By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal
SAN ANTONIO — UTSA’s bye week provided time to reset, but it didn’t come without more outside noise.
As the Roadrunners (2-2) prepare to open American Conference play at Temple Saturday, head coach Jeff Traylor’s name has again surfaced in reports tied to the Arkansas coaching search after Sam Pittman was fired on Sunday.
Traylor, an East Texas native and former Razorbacks assistant, has repeatedly been mentioned in coaching circles since transforming UTSA into one of the conference’s most consistent programs.
Since 2020, he has led the Roadrunners to 48 wins, two conference championships and five straight bowl appearances. Traylor’s success has made him a target for Power Four openings, but this week’s task is clear n– a noon kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field against the Owls (2-2) on ESPN+.
Traylor addressed speculation over the newly open Oklahoma State last week with players and said he’ll do the same again this week.
“We’ll address it,” he said during his weekly press conference Monday. “IT’s walways different for each kid because some kiods are from Arkansas, so they know more about it than other kids, and some kids are from Oklahoma, so they know more about that than other kids.
“All of our kids talk about that stuff because that’s what everybody else is talking about. So, yeah, I will address it (Monday) again and remind them that I have a long contract, that was intentional, and how much I love this place.”
UTSA has momentum after rebounding from an 0-2 start with wins over Incarnate Word and Colorado State.
Against the Rams, senior running back Robert Henry Jr. showed once again why he’s been one of the nation’s breakout stars. He rushed for 144 yards and added a 74-yard touchdown reception that proved decisive in the 17-16 win.
Henry leads the FBS in rushing yards per game (156), all-purpose yards (180) and yards per carry (9.2). He has scored nine touchdowns through four games and ripped off a play of 70 or more yards in every contest.
Quarterback Owen McCown continues to provide balance, throwing seven touchdowns in four games. The redshirt junior has leaned on a deep receiver group while showing poise in his first season as UTSA’s starter.
Defensively, the Roadrunners are coming off one of their best efforts. Nnanna Anyanwu recorded three sacks at Colorado State, highlighting a front that has posted sacks in 26 of its last 27 games. The secondary, however, remains an area of concern, as UTSA has surrendered more than 280 passing yards per game.
Temple, under first-year head coach K.C. Keeler, is seeking its first win over UTSA after dropping the first two meetings by double digits. The Owls began 2-0 before running into top-20 opponents Oklahoma and Georgia Tech.
Despite the setbacks, Temple has been efficient in critical moments. The Owls have converted all 12 of their red-zone trips into touchdowns and rank among the nation’s best in turnover margin (+1.25).
Quarterback Evan Simon has thrown 10 touchdown passes without an interception, while running back Jay Ducker leads the ground game with 315 yards. Wideout JoJo Bermudez has emerged as a reliable target and a weapon in the return game. Defensively, linebacker Cam’Ron Stewart leads the charge with 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in four games.
Saturday’s game will be just the third meeting between the schools, with UTSA winning 49-34 in Philadelphia in 2023 and 51-27 in San Antonio last season. The Roadrunners are 4-1 in conference openers under Traylor, though they dropped last year’s league debut at East Carolina.
For Temple, the matchup is a chance to measure progress under Keeler and capture a signature win. For UTSA, it’s an opportunity to show that outside distractions won’t derail a team still aiming for another run at a conference title.
