UTSA Roadrunners football
Encyclopedia
UTSA Roadrunners Football is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 program that represents the University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Texas at San Antonio
The University of Texas at San Antonio, commonly referred to as UTSA, is a state university in San Antonio, Texas. With an enrollment of more than 30,000 students, it is the third-largest of nine universities and six health institutions in the University of Texas System and the eighth-largest in...

. The team is coached by former Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...

 head coach, Larry Coker
Larry Coker
Larry Edward Coker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose Roadrunners football team begins play in 2011. From 2001 to 2006, Coker served as the head coach at the University of Miami...

. UTSA began practicing in August 2010, and began competing as an NCAA Division I FCS independent on September 3rd, 2011. On November 11, 2010, UTSA accepted an invitation for membership within the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...

 in the football bowl subdivision. UTSA will be an official member of the WAC on July 1, 2012, and begin their transition to the Football bowl Subdivision (FBS). The team plays its home games at the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...

 in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...

, which also serves as home to the Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...

.

Start-up and organization (2006–2011)

In February 2006, the University of Texas at San Antonio approached Carr Sports Associates, Inc. to conduct a feasibility study and make recommendations to the university regarding an expansion of the athletics department. In November of that year, UTSA was given the final results of that study. Following the recommendations of CSA, the university facilitated a student referendum in September 2007 to gauge support for a fee increase. Nearly 66% of student voters supported the fee increase.

In December 2008, after the approval of the UTSA administration, the university presented the University of Texas System
University of Texas System
The University of Texas System encompasses 15 educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are academic universities and six are health institutions. The system is headquartered in Austin and has a total enrollment of over 190,000 students...

 Board of Regents with a long-term plan that followed the feasibility study recommendations to build an $84 million athletic complex and the fee increase for their approval. It was approved by the board soon thereafter.

In January 2009, UTSA launched a campaign to raise money for the program dubbed the "Step Up UTSA" initiative. With a goal of $15 million USD, the campaign is meant to help fund coaches salaries, player scholarships, and construction of practice fields.

On February 4, 2009, former Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...

 head coach Larry Coker
Larry Coker
Larry Edward Coker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose Roadrunners football team begins play in 2011. From 2001 to 2006, Coker served as the head coach at the University of Miami...

 announced he had applied for the head coaching job. Later that month it was announced that Coker along with Tulsa's
Tulsa Golden Hurricane football
The University of Tulsa's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship. The football team was coached by Todd Graham until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh....

 co-defensive coordinator Paul Randolph and Mel Tjeerdsma
Mel Tjeerdsma
Mel Tjeerdsma is a retired American football coach. He served as the head coach at Austin College in Sherman, Texas from 1984 to 1993 and at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri from 1994 until his retirement after the 2010 season. In his 27 years as a head coach, Tjeerdsma...

, head coach from Northwest Missouri State were the finalists for the position. On March 5, 2009, the San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and Mexico City...

reported that Larry Coker had earned the position. The next day Coker was officially announced as the Roadrunners' first head football coach in a press conference. On April 22, 2009, Coker announced the addition of Mike Menefee, Eric Roark, and David Ross
David Ross (football coach)
-External links:* *...

 to the roster as assistant football coaches.

On June 4, 2009 UTSA unveiled the team's inaugural helmet
Football helmet
A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...

 design. The design was done by Ohio-based Rickabaugh Graphics, and had final approval by Coker. On January 20, 2010, the program announced the hiring of Travis Bush as offensive coordinator. Bush had previously worked in the same capacity for his alma mater, nationally-ranked Texas State
Texas State Bobcats football
The Texas State Bobcats football program is a college football team that represents Texas State University-San Marcos. The team is currently categorized as an FCS Independent as it transitions to FBS. They will become a member of the FBS Western Athletic Conference as of July 1, 2012. The program...

.

Although plans for conference and subdivision affiliation were unclear, Lynn Hickey, UTSA's athletic director had strongly hinted at plans for UTSA to join their current conference, the Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...

 (a member of the Division I FCS subdivision) in September 2009. However in late January 2010, Hickey stated that the football program would attempt to join the Division I FBS subdivision by 2014 instead, citing an overall disappointment for previous plans. This entailed UTSA joining the subdivision as an independent until finding admission to a conference.

On February 3, 2010, National Signing Day
National Signing Day
National Signing Day most commonly refers to a day in February, usually on the first Wednesday of that month, which is the first day that a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent for college football with a school that is a member of the NCAA, the main governing body for...

, UTSA officially announced their inaugural signing class. The twenty-seven students consisted mainly of incoming freshmen, including two transfer students who were currently sophomores at the university. Seven of the student athletes were considered all-state performers from their high school careers. The class was heavily recruited from the Greater San Antonio
Greater San Antonio
Greater San Antonio is a 8-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located in the South Central region of Texas. The MSA of Greater San Antonio is colloquially referred to as the "San Antonio-New Braunfels" metropolitan area as of the 2010 census.The official...

 area, as fourteen players were from such area high schools. Each player for the inaugural class was redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...

 during the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season
2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of the college football season, began in September 2010 and concluded with the national championship game on January 7, 2011 won by Eastern Washington...

.

On March 16, 2010 UTSA announced Neal Neathery as defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...

 for the team. Neathery had last served in the same position for Drake
Drake Bulldogs football
The Drake Bulldogs football program represents Drake University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level. Drake began competing in intercollegiate football in 1893.-Historic 1922 season:...

.

In an effort to move the program to the FBS, UTSA had discussions with the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...

 (WAC) about joining that conference after they lost Boise State
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...

 to the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...

 during the summer of 2010.

In July 2010, the Northside Independent School District
Northside Independent School District
Northside Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Leon Valley, Texas. It is the largest school district in the San Antonio area and the fourth largest in the State of Texas...

 announced a three-year agreement that allowed UTSA to use Dub Farris Athletic Complex
Dub Farris Athletic Complex
The Dub Farris Athletic Complex is a sporting complex owned by the Northside ISD located in San Antonio, Texas.The complex is known for its 10,568-seat football & soccer stadium but it is also home to a large natatorium. In 2010, NISD announced a three-year agreement that allowed the UTSA...

 for practice. On September 15, 2010, UTSA held its first-ever practice at the stadium.

On November 10, 2010, it was reported that the WAC had offered UTSA, along with fellow Southland conference member Texas State
Texas State Bobcats football
The Texas State Bobcats football program is a college football team that represents Texas State University-San Marcos. The team is currently categorized as an FCS Independent as it transitions to FBS. They will become a member of the FBS Western Athletic Conference as of July 1, 2012. The program...

 and Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...

 member Denver an invitation to join its conference that would take effect in 2012. Denver would join as a non-football school. Such an invitation was an effort to offset the departures of Boise State
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...

, Fresno State
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...

, and Nevada
Nevada Wolf Pack football
The Nevada Wolf Pack Football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Western Athletic Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NCAA...

 to the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...

 during the 2010 NCAA conference realignment
2010 NCAA conference realignment
The 2010–11 NCAA conference realignment refers to several proposed and actual conference expansion plans among various NCAA Division I conferences beginning in the 2010-11 academic year and continuing into fall 2011...

. The following day, UTSA announced it had accepted the invitation.

Coker era (2011–present)

UTSA played its first game against Northeastern State on September 3, 2011 at the Alamodome. With attendance of 56,783, UTSA set a record for the highest-attended game for an NCAA Division I FCS start-up program.

Future opponents

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
vs. Northeastern State
Northeastern State University
Northeastern State University is a public university with its main campus located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States, at the foot of the Ozark Mountains. Northeastern's home, Tahlequah, is also the capital of the Cherokee nation of Oklahoma...

 
at South Alabama
South Alabama Jaguars football
The South Alabama Jaguars football program, established in 2009, will be a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I FBS and the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.-History:...

 
at Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...

 
at Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...

 
at Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...

 
vs. Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....

 
at Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...

 
at Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....

 
at Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...

vs. McMurry
McMurry University
McMurry University, founded in 1923, is a private co-educational university in Abilene, Texas. It is a liberal arts school offering forty-one majors in the fields of fine arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, education, business, and religion, and nine pre-professional programs, including...

 
vs. Sam Houston State  vs. Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...

 
vs. Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...

 
vs. Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...

 
at Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...

 
at Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...

 
vs. Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...

 
at Southern Utah
Southern Utah Thunderbirds football
The Southern Utah Thunderbirds football program is a college football team that represents Southern Utah University . With a history dating back to 1963, SUU currently competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the Great West Conference...

 
vs. Southern Utah
Southern Utah Thunderbirds football
The Southern Utah Thunderbirds football program is a college football team that represents Southern Utah University . With a history dating back to 1963, SUU currently competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the Great West Conference...

 
vs. Oklahoma State  vs. Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...

 
vs. Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...

 
vs Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...

 
at Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...

 
vs. Bacone
Bacone College
Bacone College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded in 1880 as the Indian University by Almon C. Bacone, Bacone College is the oldest continuously operated institution of higher education in Oklahoma...

 
vs. Northwestern Oklahoma State
Northwestern Oklahoma State University
Northwestern Oklahoma State University, also known as NWOSU, is a university in Alva, Oklahoma, United States, with satellite campuses in Enid and Woodward. A state university, it offers both bachelor's and master's degrees.-Establishment:...

 
at Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...

 
at Kansas State  at Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...

 
vs. Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...

 
at Sam Houston State  at Georgia State
Georgia State Panthers football
The Georgia State Panthers football team represents Georgia State University in the NCAA Division I FCS, competing as an independent, but slated to join the Colonial Athletic Association beginning in 2012. Georgia State plays its home games at the Georgia Dome, which is located off-campus in...

 
vs. Rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

 
at Oklahoma State  at Oklahoma State 
vs. South Alabama
South Alabama Jaguars football
The South Alabama Jaguars football program, established in 2009, will be a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I FBS and the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.-History:...

 
at UC Davis
UC Davis Aggies football
The UC Davis Aggies football team represents the University of California, Davis in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision intercollegiate competition...

 
vs. UC Davis
UC Davis Aggies football
The UC Davis Aggies football team represents the University of California, Davis in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision intercollegiate competition...

 
vs. Georgia State
Georgia State Panthers football
The Georgia State Panthers football team represents Georgia State University in the NCAA Division I FCS, competing as an independent, but slated to join the Colonial Athletic Association beginning in 2012. Georgia State plays its home games at the Georgia Dome, which is located off-campus in...

 
vs. McNeese State 
at McNeese State  at Rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

 
vs. Minot State
Minot State Beavers football
The Minot State Beavers football team is a NAIA program that competes in the Dakota Athletic Conference. The current head coach is Paul Rudolph.-Head coaches:-External links:**...



Modified 2012 Schedule (since joining WAC effective 2012):

Sept. 1 at South Alabama
Sept. 15 at Georgia State
Sept. 22 Northwestern Oklahoma State
Oct. 13 at Rice
Nov. 10 McNeese State
TBA San Jose State
TBA Texas State
TBA Utah State
TBA at Idaho
TBA at Louisiana Tech
TBA at New Mexico State

External links

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