UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 2, 2024

Jeff Traylor

Press Conference

UTSA 44, Memphis 36

Q. How did you guys pull this one out today?

JEFF TRAYLOR: You know, it was one of those days. Kids just kept making plays. It really was unbelievable. It was a tale of two halves. In the first half our offense, the way they were executing was as good as I've seen us, with literally game-day adjustments. Having to move Chris everywhere because Willie was supposed to be here and couldn't be here.

We had a little bit of difficulty with some of those freshmen out there. But pretty much Jamal, Makai got lined up close enough and our quarterback is just really, really different.

And those catches Chris made, and you come out and drop the ball on the comeback and JJ didn't even blink. Just kept making plays. I would say the offense execution in the first half was incredible, and our defense, which it's pretty much been all year, we had the defensive pass interference penalty on the interception, and that was one touchdown.

Then you had Donyai. He hit Seth when he was going into a slide, which is now two weeks in a row, and that's a tough one, man. They're trying their best to protect the quarterbacks, the officials are.

So that was 14 points. It wasn't as bad as you think because it's on the board, but we just calmed our kids down at halftime. And the halves flipped really. Our defense had no penalties in the second half. Didn't have any of that going on. I think we might have stopped them seven or eight possessions in a row, except for the two two-minute drives.

Then our offenses I would say was just good enough in the second half. Couldn't get the run game going again and they started playing a lot of loaded coverage to us and we ended up just trying to stick it up in there and just did you enough run the ball to get out of here with a win.

Really happy for my kids.

Q. Jeff, what kind of relief is in that locker room after a win like that? First win against a top 25 win. Pretty big win? For the Roadrunners today.

JEFF TRAYLOR: Yeah, I know ya'll get tired of all my same answers I always give, but we don't even think like that. We think we should be there. We think that should be us. We're really happy. Been disappointed quite a bit this year. We didn't see it as we were shocking the world or upset alert.

We just never even talked about that way. We just talked about the plan and we stuck to it and just kept chipping away.

Yes, we're thrilled. We broke some score records today. Jamal Ligon became the all-time leading tackler in the history of the school; Chris Carpenter back-to-back 100-yard receiving. Had two games in a row where Chris has just -- and he had two huge punt returns that changed momentum.

And Tate Sandell, 54 yard field goal, new school record, and that was pretty cool when he bounced in the 60 yarder, however long it was. They did a good job of freezing him there and putting their guy out there.

Q. What is it about playing in the Alamodome that brings the best out of these guys and how did you see the environment impact the team today?

JEFF TRAYLOR: Yeah, those 20,000 people that were here, those are the 20,000 that were here probably 14 years ago when ya'll started the program to the 20,000 that will be here when this thing is 100 years old. They're your real fans, people that are always here; you can count on them.

It's small things. Like when you're driving in this morning, 8:00 and there is 100 people out in the rain with their Birds Up, UTSA gear. Those things are huge for players. They're unbelievably uplifting to young men. They're 18 to 23 years old. They know how they disappointed the city. It's those 20,000.

I mean it. And the band; SOSA is incredible. They have really learned when to play and how to be loud. I think the presentation we do at home has become really good. Good timing when we talk up there and describing what's going on to the crowd. We've kind of learned the vibe.

I know you're thinking, you got to make them more mentally tough on the road. Yes, I agree. We got to figure that out. I know you're tired of hearing my stuff. When the season started I wanted this young offense to have some home games early in the year and I didn't get my wish.

Got a whole month of playing at home with a young offense that has learned how to get good on the road. I just wish we had had the confidence. I really feel strongly we should have been 6-2 and playing those guys today and it be like 40,000 people in here.

We didn't get that done because of those road games.

Q. What did it mean with the amount of injuries at receiver and Oscar to see the rest of tight ends to step up with four touchdowns today?

JEFF TRAYLOR: That's just Oscar. He had surgery yesterday. They all hurt, right? Makai, JT, Oscar, Ken. I could go through the list. Those are all all-conference players. Joe Evans. They've helped us win conference championships that have been model citizens for this place, and those hurt. Leroy started it. Passed it to Oscar, the baton, and Oscar is a passing it on down. Some really good young tight ends Dan and Patrick and Houston. Oscar would expect nothing else. He really wouldn't.

I'm excited because we get some relief coming back. Should be getting McCuin back. Willie is going to be back. Amador getting healthy. It'll be nice to see the receiver room out there. Get those running backs healed up. Got to take care of my kids this week and see if we can put together another November to remember.

Q. Coach, for Memphis, the receiver, looked had a pretty big first half. Looked like he got injured on the touchdown celebration. How much did that change how you attacked them defensively in the second half?

JEFF TRAYLOR: I still saw him out there. Maybe it was just the few plays he was out there. I still saw him. We knew he was gimped though, there was no doubt.

So, yeah, we knew they were hobbled. Are you sure he didn't play at all? I thought I saw him out there in the second half.

Q. I didn't see him.

JEFF TRAYLOR: I'll I have to check with my defensive guys. I just remember thinking he was done because I saw the same play you did, and then I saw him in the slot and he was moving pretty good, so I thought he must have -- I wasn't for sure how much he played in the second half, to be honest with you. I thought I saw him out there.

Q. Your defense has given up some big plays this season. What did it mean for them to shut a pretty good Memphis defense down in the middle of the game?

JEFF TRAYLOR: Yeah, we gave up a ton of big plays again. I think Seth threw for about 450, so we just got to get better, JJ.

In the end at least they were contested and we were there. They were unbelievable catches. Early, you know, they got my freshmen a couple times. Got him on a post corner. Heck of a throw by Seth.

But he played well. Made some good tackles. Really happy for him. Yeah, it's just a good football team. I say it every week. It's hard to win college football games. As long as we been here together there has been some revisionist history written. We've just won all these close games, and this year we've lost our share of close games.

It's the difference of play or two every week. It's pretty much what college football is now.

Q. How would you describe the growth you've seen from Owen McCown this season? His second straight huge game for him.

JEFF TRAYLOR: Yeah, he wasn't perfect tonight, but he's really good. You can tell what you're watching. He's different. He's just special.

I joke with the defensive coaches when he threw one of those amazing throws. You do know the reason I'm in this chair right now is because I got to coach his father and uncles as well and I got to watch that in high school for about a decade.

Those kids, it's just who they are, the people they are, their IQ, character, love for other people, how they serve people. And the Lord gave him a lot of talent at understands how to play the quarterback position.

He won't say any of that when he walks in here. He only wants to talk about his teammates and his O-line. That's just who the kid is. He's maturing right in front of our eyes. Even incompletions tonight. He threw some dimes, now. That post he threw to Chris down there, made some unbelievable plays tonight.

Q. Was it meaningful to see Jermarius Lewis come up with an interception in his first start stepping in for Ken Robinson?

JEFF TRAYLOR: He's such a good boy. I mean, if you knew Jermarius, you would love him. I mean, he's a really neat kid. I was happy for him. I really was. It was a huge play.

I don't think we did a real good job offensively of getting much out of that thing. We didn't much clock run off or points I don't think. I was really happy for J5, Jermarius.

Q. Your postgame interview on the field on ESPN seemed a little emotional. Why does this one mean so much?

JEFF TRAYLOR: I don't think I was that emotional, JJ. I'm having a grandchild. I was making the national announcement that Micky Jacob Tredder (phonetic) is going to be here in a few days. That's probably what I was thinking. I'm really thrilled for my kids.

You know, I'm a softy. Those 100 people out there in the rain today, you know, you want to take a picture of all of them and write them a personal letter. You really do. Those are the people in life, man, they're just not -- those are the ones that matter.

It's those kind of people that hang with you no matter what. I'm not saying we deserve any of that, but those guys were out there today. You always think about the people that call you during the week, that they know they've got your back no matter what happens. Because you want them feel good. People like that hurt like I hurt. They know how my team hurts.

As frustrated as we all are they hurt for the kids for me, the program, hurt for UTSA. That's where my mind always goes.

I'm a big boy. I've told ya'll. I've been doing this a long time. I got 250 people at the Busch Club meeting every Wednesday griping a coach out for only winning 50-7. Should have been 50-0. I've been through this before.

The kids, your administration, people that back you, boosters, fans, you just hurt for them because you know and I know how loyal people have been to me and how much they've helped me since I've been here.

You just want to please them. So that's where that always comes from.

Thank ya'll. God bless. Birds Up.