With robust opening slate completed, UTSA seems to be to regroup, plan for future – San Antonio Categorical-Information

Deciding what message he needed to ship to the Roadrunners amid the very best harm complete he’s confronted throughout his tenure, he centered on the tradition pillar of “pound the fist.”

He reminded the Roadrunners that life could be stuffed with three D’s: doubt, disappointment and defeat. By means of a 1-2 begin with a win at Military and losses to Houston and Texas, UTSA has skilled all three.

Because the Roadrunners look to get well and regroup with the beginning of the Convention USA season two weeks away, Traylor reiterated to the gamers that sticking to the Triangle of Toughness model gained’t assure success, however it offers them the perfect shot.

“That’s actually what life is. It is numerous defeats, numerous self-doubt, and numerous disappointment, if all of us look again at our lives,” Traylor stated. “Who can push by means of? Who’s simply robust sufficient? Who can pound the primary? That’s what they bought dropped with this morning. I got here in on hearth, and I’m going to remain on hearth all week.”

Reviewing the monitoring knowledge from Saturday’s loss to Texas, Traylor stated UTSA “blew away” the earlier document for vitality expended. Because the Roadrunners put together for a matchup towards FCS opponent Texas Southern on Saturday within the Alamodome, Traylor stated adjusting the week’s follow schedule was a matter of “frequent sense.”

As an alternative of the standard 16 durations, the Roadrunners had the prospect to wrap up in as little as 12, although Traylor stated a minimum of one interval needed to be repeated for not being as much as par.

“Clearly we performed our behinds off towards Texas, so the legs have been somewhat heavy,” offensive lineman Terrell Haynes stated. “It’s at all times a blessing when coach takes durations off follow. We have now to maximise that, not repeating stuff, and excellent execution.”

The Roadrunners have “taken main hits in the identical areas,” Traylor stated, with UTSA’s high 4 offensive tackles unavailable and three Sam linebackers testing of Saturday’s sport as a result of harm.

Although Traylor declined to share many particulars of accidents to particular gamers, the Roadrunners’ up to date depth chart was lacking an array of common standouts.

5 gamers who’ve began video games this yr have been lacking: linebacker Dadrian Taylor, defensive deal with Brandon Matterson and proper tackles Demetris Allen, Ernesto Almaraz and Makai Hart. The Roadrunners additionally didn’t checklist a bunch of rotation gamers together with operating again Trelon Smith and defensive deal with Joe Evans.

Smith warmed up for Saturday’s sport towards Texas however was held out for precautionary causes, Traylor stated. Seven of the gamers listed on the harm report are offensive linemen, Traylor stated, forcing UTSA to contemplate transferring gamers from different place teams to fill the hole.

Behind first-year left deal with Venly Tatafu and walk-on proper deal with Frankie Martinez are a pair of true freshmen from Central Catholic: Ben Rios and Deandre Marshall. Although Traylor had hoped to keep up their redshirts, he stated he “may foresee them taking part in fairly quickly.”

Remembering how accidents helped him declare a beginning job for the primary time in 2020, guard Terrell Haynes stated he’s suggested the remainder of the unit to know “your rep may come at any second.”

“Don’t blink,” Haynes stated. “I ended up getting thrown into the fireplace, and that’s what I preserve telling the youthful guys: at all times be prepared on your second.”

Traylor stated pushing by means of the warmth of the three-game stretch “that no person would ever hope to undergo” has made the gamers “battle-tested” and helped the teaching employees be taught to speak in numerous environments.

The difficult run “introduced the workforce collectively,” Haynes stated, placing extra emphasis on taking part in clear in matchups with no margin for error.

Linebacker Trey Moore stated the robust opening slate was “actually good for the workforce and can assist us down the road,” whereas receiver Joshua Cephus stated the Roadrunners doubled down on “specializing in each tradition pillar now we have.”

“We’re robust,” Cephus stated. “It doesn’t matter who we play towards. I really feel just like the triangle goes to journey each time.”

Waiting for a transfer to the American Athletic Convention and a nonconference schedule of Houston, Military, Texas State and Tennessee in 2023, Traylor has been reminded of UTSA’s room to develop.

Holding up towards that stage of opponent week after week requires constructing depth to face up to 21 accidents, Traylor stated, and reaching that stage of recruiting requires elevating UTSA’s NIL contributions, or bringing extra money in to this system from every thing spanning ticket gross sales to capital contributions.

“We can’t be patting ourselves on the again for getting beat carefully and scaring individuals,” Traylor stated. “I need all people to grasp, now we have to get out of that mindset. We will’t be little brother. Town of San Antonio isn’t little brother to something.”

Traylor stated UTSA’s future AAC schedule was up for vote Tuesday, and as he appeared by means of the checklist of opponents, he thought concerning the gaps in amenities, facilities, assistant teaching salaries and NIL cash.

A part of the burden falls on Traylor to proceed maximizing what he has, however he stated the current success is “not going to final if we don’t have the infrastructure and depth on our roster to proceed to play nice groups.”

“Is it truthful to carry them to that customary? For those who’re not giving them the identical that everyone else is getting, is that truthful?” Traylor stated. “We have now to get to some extent the place we’re not pleased as a metropolis of simply being shut. We have now to shut that hole.”

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