SAN ANTONIO – UTSA assistant coaches Matt Mattox and Will Stein have been elevated to co-offensive coordinators, it was announced Saturday by head coach Jeff Traylor.
The pair will replace the offensive coordinator role vacated by former UTSA associate head coach Barry Lunney Jr., who was hired for the same position at Illinois.
Mattox and Stein have served as assistant coaches on the UTSA staff since the 2020 season. Mattox has been UTSA's run game coordinator and offensive line coach, and he will continue to coach the same position group. Stein has served as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach, and he will take over the quarterbacks unit with his new role.
"I am excited to announce the promotions of Will Stein and Matt Mattox to co-offensive coordinator," said Traylor, the 2021 Conference USA Coach of the Year. "Both of them have done a fantastic job as pass game and run game coordinators the last two years."
The two coaches helped lead a record-breaking offensive attack that set school single-season marks for total yards (6,146), total yards per game (439.0), passing yards (3,577), passing yards per game (255.5), total points scored (516) and points per game (36.9) in 2021. The Roadrunners finished the campaign with a 12-2 record, won the C-USA Championship and made their second straight bowl game appearance.
Mattox came to UTSA after spending the 2019 season as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at McNeese. An 18-year coaching veteran, Mattox has spent time on the staffs at Bowling Green, Eastern Illinois, South Florida, Texas and Tulsa.
Mattox's offensive line helped pave the way for a historic season in 2021. Under his tutelage, UTSA's offensive line shined, including first-team all-conference offensive tackle Spencer Burford, second-team selection Ahofitu Maka and honorable mention performers Makai Hart and Terrell Haynes. A finalist for the Football Scoop Offensive Line Coach of the Year, Mattox helped direct Sincere McCormick to All-America and C-USA Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season after the running back went for 1,479 yards and 15 touchdowns on 298 carries, all UTSA records.
In 2020, Mattox helped lead UTSA to single-season school records for rushing yards (2,585), rushing yards per game (215.4), yards per rush (5.21) and rushing touchdowns (24). His offensive line unit saw Burford, Hart and Maka all earn second-team all-league accolades after helping pave the way for McCormick to garner All-America and C-USA Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Stein joined Traylor's staff prior to the 2020 season after serving two years as the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator at Lake Travis High School. He also spent time alongside Traylor on Charlie Strong's staff at Texas from 2015-16, and he was on the staff at Louisville, where he also played quarterback for the Cardinals. Following the 2021 campaign, he was selected to the American Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.
Stein's wide receivers excelled under his tutelage as part of a historic passing attack in 2021. Joshua Cephus, De'Corian Clark and Zakhari Franklin formed one of the top receiving trios in college football as UTSA was one of just three FBS teams to have three players catch at least 50 passes and register more than 750 yards. Franklin earned first-team all-conference honors, shattering UTSA single-season records for catches (81), yards (1,027) and TDs (12), all while becoming the school's career leader in receptions (168), yards (2,212) and TDs (22). Cephus, an honorable mention pick, hauled in 71 catches for 819 yards and six TDs, while Clark finished with 52 catches for 755 yards and seven TDs.
In 2020, his wide receivers — including honorable mention all-conference performers in Cephus and Franklin — combined for 170 receptions, 1,923 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, while helping lead a balanced offensive attack that piled up 2,399 passing yards and a school-record 2,585 rushing yards.
- UTSA -