Moore entering transfer portal no surprise
When UTSA linebacker Trey Moore announced Tuesday on social media that he was entering his name into the transfer portal, coach Jeff Traylor was hardly surprised.
The threat of productive young talent leaving for a program with a higher profile and larger NIL offerings is always present in the new era of college football, and Traylor said he laments with numerous friends and colleagues in coaching about how many of their players are matriculating to a new home this cycle.
After winning the American Athletic Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award while setting a new UTSA record with 14 sacks in 2023, Moore leaves the Roadrunners with two years of eligibility remaining. The Smithson Valley product is ranked as the top edge rusher and No. 11 overall player in the portal by 247Sports, though plenty more names will likely be added to the list before the transfer window closes on Jan. 2.
“Just something Trey felt like he needed to do for Trey,” Traylor said. “We’re excited for Trey, if that’s what he wants to do.”
“As much as he loves San Antonio, being a single-digit guy, I know a lot went into that decision for Trey,” Traylor continued. “Be grateful we had him for three years, and just leave it at that.”
While Traylor said the college landscape has “so much tampering going on” as larger programs try to recruit talent away from schools like UTSA, the
Roadrunners minimized losses to the portal last season. Seven players were contacted about potential moves to other programs, Traylor said, and only wideout Zakhari Franklin chose to depart, landing at Ole Miss.
Moore is the first starter the Roadrunners have lost this cycle, as cornerbacks Syrus Dumas and Xavier Spencer are UTSA’S only other players entering their names in the portal to this point.
But Traylor said a “high number” of Roadrunners have been contacted by other schools, and he acknowledged that any young player who shows
well in UTSA’S Frisco Bowl matchup against Marshall on Dec. 19 could field offers.
“You have to look at every team like it’s a one-year team now,” Traylor said. “You’re terrified one of your young guys is going to go off for 300 yards on national TV, and what do you know, he got in the transfer portal the next day. It’s the way of the new world, man. … Whoever shows up, you’re going to coach those guys. You do your best to keep them. I love all of them.”
Though Traylor said Moore was “ready to move on” and will not be around the team during bowl
preparation, safety Rashad Wisdom and quarterback Frank Harris expressed continued support for their departing teammate.
“That’s my brother. I respect him, and I’ll back him 110 percent, wherever he goes,” Harris said. “At the end of the day, it’s his decision.”
Wisdom said Moore is “one of my best friends on this team,” and the two still met up for a meal out following Moore’s announcement Tuesday.
“You kind of feel a way, just because he’s one of your guys that played the whole year with you,” Wisdom said. “Definitely
would’ve loved to see him here. … But I support Trey regardless of what he does. I love Trey. It’s no bad blood or nothing. It’s just the way of the world nowadays. I see everyone and their mom in the transfer portal. It’s crazy.”
When Wisdom found out UTSA was playing Marshall in his final game, he immediately began pulling up video of the Thundering Herd offense and was impressed with the athleticism of quarterback Cam Fancher.
But by Wednesday, Fancher was in the transfer portal. And on Tuesday, Marshall announced the hiring of Seth Doege as
the team’s new coordinator.
Wisdom said he predicts Marshall will remain consistent on offense rather than implement sweeping changes in less than two weeks, but Traylor said UTSA is “just trying to guess what they’re going to do, like they’re trying to guess what we’re going to do without Trey Moore.”
“Whether you like it or not, it’s the new way of college football,” Traylor said. “Bowl season is almost a total separate thing from the regular season. Obviously, all of us older guys, traditionalists, that’s taking us a little more time to get used to.”
Traylor said redshirt junior Jimmori Robinson “has played great all year” as the No. 2 at Moore’s position, and true freshman James Walley Jr. will have an opportunity in the role after appearing almost exclusively on scout team to this point in the season.
Other young talents could factor into the depth chart, but Traylor said he preferred to keep those options under wraps, away from Marshall’s scouts and the prying eyes of other programs.
“It’s not a real good time for me to be talking about any of my young kids,” Traylor said. “I just don’t want anybody robbing them from our roster. So, I’d rather keep them hidden until the transfer portal window closes. Let’s talk about the young guys later.”
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