USA Today: How UTSA became CFB's best start-up

[FkLA]

Deserves its own thread.

Apparently USA Today (Myerberg himself?) was with Hickey and the team prior to the Houston game. He wrote a great piece chronicling the journey up to and after that UH game. The story has been told a bunch of times but there's a lot of great mini-stories and quotes from the players/coaches. Worth the read. If only the local media showed us this kind of love...how could the city resist embracing the program?

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[Blake]

Utsa is lucky to be in football hungry texas in the right place with the alamodome at the right time

Unlucky though that the Power 5 are going to leave the others out.

[Pelicans78]

Don't count out South Alabama. They're making a run at the Sun Belt crown and are 1-1 against UTSA.

[Pelicans78]

But UTSA has the edge over my Jags at this time. I wonder if the two teams can meet in a bowl this season to break the 1-1 tie.

[FkLA]

USA is doing good although yall have a year or two on us, no? Georgia State is the one that really fell off a cliff. Don't know wtf happened to them.

Hopefully it won't be this year since it would mean we didn't win CUSA. I'm sure we'll play in a bowl game pretty soon though--wouldn't be opposed to another series either.

[Vito Corleone]

Coker is looking pretty old, how much longer is UTSA looking to keep him around? BTW it was pretty smart of them to go after an old coach like him, no P5 school is going to to try and steal him so they can keep him long enough to really get a strong foundation with him.

BTW when it comes to the P5 conferences, they are going to figure out that if you can't own the entire state of Texas you can get small portions by taking some of the smaller schools like UTSA, UH, TSU, and SMU. If it were me and I wanted into break into the Texas market I'd take some of those schools then you can claim the bigger cities at lease. This is especially true if the P5 conferences are all going to go to 16 teams which some have predicted.

[DMX7]

No startup program hasn't gotten the kind of interest from the national print media than UTSA has gotten. They've had original pieces written about the program in the New York Times as well.

[Pelicans78]

They have a great chance of getting the G5 bid to one of the New Year's Six Bowl which would be an amazing accomplishment.

[FkLA]

Coker is looking pretty old, how much longer is UTSA looking to keep him around? BTW it was pretty smart of them to go after an old coach like him, no P5 school is going to to try and steal him so they can keep him long enough to really get a strong foundation with him.

BTW when it comes to the P5 conferences, they are going to figure out that if you can't own the entire state of Texas you can get small portions by taking some of the smaller schools like UTSA, UH, TSU, and SMU. If it were me and I wanted into break into the Texas market I'd take some of those schools then you can claim the bigger cities at lease. This is especially true if the P5 conferences are all going to go to 16 teams which some have predicted.

They just extended him through 2018. He probably retires after that.

That's my glass half-full thinking as well. Build the program into a dominant G5 program, average upwards of 40k at the Dome and with the 7th largest city in the country behind you hope a Power conference give you a shot. It's a longshot but so was reaching the level they're at in just four years.


They have a great chance of getting the G5 bid to one of the New Year's Six Bowl which would be an amazing accomplishment.

I'd probably cry if that happened tbh.

[Pelicans78]

They will definitely get a bid to the AAC. Question will be the Big 12. That's the only P5 conference they will get a shot. In fact, alot of the AAC teams will be shooting for that including UH, SMU, and even Tulane which can bring the New Orleans market (but I think that ship sailed years ago when they stopped trying after 1998).

[ChumpDumper]

Really difficult seeing UTSA as a fit in any existing P5 conference outside the big 12. Houston seems like an easier sell since it achieved tier one. And i really don't see the mothership inviting UTSA to compete directly with it.

It's such a mess if the P5 want to make that split permanent, and college football is such a perversion of "amateur" sport I won't shed a tear if UTSA is left out. Looks like they would have plenty of good company in a G5 that could have its own playoffs, etc.

[pgardn]

Hickey failed so badly with BBall she's damn right when she said luck.

I really don't like the woman.
Really a sour sport from what I have seen.
Coker has done a hell of a job.

[ChumpDumper]

Hickey failed so badly with BBall she's damn right when she said luck.

I really don't like the woman.
Really a sour sport from what I have seen.
Coker has done a hell of a job.What have you seen that makes you say that?

[DMX7]

Hickey failed so badly with BBall she's damn right when she said luck.

I really don't like the woman.
Really a sour sport from what I have seen.
Coker has done a hell of a job.

Huh? Sour sport? Where have you heard this? I think she's done a great job. basketball is a disaster for many reasons, but the biggest is probably our b-ball facilities. They are completely non-competitive with what we're aspiring to be.

[FkLA]

Don't we have our only NCAA tourney win under Hickey as well? The bball program is a mess right now but it hasn't always been as bad during her tenure. Our chicken coop arena really puts her at a disadvantage.

[ChumpDumper]

Injuries completely ruined what was going to be a dicey transition for bball at best.

You take away the best player from any team at this level and the season is pretty much going to be a disaster.

As mentioned, facilities are going to hold bball back until some kind of 7-10k arena is built in Park West. They're still going to be relying on a bunch of juco transfers rather than picking up and developing most of their team from their start.

[pgardn]

What have you seen that makes you say that?

My niece playing against a team her daughter was on Boerne HS.
Watched the Boerne coach full court press up in 2nd half when it was like 68- single digits.
Let the a-hole of a coach know its time to call the dogs off. Think he coaches at Clark girls now.
Watched the big smile on her face and actually talked with her after the game.
Did not like her answer about pressing a bad small HS team that had no PG.
Game ended up like 90-small number.

Saw her later at another game at UTSA sitting with coaches I know. Really don't remember if this was a UTSA game.
She remembered me, I remembered her, and the coaches we both knew were astounded that we had a very unfriendly reacquaintance. I asked her if she had ever rolled a cripple down the UTSA stairs or some such statement. She was not happy. I told the coaches about the aforementioned incident and they were very surprised. I played for one of the other coaches and the others knew me because I played against them. Good people, good coaches. Conflict otherwise.

I really want UTSA to be successful. But this southern baptist sporting lady is not my favorite. I remember her daughter was a really good sport and had some sort of heart condition I believe. Can't remember it all.

[ChumpDumper]

My niece playing against a team her daughter was on Boerne HS.
Watched the Boerne coach full court press up in 2nd half when it was like 68- single digits.
Let the a-hole of a coach know its time to call the dogs off. Think he coaches at Clark girls now.
Watched the big smile on her face and actually talked with her after the game.
Did not like her answer about pressing a bad small HS team that had no PG.
Game ended up like 90-small number.

Saw her later at another game at UTSA sitting with coaches I know. Really don't remember if this was a UTSA game.
She remembered me, I remembered her, and the coaches we both knew were astounded that we had a very unfriendly reacquaintance. I asked her if she had ever rolled a cripple down the UTSA stairs or some such statement. She was not happy. I told the coaches about the aforementioned incident and they were very surprised. I played for one of the other coaches and the others knew me because I played against them. Good people, good coaches. Conflict otherwise.

I really want UTSA to be successful. But this southern baptist sporting lady is not my favorite. I remember her daughter was a really good sport and had some sort of heart condition I believe. Can't remember it all.lol big time high school sports

Sorry man, that's just not the thing I would use the "rolling a cripple" line over.

[pgardn]

Has UTSA stopped with the revolving door faculty?

That was/is a pitiful thing.

[pgardn]

lol big time high school sports

Sorry man, that's just not the thing I would use the "rolling a cripple" line over.

Well I did and I would do it again.
Exactly with the bigtime HS sports, that's the whole point.
These are little kids, not college scholarship athletes.

No.
It was her grandma.
I asked her if she had tried pushing her grandma down the steps...:wtf:wtf
Is that worse?

[ChumpDumper]

Well I did and I would do it again.
Exactly with the bigtime HS sports, that's the whole point.
These are little kids, not college scholarship athletes.Jes sayin.

I can see getting mad at the moment when family is involved, but that sounds like an SBMesque grudge there.

[FkLA]

:lol Thats weak. If angry parents are yelling at my kid bc the coach is running up the score I'm gonna stand up for my kid's team regardless of whether the coach is wrong--it's human nature.

[pgardn]

:lol Thats weak. If angry parents are yelling at my kid bc the coach is running up the score I'm gonna stand up for my kid's team regardless of whether the coach is wrong--it's human nature.

That's not what I posted fool.
I would never yell at a kid doing exactly what the coach ordered.
Read it again.

And I guess you answered my question about the revolving door professors at UTSA.
They produced a student like you.

[FkLA]

That's not what I posted fool.
I would never yell at a kid doing exactly what the coach ordered.
Read it again.

And I guess you answered my question about the revolving door professors at UTSA.
They produced a student like you.

Its her daughter's team regardless. She'll try to downplay it just like most other involved parents would. She's great at her job and anybody without a grade school-esque grudge realizes that.

[Blake]

Hickey failed so badly with BBall she's damn right when she said luck.

I really don't like the woman.
Really a sour sport from what I have seen.
Coker has done a hell of a job.

Wut?

[ChumpDumper]

From what I can see, the only thing she sucked at basketball was podunk fan etiquette .

[pgardn]

From what I can see, the only thing she sucked at basketball was podunk fan etiquette .

Chump.

You don't have to dislike her.
If you did, I would think you... were me.
I will do the hatin here buster.

How many Conf. Championships for the women?

And that's the last time I let you in on high profile Bball disagreements mister.

[ChumpDumper]

Chump.

You don't have to dislike her.
If you did, I would think you... were me.
I will do the hatin here buster.Um, OK. Just seems a bit silly is all.


How many Conf. Championships for the women?Two conference tournaments I can think of as a coach. Is that the only metric for success in any college program? I would agree she was middling at A&M, but did finish strong there.


And that's the last time I let you in on high profile Bball disagreements mister.Boerne is not high profile.

And why would that be the last time?

[pgardn]

Um, OK. Just seems a bit silly is all.

Two conference tournaments I can think of as a coach. Is that the only metric for success in any college program? I would agree she was middling at A&M, but did finish strong there.

Boerne is not high profile.

And why would that be the last time?

Oh god....

I fail at sarcasm.
Or Chump does.

Jesus... Chump.

And Chump, a tournament is not a conference championship, it's a tournament championship.
But I digress... Someone fails at sarcasm.

[ChumpDumper]

Oh god....

I fail at sarcasm.
Or Chump does.

Jesus... Chump.I needed bluefont after that first reply. Apologies.


And Chump, a tournament is not a conference championship, it's a tournament championship.
But I digress...She got two of those as well if those count for more.

[pgardn]

I needed bluefont after that first reply.

She got two of those as well if those count for more.

Am I really that bad at it?

Whatever, it's not stellar.
Rhyme.

[FkLA]

smh

small Sports Illustrated piece:


3.Larry Coker has brought his magic to UTSA

In November 2006, Miami fired Larry Coker with a record of 59-15, a national championship and three years remaining on his contract. Coker was 58 at the time and couldn’t find a job for the next two years. “I talked to some people and there wasn’t really a lot of interest in me,” Coker said. “You’re damaged goods, I guess. I thought that would probably be the end of it.”

In the spring of 2009, Coker accepted the job as the first head coach at the University of Texas-San Antonio. He signed his first recruiting class with one helmet, one ball and an off-brand jersey purchased at Wal-Mart.

...

“When we signed our scholarship [papers], we blindfolded ourselves and stepped to a ledge and we jumped because we were told it would all be worth it at the bottom,” said senior center NateLeonard, who has started every game in school history. “What we found when we jumped was that we didn’t land at the bottom. We landed at the top.”

...

Just ask the 37 seniors who came with nothing more than a promise and could well end up in a bowl this season. “We were a group that nobody one wanted,” Leonard said. “And when we play people now, the teams that didn’t want us want no more of us."


http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/08/31/inside-read-big-ten-pac-12-oregon-michigan-state

[pgardn]

In conclusion.

Being from San Antonio (even though I attended UT in Austin) I really want UTSA to do well.
This is my city. I like this place.

But I got way too much history with UT. Grandparents, Parents, Siblings, Cousins, overwhelming UT.
So there's that.

[ChumpDumper]

No problem with that.

I think AAC is UTSA's ceiling, and I'm not sure there's a compelling reason to move up -- especially if one or more of the AAC west teams go P5.

[DMX7]

No problem with that.

I think AAC is UTSA's ceiling, and I'm not sure there's a compelling reason to move up -- especially if one or more of the AAC west teams go P5.

Me too. I think UTSA is just fine in C-USA unless it loses some key teams.

[Mr. Peabody]

Great article. I wish SA t-shirt fans would realize what we have here in our own backyard.

[rjv]

regardless of how things turn out with the super conferences UTSA has done everything right and have demonstrated extremely savvy business acumen. nice to see SA demonstrating yet another amazing sports paradigm for the rest of the field to follow.

[FkLA]

Great article. I wish SA t-shirt fans would realize what we have here in our own backyard.

The media too. I swear the national media has written better pieces on the program than the local media has.

Nice sig, DMX7 :tu

[Blake]

Tickets at stub hub starting at around $15 for Arizona game.

Think I'll go if I can find some decent lower level seats at a decent price.

[The Reckoning]

only a matter of time before utsa breaks off from daddy longhorn

[FkLA]

Tickets at stub hub starting at around $15 for Arizona game.

Think I'll go if I can find some decent lower level seats at a decent price.

if you want some in the student section lmk $10 each

same goes for anyone else that wants to go

[ChumpDumper]

only a matter of time before utsa breaks off from daddy longhornWhat do you mean by this?

[The Reckoning]

What do you mean by this?


not a secret that they've been considering autonomy for awhile. cap program is frustrating

[ChumpDumper]

not a secret that they've been considering autonomy for awhile. cap program is frustrating

I don't even know how a school could go about that. I know Angelo State switched systems but that's about it. Are there any articles about about this?

[FkLA]

I remember reading a while back that the CAP program at UTSA was ending (might be dead by now).

Autonomy is another animal though. UTSA is still a young school that benefits from being under the UT system umbrella, may be an option down the line but not anytime soon.

[DMX7]

not a secret that they've been considering autonomy for awhile. cap program is frustrating

Didn't you do CAP? Also, I agree that it's bad for UTSA student moral, but surprisingly some students who qualify for transfer after their first year decide they like it and stay, so it has become an unexpected source of incoming 4+ year students who go there and might not have otherwise if it weren't for CAP.

Also, I believe UTSA probably doesn't have the autonomy to get rid of it by itself without the approval of the UT system.

[Blake]

if you want some in the student section lmk $10 each

same goes for anyone else that wants to go

Is that in the end zone area?

I'm looking for some closer to the 50 yard line

[FkLA]

from the endzone all the way around to the 20 yard line, but its general admission so you might end up in the endzone for this game if youre a late arrival