Top 5 Head Coaching Candidates if Texas A&M Football Fires Jimbo
Could Texas A&M Football Look to San Antonio?
One name that has often popped up over the last few years when dissatisfaction with the current head man is that of UT-San Antonio head coach Jeff Traylor. Traylor has amassed an impressive 36-13 record so far with the Roadrunners, and that’s after having lost five games in the first year down in the 210. He’s been in the Texas coaching ranks for quite a while, having come from an impressive high school career to take this job, and so his recruiting ties in the state are strong.
Ties are one thing, but actually being able to recruit at a championship level is another. On that note, I’m not sure Traylor can bring what is necessary to Texas A&M football when it comes to landing talent over the likes of Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State. I’ve stated before that I think Texas A&M football currently boasts the top recruiting staff in the country due to their ability to consistently land a certain level of talent no matter what the narratives are in the media or results on the field. Texas A&M is a place that can recruit itself to a certain degree—top of the line facilities, competition, and tradition are all here—but just take a look at how things went in the later years for Sumlin. Heck, take a look at the better classes for Sumlin compared to the worst Fisher classes! I’ve just not seen anything from Traylor that commends him as an ace recruiter. Of course, he can build a staff of ace recruiters (including, as should be the case with every name on this list, retaining DL coach Elijah Robinson), but as a closer, he has yet to show he has what it takes.
Another concern is just a step up in the pressures that come with a top-tier job like Texas A&M football. Things can be a bit quieter down at UTSA when it comes to media attention and expectations—though he obviously has acquitted himself well when it comes to that latter category. The lights, especially when it comes to an ability to retain the 2022 class and immediately produce with those players, will shine much more brightly in College Station than San Antonio. Traylor may be a solid coach, but he would not be my pick to replace Fisher.