DALLAS — FOX Sports Southwest will launch a new reality sports documentary series this week that will chronicle the start of the University of Texas at San Antonio's inaugural football season.
“UTSA Football: The Birth of a Program” will premiere at 11:30 a.m. (CT) on Saturday, May 14, with the first of six 30-minute episodes that will follow the Roadrunners to their inaugural season opener on Sept. 3 against Northeastern (Okla.) State.
The series will be carried on FOX Sports Southwest, FOX Sports Houston and FOX Sports Oklahoma, which reach more than 10 million cable and satellite TV homes in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.
The shows will offer an all-access look at how the UTSA football program was started from scratch two years ago by University President and San Antonio native Dr. Ricardo Romo and Athletics Director Lynn Hickey, the only female AD in Texas to oversee both men's and women's sports.
The series will take viewers on a behind-the-scenes journey that began in March 2009 when UTSA hired Larry Coker, who led Miami (Fla.) to the 2001 National Championship, to guide the new program.
UTSA and FOX Sports Southwest camera crews began following Coker this spring as he readied the team for the inaugural season. The crew will continue to record Coker's preparations throughout the spring and summer, culminating with the final episode following the Roadrunners' much anticipated inaugural game at the Alamodome.
"We're excited about this series," FOX Sports Southwest Senior Vice President/General Manager Jon Heidtke said. "It's a fascinating story and a tremendous opportunity for football fans to get an inside, behind-the-scenes look at how a major college program is put together."
“We are very excited that FOX Sports Southwest is giving us a forum to tell our story,” Hickey said. “I think football fans will enjoy seeing a behind-the-scenes look at how things have come together the last two-and-a-half years and this just adds another level of excitement to what already is a great time to be a Roadrunner.”
“Putting a football program together from scratch is a monumental task and I’m glad fans will have the opportunity to see everything that goes into it,” Coker said. “Everyone associated with our program and athletic department is excited about this partnership and we look forward to seeing the first episode this weekend.”
UTSA will play a 10-game schedule as an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS/formerly Division I-AA) independent in 2011. UTSA received an invitation to join the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and will move all 17 sports into that league beginning with the 2012-13 academic year.
In 2012, the football team will play a 12-game schedule, including six games against members of the WAC, but that league schedule has yet to be determined. The 2012 and 2013 seasons will be reclassification years as the team transitions to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS/formerly Division I-A). In 2014, the program will be a full FBS member and bowl eligible.
“UTSA FOOTBALL: THE BIRTH OF A PROGRAM” BROADCAST SCHEDULE
(all times Central; schedule subject to change)
Episode 1: Saturday, May 14, 11:30 a.m.; Sunday, May 15, 10 p.m.; Monday, May 16, noon; Tuesday, May 17, 6 p.m.; Friday, May 20, 3 p.m.; Tuesday, May 24, 6 p.m.; Thursday, June 16, 11 a.m.
Episode 2: Saturday, May 28, 10 p.m.; Friday, June 3, 11 a.m.; Saturday, June 4, 1 p.m.; Tuesday, June 7, 11 p.m.; Friday, June 10, 1 p.m.; Saturday, June 11, 10 p.m.; Tuesday, June 14, 5 p.m.; Thursday, June 16, 11:30 a.m.
Episode 3: Sunday, June 26, 6 p.m.; Monday, June 27, 3:30 p.m.; Tuesday, June 28, 6 p.m.; Friday, July 1, 1 p.m.; Sunday, July 3, 6 p.m.; Sunday, July 10, 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, 8 p.m.
Episode 4: Late July-August (dates & times TBA).
Episode 5: Late August-September (dates & times TBA).
Episode 6: Late September-October (dates & times TBA).
