UTSA knows that the route back to conference championship contention requires better performances on the road, and head coach Jeff Traylor says he’s spent this offseason under the hood trying to figure out how to create more mental toughness away from the Alamodome. He also shook up the coaching staff with changes at offensive coordinator, along the defensive line, and in the strength and conditioning staff. 

“We’ve struggled on the road. We’re as good as anyone in the world at home,” Traylor said. “Why is that? That’s been our greatest study and priority this offseason. We’re not even close data-wise home and away and that has to be a mental toughness thing. We have to figure that out and it starts with me.”

The Roadrunners were one of only two teams in Texas that beat a College Football Playoff team in 2025 when they throttled Tulane. The other was the Texas win over Texas A&M. UTSA has proven it can still beat the cream of the crop in the American with victories over the likes of Tulane and Memphis. But only at home. UTSA is 10-2 in the Alamodome since 2024 and 3-10 in true road games. That’s brought the program back to the pack and stalled progress in San Antonio. 

UTSA does have more money to spend. The Roadrunners spent around $1 million on the roster in 2025 and expect that to be closer to $4 million in 2026. Not as much as the yearly favorites in the American like South Florida, Memphis, and Tulane, however. 

Fueled by B-Daddy’s BBQ, here are some notes from my stop in the Alamo City after speaking to Traylor, OC Rick Bowie, DC Loepp, and QB Owen McCown. 

Offense 

• Owen McCown is out for the spring after hernia surgery. He was injured in the Week 2 loss against Texas State and was never close to healthy the rest of the season, though, he doesn’t see it as an excuse for what he called a disappointing year for the Roadrunners. He wasn’t a full-speed participant in practice once after Week 2. Traylor thinks the new system helps McCown be on the same page with the weapons around him. 
• Speaking of the new system, Bowie clearly wants his offense to be simple for his players with the illusion of complexity for the opponents. Expect more tempo from the UTSA offense and more vertical shots down the field. He’s a product of the Dana Holgorsen/Jake Spavital/Shannon Dawson tree of Air Raid offense, so he likes to pass the ball, but that doesn’t mean they won’t run it. Traylor compared the scheme and simplicity to his Gilmer days and said he hired Bowie because “he was the best teacher I interviewed for the job and college football is now a one-year proposition and that requires coaches with simple schemes who can explain them easily to players.” 
• Brandon Tennison is expected to be QB2 with Max Gerlich as QB3. 
• The running back room is “stacked.” That starts with Will Henderson. Brandon High returning after a year at Cal gives the Roadrunners a real 1-2 punch at running back in 2026. A’Marion Peterson is RB3. There are questions and concerns after those three. Freshman Mykha Green might’ve worked his way into the rotation but he tore his ACL. Frankie Arthur Jr. might be RB4. 
• UTSA does have some continuity along the OL and that is increasingly rare in the G6 ranks. The early guess for starting OL would be Jonah Miller (LT), Jaylen Garth (LG), Ben Rios (C), Darrell Jones (RG), DeAndre Marshall (RT). 
• Rios, Jones, and Marshall are returning starters. Garth was the starting right tackle before an injury and he was granted another year of eligibility. The early sense is he ends up at right guard. Jonah Miller earned high marks for his work at left tackle early in camp. 
• Depth will come from guys like Jarrett Henry, A’marion Breland, and Payton Williams. Davion Hurth was also mentioned as looking good so far in camp. 
• The tight end room was “gutted” by the transfers of Houston Thomas (Texas A&M) and Patrick Overmyer (Houston). Ty Rupe might be up next. He’s a 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman who could be the next big-time tight end for the Roadrunners. UTSA does feel good about four players at the position – Rupe, Miles Campbell, Isaiah Butler, and Brandon Young Jr. 
• David Amador II is back to lead the wide receiver room. DJ Allen Jr. and AJ Wilson are known commodities. Guys like Mekhi Anderson and Jamel Hardy Jr. should flourish in the new system. Texas Tech TJ West earned some praise, as did freshman Prince Hall. 

Defense 

• Less is known about the UTSA defense than the UTSA offense, which might seem odd on the surface given the change at OC, but for the second straight year, the Roadrunners don’t return many starters on the defensive side of the ball. 
• One position that does seem solidified is cornerback. Traylor and Loepp both said that it might be the best group of cornerbacks they’ve had at UTSA. That starts with the Chapman twins – Ahamad an Assad. But that also includes RJ Lester and Lawrence Brown Jr. 
• Nose tackle is another position that the staff is confident about. Jameian Buxton will start and Jusiah Sampleton is impressing. That gives the Roadrunners two big anchors in the middle. The staff likes the size of the DL. 
• Tai Leonard and a bunch of transfers like Eddy Smith are competing up front. Too early to know who emerges around Leonard. 
• Creating an edge rush is priority No. 1 for the defense. UTSA is known for having star edge rushers – think Trey Moore – but that was lacking in 2025, especially after Cam Cooper was injured against Texas A&M in Week 1. The Roadrunners struggled on third down because they couldn’t get to the quarterback. Loepp said if they can’t get there with four, they’ll rush five or six. The hope is Cooper’s return solves the problem and maybe a transfer like Elijah Baldwin or Dylan Spencer provide other options. 
• Linebacker is an interesting spot for UTSA after losing Shad Banks and Kendrick Blackshire. Probably safe to assume that the two starters are Brandon Tucker and Owen Pewee, who was a multiple-year starter at the Money Baker position. He’s getting more comfortable on the inside with each practice. 
• That does create an opening at that Money Backer position. Bryce Grays might be the favorite there. 
• Safety is a spot with some question marks. Joel Rogers is hurt. Nate Robinson Jr. and transfers such as Xavier Walton and Cam Upshaw Jr. are names to watch. 
• UTSA returns punter Caile Hogan and place kicker Michael Petro.