Texas A&M has interviewed UTSA coach Jeff Traylor for its coaching vacancy, according to a report from Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman.
Traylor took part in a 90-minute interview this week that lasted an hour longer than anticipated, a source close to the situation told Bohls.
The 55-year-old Traylor took the coaching job with UTSA in 2020 and has posted a 37–13 record that has included two Conference USA titles. This season, UTSA holds a 7-3 overall record through 10 games and is tied with Tulane and SMU for first place in the American Athletic Conference at 6-0. This is UTSA’s first season in the AAC.
Traylor is considered a rising star in the industry, and has been considered in the past few years for other Power Five openings. However, the Texas A&M opening could be the best fit yet for Traylor, who captured three Class 4A titles as a high school football coach in Texas and has been known as a tireless recruiter since entering the college ranks.
Traylor’s high school coaching success in Texas earned him roles as an assistant on Charlie Strong’s staff at Texas, as well as assistant coaching roles at SMU and Arkansas under Chad Morris.
Bohls noted that outside of Traylor, Texas A&M also sees Duke’s Mike Elko as a strong candidate. Elko served as the Aggies’ defensive coordinator under Jimbo Fisher from 2018-21.
Fisher was fired last Sunday amid his sixth season in College Station. He is owed nearly $77 million in a contract buyout.
