UTSA Football Coach Larry Coker Steps Down

Larry Coker officially announced on Tuesday that he will be stepping down as head coach of the UTSA Roadrunners. The university will immediately begin the search for a football coach to replace Coker.

Coker, 67, was the first head football coach in UTSA history and built the team from the ground up.

“Larry made NCAA history in developing our program and he will always be recognized as a true ambassador for UTSA,” Associate Vice President and Director of UTSA Athletics Lynn Hickey stated in a press release. “I want to thank Larry for taking on the huge challenge of starting up this football program. It required an incredible amount of hard work and dedication over the past seven years. There were a lot of challenges and unknowns, but Larry was able to represent the university and the city of San Antonio in a first-class manner.”

Coker proved to be a positive asset to the fledgling program, bringing with him three conference championships and the 2001 National Championship with the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was twice named national coach of the year, and carries an overall record of 86-47, but his record at UTSA was 26-31.

While building the program at UTSA for five seasons, Coker coached 14 all-conference selections, 17 academic all-conference selections and in 2015 saw the naming of UTSA football’s first All-American, David Morgan II.

The football program has been a boost for the university, and for San Antonio’s rising school spirit. Breathing new life in the Alamodome, the team set NCAA startup program records for an inaugural game with 56,743 in attendance in September 2011. The Roadrunner games drew an average of 35,521 fans each and have continued to draw more.

Coker leaves behind a legacy at UTSA as it seeks Tier One status, and in San Antonio as the city continues to prioritize higher education.

For his part, Coker looks fondly on his time with UTSA, and has high hopes for the program he built.

“The future of UTSA football is very bright and I look forward to watching the Roadrunners’ success in the future,” said Coker.