N.Y.) High School for three years.



Brown earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Syracuse in 2012 and his master’s degree in journalism from Columbia in 2014.



He and his wife, Samantha, have a daughter, Ariya.

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor on Tuesday announced that he has hired Galen Scott as defensive pass game coordinator and linebackers coach.



Scott comes to San Antonio from Louisiana, where he was the Ragin’ Cajuns’ inside linebackers coach for three seasons. During his time in Lafayette, he coached five all-conference players and helped lead the program to 25 wins and a conference championship.



This past season, Scott helped guide the Ragin’ Cajuns to six wins and a bowl appearance. He coached K.C. Ossai to honorable mention All-Sun Belt Conference accolades after he led the team in tackles with 95 and posted 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.



In 2022, Scott mentored Jourdan Quibodeaux to second-team all-league honors after he recorded a team-high 107 tackles to go with 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Kris Moncrief also earned All-Sun Belt honors after registering 74 tackles, 6.0 TFL and 2.5 sacks.

In his first season in Lafayette, Scott helped the Ragin’ Cajuns capture the Sun Belt Conference Championship with a perfect 8-0 league ledger and a 13-1 overall record capped by a 36-21 victory over Marshall in the New Orleans Bowl. Individually, Lorenzo McCaskill was named All-Sun Belt Conference after pacing the team with 85 tackles to go with two tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. Additionally, all-conference linebacker Ferrod Gardner was credited with 67 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and an interception. That duo helped Louisiana rank 11th nationally in scoring defense (18.5) and 22nd nationally in total defense (334.6).

Prior to his time with the Ragin’ Cajuns, Scott spent two seasons at North Texas, where he worked with the linebackers. His unit was paced by KD Davis, who led the team in tackles in 2019 and 2020 en route to earning honorable mention All-Conference USA honors.

Prior to his time on the Mean Green staff, Scott was the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Virginia Tech in 2016-17. He helped the Hokies to a pair of bowl game appearances and a 10-win season in 2016 that saw Virginia Tech win the ACC Coastal Division and defeat Arkansas in the Belk Bowl. The Hokies ranked among the top-15 defenses in the country both seasons, as well as ranking within the top 10 against the pass each year.

While with Virginia Tech, he coached six All-ACC performers who went on to sign contracts in the NFL, including Tremaine Edmunds, who was First Team All-ACC and was the 16th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills (2018), and Terrell Edmunds, who was a Second Team All-ACC selection and was the 28th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Before joining Virginia Tech, Scott spent six seasons at Memphis, coaching the linebackers before becoming the defensive coordinator in his final season. He helped the Tigers to three bowl game appearances, including a share of the American Athletic Conference Championship and a top-25 finish in 2014.

In 2014, the Tigers had a top-25 defense nationally and top-20 defense against the run. The following season, Scott helped lead the Tigers to one of the biggest wins in program history, a 37-24 victory over No. 13 Ole Miss on the way to a nine-win campaign after losing 11 starters on defense from the previous season. The win over the Rebels was the program’s first against a ranked opponent since 1996.

Scott was responsible for recruiting and coaching Dontari Poe, who was the 11th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He also recruited Tony Pollard, who was named the AAC Special Teams Player of the Year in both 2016 and 2017 before being drafted in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys (2019).

He spent two seasons at Tulsa as the outside linebackers and secondary coach, helping the Golden Hurricane claim a pair of Conference USA West division titles. While at Tulsa, Scott recruited and coached all-league linebacker Dexter McCoil, who went on to become a Grey Cup champion (2015) and was named Canadian Football League Rookie of the Year (2014).

Scott began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, Illinois State, for seven seasons, including two as the defensive coordinator. Scott was named the 2005 AFCA FCS Assistant Coach of the Year with the Redbirds. During that time, he coached five players who were named conference Defensive Player of the Year in five consecutive seasons – Boomer Grigsby (2002-2004), Brent Hawkins (2005) and Cameron Siscowic (2006).

Grigsby was a fifth round selection by the Chiefs (2005), Hawkins was a fifth round selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars (2006) and Siskowic was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals, before signing with the Minnesota Vikings later in the 2006 season.

During the 2005 season, while Scott was defensive coordinator, he helped lead the Redbirds to the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 1994 and his defense ranked within the top five nationally and second in the conference.

In addition to his prowess on the defensive side of the ball, he also recruited 2005 Gateway Offensive Player of the Year, wide receiver Laurent Robinson, who was a 2007 NFL Draft third round pick by the Atlanta Falcons.

Scott was a three-time All-America linebacker for the Redbirds and graduated as the school's all-time leading tackler, before Grigsby, coached by Scott, broke the ISU record.

Scott is married to Tashauna Scott and they have two children, Reid and Ryan.

Here’s the first reported change of the cycle. Would not be surprised to see a few more.

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The dead period is over. That means official visits are back. Below is a list of recruits visiting this week:

RB - Darwin Barlow - USC

LB - Brevin Randle - LA. Tech

LB - Max Harris - ULM

S - Jermarius Lewis - New Mexico

CB- Zachary Morris - New Mexico

QB - Diego Pavia - New Mexico State

OL - Jaylen Garth - Houston

OL - Kamar Missouri - Rutgers

First one of the day.

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Javi or Stephen. I’ve heard from a few different folks i trust that Frank isn’t playing tonight. Anything on y’all’s end?

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