Burke promoted to OC as Stein departs for Oregon
With co-offensive coordinator Will Stein leaving to take the same role at Oregon, UTSA announced Monday that special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Justin Burke was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in Stein's place, continuing coach Jeff Traylor's philosophy of promoting from within.
Stein was in his first year as UTSA'S play-caller and quarterbacks coach after two seasons as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. Prior to joining the Roadrunners, Stein was the offensive coordinator at Lake Travis High in 2018 and 2019 following a stint as a quality control coach at Texas from 2015 through 2017.
UTSA confirmed Monday that Stein is leaving the program for another opportunity, and a source confirmed Oregon as his next landing spot.
Under Stein, the Roadrunners ranked ninth nationally in total offense with 486.1 yards per game, moving up from 34th last season at 437.6 yards per game. The passing attack ranked 12th in the FBS with 308.6 yards per game, rising from 44th in 2021 with 254.4 yards per game.
Arriving at UTSA as part of Traylor's initial staff ahead of the 2020 season, Stein was one of about a half-dozen coaches who helped design the Roadrunners' offense. Traylor said the goal was to establish a system that would be durable through assistant shuffles, allowing UTSA to promote from within and avoid changes to principles or terminology.
When Stein was away from the team for the birth of his child during
the week leading to UTSA'S regular season finale against UTEP, Traylor said the offensive preparation continued “without a hiccup” because of the experience of the rest of the staff.
“I don't want my players to have to be learning new verbiage. I want my players to keep getting better,” Traylor said last month. “We have plenty of deep enough people on our staff. We'll be fine. I know people are going to keep picking my coaches, and we'll keep moving them up, and we'll be fine.”
Burke was an offensive analyst at UTSA in 2020 and 2021, joining the staff after working as the special teams coordinator
and tight ends coach at USF from 2017 to 2019.
Burke joins Matt Mattox as the Roadrunners' co-offensive coordinator, with Mattox stepping into the role for the first time this year after serving as run game coordinator and offensive line coach for the previous two seasons.
Mattox was also the offensive coordinator and O-line coach at Mcneese in 2019, holding the same role alongside Burke at USF in 2017 and 2018 after spending 2016 in the same capacity at Texas.
The Roadrunners also lost their offensive coordinator to a Power Five opening last year, with Barry Lunney Jr. leaving to take the same position at Illinois on Jan. 8.
Stein joins the Oregon staff of first-year head coach Dan Lanning after previous offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham was named the head coach at Arizona State last week.
Oregon is No. 15 in the College Football Playoff rankings following a 9-3 season and will face North Carolina in the Holiday Bowl.
After winning a second straight Conference USA championship with a 4827 win against North Texas on Saturday, UTSA will meet Troy in the Cure Bowl on Dec. 16 in Orlando, Fla.