Episode 126: Leadership and Legacy: Jeff Traylor’s Rise from High School to UTSA

For more information on Mental Fitness Training with Chance Potts & John Perry go to OneMoreBenefit.com Visit HelpFromDad on Instagram for educational videos that one may ask their dad. Website coming soon. If you have any suggestions, questions, or feedback, don't hesitate to email John Perry at johnperry@neverstopgettingbetter.net. Join us on this journey of continuous improvement, and let's strive to never stop getting better together!" Jeff Traylor Univ. of Texas at San Antonio Named UTSA’s third head coach on Dec. 9, 2019, Jeff Traylor has had an immediate impact on the program, university and city of San Antonio in a short period of time. Traylor has turned around the UTSA football program by instilling his 210 Triangle of Toughness culture, which has led to positive results on and off the field. The Gilmer, Texas, native took over a team that won a combined seven games in the two seasons prior to his arrival and has led the Roadrunners to a 39-14 record in his first four years at the helm, the most wins and best winning percentage (.736) by a coach in program history. Traylor has more than 30 years of coaching experience including a highly successful 15-year career as head coach at Gilmer High School, where he led teams to three state championships and two state runner-up finishes and won more than 87% of his games, a winning percentage that ranks 10th all-time in Texas high school history. Prior to coming to the Alamo City, the Gilmer native served as associate head coach and running backs coach for two seasons at Arkansas, where he helped sign the school’s first top-20 recruiting class. Prior to that, he served in the same role at SMU for the 2017 season. He began his collegiate coaching career as the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Texas in 2015 before becoming the Longhorns’ associate head coach for offense and wide receivers coach the following year. Prior to his time at Arkansas, Traylor spent the 2017 season as associate head coach and running backs coach at SMU under Chad Morris. He also served as the Mustangs’ interim head coach before joining Morris' staff at Arkansas. Prior to his time in Dallas, Traylor spent two seasons at Texas. He was the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator in 2015 and then the associate head coach for offense and wide receivers coach in 2016. Traylor built his hometown program into a prep powerhouse during his 15-year tenure leading the Gilmer Buckeyes. A four-time Texas High School Coach of the Year, he posted a 175-26 record (.871 winning percentage) and led Gilmer to five state championship game appearances, three state titles (2004, ’09, ’14) and 12 district crowns. In 2014, his undefeated Class 4A Division II state championship team boasted one of the most prolific offenses in Texas prep history. Gilmer scored 950 points, the second-most at that time in state history, averaging 59.4 points and 536.1 yards over the 16-game season. The Buckeyes topped 60 points nine times, including two 80-point performances. Gilmer also averaged 536.1 total yards per game (8,577 yards) 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 and had eight different players earn Class 4A All-State honors from either the AP or Texas Sports Writers Association. Gilmer’s two other state titles under Traylor both came in Class 3A in 2004 (Division II) and 2009 (Division I). Inducted into the East Texas Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 2019. Traylor began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Big Sandy High School in 1990-93 before a seven-year stint (1994-2000) at Jacksonville High School.