Jeff Traylor, UTSA agree to extension through 2031 after program-best 8-0 start

UTSA and head coach Jeff Traylor have agreed to a contract extension, the school announced Sunday.

Traylor's contract runs through 2031 and will pay him an average annual salary of $2.8 million. Total contract value over the life of the deal is $28 million. Traylor's original contract had a base salary of $830,000. UTSA announced it will also increase the assistant coach and support staff salary pool.

Traylor has a substantial buyout if he leaves early in the contract. If he departs before or during the first year of the contract extension, he owes UTSA $7.5 million. The total goes down to $7 million in Year 2, $6 million in Year 3, $5 million in Year 4 and $4 million in Year 5. If Traylor leaves in the sixth year or later, the buyout is 25 percent of his total salary remaining through the end of the deal.

The extension comes as the college coaching carousel heats up. Traylor has been considered a top target in Texas Tech's coaching search, according to Bruce Feldman.

UTSA (8-0) is off to its best start in its 11-year school history and cracked the AP Top 25 last week for the first time. UTSA, which is leaving Conference USA for the American Athletic Conference, moved up to No. 16 in the poll on Sunday.

(Photo: Ron Johnson / USA Today)

What does this mean for Texas Tech’s coaching search?

Sam Khan Jr., Texpert: This likely eliminates Traylor from the equation. Traylor’s new salary is near that of former coach Matt Wells’ previous one ($3.1 million), plus Traylor’s sizable new buyout makes it a costly move. If Traylor is out of the picture, Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt may still target SMU coach Sonny Dykes, a Tech alumnus who has the Mustangs in the Top 25. Hocutt said he is prioritizing a coach with “deep Texas ties,” which is why Traylor and Dykes made sense as options.

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Does this put UTSA's concerns of Traylor leaving for another job to rest?

Khan: For now, yes. If Traylor continues to succeed, he’ll continue to be targeted by other Power 5 programs, but this contract with that buyout calms the waters for the foreseeable future. But he’s genuinely happy in San Antonio. He trusts his president and athletic director, the school is entering a new league (the AAC) and UTSA recently built a $40 million athletic center and Traylor gets to run the program how he wants, with no interference. He values that power and autonomy and believes the ceiling for UTSA football is high long-term.

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