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Last week’s announcement that University of Texas at San AntonioPresident Ricardo Romo suddenly had been placed on administrative leave left many in the community shocked and bewildered. The only communication from the University of Texas System came from Chancellor William McRaven in a Feb. 14 email, which said Romo had been placed on administrative leave “pending a review of allegations related to his conduct.” No other information was provided, and university officials have refused to comment on the nature of the allegations in question. One week later, no further clarification on Romo’s status has been provided. Coming just months before his planned retirement, the matter raises questions about whether Romo’s successful tenure as president will end under a cloud. read more: https://therivardreport.com/nirenberg-on-romo-more-questions-than-answers/

From Underdog Dynasty... "UTSA vs. UNT is the Texas Rivalry the Conference Needs Strange but true— UTSA vs. UNT is the most heated active college football rivalry in the state of Texas. The Roadrunners turned in an impressive defensive effort to gain a 3-1 series lead over UNT in what has turned into a really fun rivalry. While the Halloween weekend attendance was underwhelming (19,553), the atmosphere in the Alamodome was boisterous as Roadrunner and Mean Green fans jawed with one another as UTSA built their lead. Former UNT offensive lineman Mason Y’Barro infamously described UTSA as “soft and unphysical” after their loss to the Roadrunners in 2013 and UTSA sophomore running back Jalen Rhodes sniped back after last night’s win on the post-game radio show, claiming that “we were told they weren’t a physical team and that turned out to be right”. Additionally, varying accusations of Mean Green players urinating on the Alamodome turf have been floating around messages boards and social media this morning. Whether true or not, this rivalry is clearly ratcheting up in intensity with each passing year. Conference USA would be wise to work with the individual schools to brand and promote the rivalry as well as ensuring that it will be broadcast on national television or ESPN3 in coming seasons." http://www.underdogdynasty.com/conference-usa/2016/10/30/13471682/cusa-week-nine-three-things-david-bailiff-rice-charlie-partridge-fau-unt-utsa

Hey guys! Since I'll actually be in Texas, I've been checking to see who else wants in. Including a Talon who hasn't been back in almost a decade, I'm bringing at least 11 to Homecoming as of now and hope to grow the total. We're just going to chill in the end zone with cheap seats and have fun. If anybody else is down or has friends up for cheap seats, message me. It's only 10 bucks with the group discount, so it's easy to get the "eh, I'm not that into it" crowd to come. Also, there are a couple of options for the UTEP game, and I already have a group of both UTEP and UNT friends that want to sit together. Tickets go on sale November 1st, so we have time to figure out what we want to do. The seats I'm looking at are NOT in the visitor section, since it's a mixed group, but if you wanna hang out with us, let me know and I'll see what kinds of packages are available! And...for UTSA...right now it's just me and my girlfriend, and the only thing I've found is a Groupon for $18 for General Admission, but if anybody wants to go in on a group rate, I'm open to that. We're not up for anything fancy, just wanna chill and hang out and watch the game, so any seats are cool with us.

Texas State has huge OT win over Ohio - Everett Withers is for real people. Aaron Jones, the senior RB for UTEP, rattled off 249 yards and 2 TDs. UTSA QB Dalton Sturm had three touchdown passes in their win over Alabama State.

Shawn Forrest, a longtime assistant coach who was a key component in North Texas’ six-year run of unprecedented success in men’s basketball under Johnny Jones, is back in Texas. Texas-San Antonio announced today that Forrest has joined its staff under new head coach Steve Henson. Forrest was at UNT from 2008-12, right in the middle of the Mean Green’s run of six straight winning seasons that included two NCAA tournament berths and five 20-win campaigns from 2006-12. He helped recruit Tony Mitchell and Jordan Williams. read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2016/05/monday-morning-notes-former-unt-assistant-to-utsa-unt-loses-one-to-smu.html/

Former NBA player and Texas-San Antonio head coach Brooks Thompson has been hospitalized in critical condition with "double organ failure." http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketba...an-failure

Their top signee DB Jaquelle Green is currently sitting in a jail cell on the gulf coast charged with armed robbery. http://www.sunherald.com/sports/high-school/article65447492.html

So while I'm twiddling my thumbs waiting for the Superbowl to start, I was reading through the threads about increasing interest through regional opponents in a regional conference. I think another way of doing this are rivalries and the lack thereof at UNT. We have SMU for however long that will last, and UTSA is slowly emerging as a conference rival but I think another option could be Texas State. TS and UTSA are reviving their "I-35" rivalry in 2017 and I was thinking why not hop on board. With the amount of alumni the schools are pumping out I think it could work. The 3 teams could play each other each year and hell, let's go all out and throw in a trophy naming the King (or prince. UT, Baylor, and TCU would attest) of 35. I think that would spark more interest than our FCS games and the drives would make nice weekend trips for the alumni. I've done it once for UTSA and also for the UT game, which I was pleasantly surprised at the mean green turnout, and enjoyed it both times.

LSU running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Frank Wilson has been offered the head coaching job at University of Texas at San Antonio, FootballScoop.com reported Thursday, and a deal is expected to get done. Wilson and Oklahoma State defensive coordinator coordinator Glenn Spencer were the two finalists for the job, the site reported earlier Thursday. A news station in San Antonio reported Wednesday that Spencer was the “most likely” hire for the Roadrunners and the San Antonio Express-News reported something similar. The Roadrunners, though, chose Wilson, according to FootballScoop. Wilson, a 42-year-old from New Orleans, just completed his sixth season with the Tigers. He’s helped bring in some of the nation’s best recruits while in Baton Rouge, including the Tigers’ No. 2-ranked signing group in 2014. read more: http://blogs.theadvocate.com/tigertracks/report-lsu-rb-coachrecruiting-coordinator-frank-wilson-finalist-for-utsa-job/

Shane Elder to North Texas Football Scoop It appears that Littrell has a new member of the football staff in an "off the field" role (Football Operations) , in Shane Elder formerly of UTSA and Texas A&M football programs. Looks like an excellent candidate in an ever-important role.

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey dodged a question Thursday night about whether she believes the university needs to pay its next football coach as much as Texas State will be paying newly-hired coach Everett Withers. “I’ve got to hire a coach first,” Hickey said. “I’ve got to hire a coach first and then we’ll see what we can do.” Withers was introduced to the media in San Marcos earlier Thursday afternoon. At the news conference, Bobcats athletic director Larry Teis said Withers will be paid $650,000 in the first year of a five-year deal, with $25,000 raises each year. UTSA hopes to hire a replacement for Larry Coker within the next 10 days. Coker stepped down Tuesday after seven years, including the first five seasons for the Roadrunners’ football program. Coker was making $425,000, the same as the previous Texas State coach, Dennis Franchione, whose retirement was announced on Dec. 22. The UTSA contract for Coker was scheduled to pay $450,000 next year, $475,000 in 2017 and $500,000 in 2018. UTSA plays in Conference USA, and Texas State plays in the Sun Belt Conference. But the two once shared a long rivalry in the Southland Conference in sports other than football. Since UTSA started playing football in 2011, the teams have played once, with the Roadrunners beating the Bobcats 38-31 in the 2012 season finale at the Alamodome. The two schools will start an eight-game series on Sept. 23, 2017, in San Marcos. They will play each year except for 2019 through the 2025 season. Read more: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/utsa/2016/01/hickey-says-well-see-what-utsa-will-pay-its-next-coach/

read more: http://www.expressnews.com/sports/college_sports/utsa/article/UTSA-facing-huge-challenge-in-attracting-head-6738949.php

Just days after losing defensive coordinator Neal Neathery to Eastern Michigan, another crucial member of the UTSA staff has left the program. Per the ever-dependable Football Scoop, Shane Elder will be leaving UTSA to join UNT's staff in a similar role. Losing an important program resource is tough. Having him leave to a conference rival for what may be a demotion (in title at least) is humbling. This move, when viewed in conjunction with Neathery's departure, screams of serious trouble. Those inside the program know how dire the situation is and have opted out of the struggle for lateral moves, likely due to a lack of faith in the program's leadership. Given the skeleton crew left running the program with three coaches and an associate AD gone, it's clear that the program is currently in shambles. As National Signing Day approaches, hires need to be made wisely and quickly lest more pieces of the puzzle leave for greener pastures. read more; http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/1/5/10716284/staff-exodus-continues-at-utsa-as-shane-elder-leaves-for-north-texas

Happy New Year! We had better win this one. No excuses. UTSA is horrible this season. This game is close to my hometown so my wife and I plan to travel to the game tonight. GO MEAN GREEN!

SAN ANTONIO — Brushing off mounting adversities both on and off the field, Larry Coker on Monday said that he would return next season as coach of the UTSA Roadrunners. “I want to see it through,” said Coker, who is under contract through the 2018 season. “I’m not going anywhere.” A difficult year for UTSA has grown steadily worse over the past 10 days. First, lowly North Texas beat UTSA 30-23 on Oct. 31 in Denton for its first victory of the season. Next, UTSA released a document to media outlets last Wednesday night acknowledging that Coker and offensive coordinator Kevin Brown had been cleared in an internal probe by the university. A third painful episode unfolded last Saturday night at the Alamodome, as UTSA gave up a fourth-quarter lead and lost 36-31 to Old Dominion, a team that had lost five of its previous six. Meeting with the media Monday morning, Coker said he expects UTSA (1-8, 1-4) will play well on the road at Charlotte (2-7, 0-6) on Saturday. Nevertheless, the coach said recent events have been tough to handle, particularly the release of the EOS report that cleared him and offensive coordinator Kevin Brown of allegations that they discriminated against black players. “It’s very painful,” Coker said. “It’s a thing you don’t like. (We had a) thorough investigation (and) the investigation said there was no basis to the rumors. So that put a close to that. That’s what was written.” read more: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/utsa/2015/11/facing-adversity-coker-says-he-plans-to-coach-utsa-next-season/

Joke #20Q: How do you keep UTSA Roadrunners out of your yard? A: Put up goal posts.Joke #19Q: Why did the UTSA Roadrunners grad cover her ears? A: She was trying to hold in a thought. Joke #18Q: How do you neuter a Roadrunners fan? A: Kick his sister in the jaw!Joke #17Q: What do UTSA Roadrunners Football players always get on their final exams? A: Drool.Joke #16Q: Did you hear about the UTSA Roadrunners fan who won a gold medal at the Olympics? A: He liked it so much that he decided to get it bronzed. Joke #15 Q: What's the difference between UTSA Roadrunners cheerleaders and The Titanic? A: Only 1,000 went down on The Titanic. Joke #14Q: What's the biggest lie told at UTSA? A: "I was just helping that sheep over the fence."Joke #13Q: What is the difference between a litter of puppies and UTSA Roadrunners fans? A: Eventually puppies grow up and stop whining. Joke #12Q: What do Roadrunners cheerleaders and Roadrunners quarterbacks have in common? A: They're always on their backs.Joke #11Q: Why did UTSA disband its water polo team? A: All the horses drowned. Joke #10Q: How did the UTSA Roadrunners fan die from drinking milk? A: The cow fell on him!Joke #9Q: Did you hear about the UTSA Roadrunners fan who tried to blow up the opponents team bus? A: He burned his lip on the tailpipe. Joke #8Q: If you have a car containing a UTSA Roadrunners wide receiver, a UTSA Roadrunners linebacker, and a UTSA Roadrunners defensive back, who is driving the car? A: The cop.Joke #7Q: What do you call a good looking girl on the UTSA campus? A: A visitor.Joke #6Q: How do Roadrunners brain cells die? A: Alone. Joke #5Q: What is the definition of safe sex down at UTSA? A: Placing signs on the animals that kick. Joke #4Q: Why dont Roadrunners fans use 911 in an emergency? A: Because they cannot find "eleven" on the phone dial. Joke #3Q: How many UTSA Roadrunners does it take to change a tire? A: One, unless it's a blowout, in which case they all show upJoke #2Q: Why do UTSA Roadrunners fans like smart women? A: Opposites attract. Joke #1Q: Why can't UTSA Roadrunners players go on the internet? A: They can't put 3 w's together. View Full Article

UTSA: Athletic director Lynn Hickey has denied reports that a coaching change could be in the works and maintains that head coach Larry Coker will continue to lead the program through the 2018 season. Back in August of 2015 UTSA and Coker agreed to a five-year contract extension going through the 2018 season. The Roadrunners are currently 1-5. read more: http://footballscoop.com/the-scoop/

SAN ANTONIO — The “Original 18,” as they’re called, still get discussed with reverence around here. They were the ones who signed on to play for the University of Texas at San Antonio before there were even uniforms or facilities or a schedule. They were the ones who did nothing but practice for an entire year before playing the program’s first game in 2011. And they were the ones who guided UTSA from unlikely start-up to a team that was beating the likes of Houston in last fall’s season opener and nearly upsetting Arizona. But they were also, in reality, overachievers who largely wouldn’t have projected to be Football Bowl Subdivision players under normal circumstances. And now, they are gone, which is both the good news and bad news at UTSA. The departure of 36 seniors — the Original 18 and the class that came in behind them to field UTSA’s inaugural team — has given way to a new group that signed on to be part of a real Division I program, not a start-up. They are bigger, faster and more talented. They are also completely unproven, leaving UTSA as one of the nation’s youngest teams just a year after they were the most experienced team in FBS. “We moved up with guys that were recruited to play Division II and Division III,” senior cornerback Bennett Okotcha said. “They were great guys and they played well for us, but now we’re recruiting D-1 athletes to come play D-1 football and they’re doing a great job. Our talent keeps getting better. Sometimes it’s good especially for young guys to come in and play with no expectations. I feel like we’re really talented and we’re going to shock a lot of people.” Since UTSA football came into existence, almost everything has been a new experience, including the high expectations going into last season and the disappointment of going 4-8 after such a promising start. But this, in many ways, is a familiar spot for coach Larry Coker, who certainly wasn’t oblivious to the notion that he would essentially have to start over for a second time once his first group of recruits cycled out of the program. Just like back then, when UTSA announced its presence with an 8-4 record in its first year as an FBS member, there’s pretty much a clean slate and a big-time underdog vibe. Read more: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/08/utsa-football-original-18-coach-larry-coker

SAN ANTONIO — Now working as a financial advisor for New York Life, former UTSA cornerback Darrien Starling reported Tuesday that he had a “huge month” in June, winning a few awards within his office for success in helping clients with insurance and retirement planning and tax matters. In that regard, it might be wise to heed his advice on another issue outside the world of finance. Starling, a former four-year starter for the Roadrunners, said he isn’t buying into preseason forecasts that have pegged UTSA for a last-place finish in Conference USA West division. “I’ve been around the team a little bit,” said Starling, who graduated with a degree in communication last December. “I’ve been hanging out a lot with (starting cornerback) Bennett (Okothca). Actually, Bennett was at my house yesterday. So, I’ve been keeping real close ties to the team, and everybody’s confident … I don’t know, the confidence around this team is unique.” As Year 5 of the UTSA football start-up experiment beckons, a certain energy is apparent. With 37 seniors having exhausted their eligibility last fall, the Roadrunners are turning the page in the history of the program. Players on the current roster have taken the baton from former players like Starling and are sprinting into what he calls “a new era.” “They’re really embracing the new theme this year, which is them being in the new era,” Starling said. “It’s really nice to see these guys embrace this new mystique and go forward. I’m really confident. Talking to Bennett a lot, and getting his feel on the team, he’s super confident, and I know the talent we have.” read more: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/utsa/2015/07/former-utsa-standout-says-players-have-embraced-a-new-era/

Johnson was briefly committed to UTSA last year and later planned to play for Southeastern Oklahoma, a Division II school. When both of those plans failed to come to fruition, he and his high school coach contacted UNT’s staff. read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/07/trevicea-johnson-to-walk-on-at-unt.html/

RV mentioned, at the signing day presentation, that the student governments of UNT and UTSA were working on creating a trophy to play for each year, in order to cement a rivalry between the two schools. Apparently the leading candidate is the Sombrero Trophy. I don't know if this has been mentioned or for that matter if anyone cares. I am all in favor of a rivalry but not so much a trophy shaped like a Sombrero. I have no idea if they are seeking any input from other sources.

...But beating UTSA in San Antonio would sure give me a big Mean Green boost heading into this offseason and recruiting, If we allow them to go 2-0 against us it would be a bitter pill. if we lose... well I hate to even think about that. I don't recall having this same type of interest in an otherwise meaningless game when we were on hind tit in the Belt years. Tells you that the Texas rivalries are a good thing for us in C-USA for sure.

SAN ANTONIO -- There are home runs and then there are grand slams. UTSA hit the latter in 2009 when it hired Larry Coker, who guided Miami to the 2001 BCS national championship and came within a controversial call of leading the Hurricanes to another title the next year, as its first football coach. The Roadrunners have gone 19-15 in three seasons under Coker and came within one victory of advancing to the Conference USA championship game last year. On Thursday, the University of Texas System Board of Regents rewarded Coker with a new five-contract and raise that will run through the 2018 season. The new contract, effective Sept. 1, guarantees Coker $2.25 million over the next five years. He will be paid a base salary of $400,000 this year, with a $25,000 increase each subsequent year. Read more: http://www.kens5.com/story/opinion/contributors/david-flores/2014/08/22/coker-contract-extension/14432683/