Traylor Emerges as Candidate for Coaching Openings

UTSA coach Jeff Traylor is among the names linked to five open FBS head coaching jobs for the 2026-27 season.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Football

Traylor Emerges as Candidate for Coaching Openings

Live Poll

Do you trust underdog coaches with big-program jobs?

UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor is a candidate for 2026-27 college football coaching openings, which include Baylor, Florida State, Maryland, and NC State. Traylor has a 60-27 record at UTSA and a 7-1 team this season.

Why it matters

Traylor's record at UTSA, including two Conference USA championships, has raised his profile as several FBS programs look for new head coaches. His contract runs through 2031 with a buyout just below $10 million, a figure any hiring program would need to weigh.

Traylor's UTSA teams have posted a .690 winning percentage with a 60-27 overall record, and his contract buyout is just below $10 million. The extraction does not say whether any of the five open FBS programs have made contact with him.

The players

Jeff Traylor

Traylor is the head football coach at UTSA, with a 60-27 record there and previous success winning three Texas high school state championships at Gilmer High.

Charlie Strong

Strong is a former college football head coach who led the Texas Longhorns, and Traylor served on his staff there beginning in 2015.

The details

Traylor began coaching high school football in 1990 at Big Sandy High, later going 175-26 at Gilmer High and winning three state championships there. He joined Charlie Strong's Texas staff in 2015 before being hired as UTSA's head coach in 2020.

1990: Traylor begins his high school coaching career at Big Sandy High.
2015: Traylor joins Charlie Strong's staff at Texas.
2020: Traylor is hired as UTSA's head coach.
2026: UTSA stands 7-1, with its only loss to Texas in a non-conference game.
2031: Traylor's UTSA contract is scheduled to expire.

Sports Context

Traylor's path from Texas high school championships through a Texas staff role to a Conference USA title-winning run at UTSA mirrors the route many Texas coaches take toward FBS head coaching jobs. His two Conference USA championships at UTSA are the credential that places him among the candidates for the open Baylor, Florida State, Maryland, and NC State positions.

The open coaching jobs could shape which programs compete for conference titles in 2026-27, affecting how fans in the region follow their teams. Fantasy and betting readers tracking college football should watch which of the five open programs hire Traylor, since that move would affect UTSA's roster stability.

The takeaway

Traylor's UTSA record and his long Texas coaching résumé make him a notable name as FBS programs fill their vacancies, so the outcome of this search may shape the college football landscape heading into 2026-27.