Jim Blair, one of the top collegiate baseball minds in Texas, is in his 11th full season at UTSA and his sixth as associate head coach. Blair served as an assistant coach with UTSA from 2002-06 before returning to join Coach Jason Marshall’s staff in 2012.
Blair is considered one of the top veteran assistant coaches in the state, including time on the staff at Dallas Baptist and Sam Houston State. He is in his second season directing the pitching staff for the Roadrunners, while also functioning as the recruiting coordinator.
Blair shifted roles on the UTSA staff for 2018, after directing one of the top offensive units in Conference USA.
In 2018, Blair’s pitching staff was the top unit in the league, ranking tops in Conference USA in earned runs allowed (193), opposing batting average (.236), runners picked off (16), extra-base hits (114), doubles (73) and home runs (31) allowed. All while playing in what is regarded as an offensive ballpark.
Following the season, a school-record four UTSA stars were picked in the 2018 MLB Draft, including Nathan Alexander, Trent Bowles, Derek Craft and Chance Kirby. Craft had a breakout year in 2018, transforming from a 6-foot-8, 220-pound righty with potential into a dominating bullpen arm, earning a 1.89 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.
Blair placed a great emphasis on controlling the running game in 2018 with his pitching staff, with the Roadrunners leading the circuit in runners picked off, double plays induced (47) and its catcher Tony Beam pacing the conference with eight runners picked off. Alexander went 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA and Kirby paced the staff as a senior with a 7-4 record and a 2.63 ERA.
Blair directed the UTSA offense from 2013-17, helping the Roadrunners break into C-USA with a well-rounded offensive attack. In UTSA’s first two seasons in Conference USA, the Roadrunners finished in the top four in eight major offensive categories. In 2015, the Roadrunners paced the league in home runs (52) and stolen bases (68) and finished second in doubles (118) and runs scored (362). UTSA’s home run total nearly doubled from the previous season of 27.
Blair has also mentored 11 players, 24 between his two stints, to all-conference honors, including two that were named to the league’s all-freshman team.
This past season, San Antonio product Bryan Arias, who was recognized on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team, became the fourth player in school history to hit for the cycle since Lance Brown back in 2009. During the 2015 campaign, the Roadrunners played arguably one of the program’s most difficult schedules in as many years and went 33-25. Blair helped the team to an improved .287 team batting average while mentoring All-American’s Jesse Baker and (freshman) Trent Bowles. Baker led the circuit in multiple offensive categories and ranked in the top-35 in the country in home runs per game, doubles per game, slugging percentage, home runs, doubles and total bases.
Baker, along with catcher John Bormann, were recognized as first team all-conference selections as the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Bormann in the 24th round of the MLB First-Year Players Draft. The year before, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected Bormann in the 19th round.
The 2013 season, and Blair’s first season back, was the Roadrunners most successful campaign since 2008. The team went 35-25 and advanced to the program’s third NCAA regional after capturing the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament Championship. Blair led UTSA's potent offensive attack, as the Birds paced the WAC with a .299 batting average and 629 hits. RJ Perucki (.350 – 5th) and Riley Good (.335 – 9th) both ranked among the top 10 in batting averages in the league and the duo tied for second in the circuit with 84 hits apiece. Perucki, who earned first-team All-WAC accolades, also finished second in the conference with 132 total bases and third with 12 home runs, while Daniel Rockett, who was a second-team honoree, slugged .562 and finished third. Rockett also became the Roadrunners' second-highest draft pick ever after being selected in the ninth round by the Kansas City Royals during the 2013 MLB First-Year Players Draft. Additionally, Good, who also was a second-team All-WAC pick, was a 14th round selection of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Blair returned to UTSA after spending 2012 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Dallas Baptist. He helped the Patriots to a 41-19 record and an appearance in the 2012 NCAA Waco Regional. That season, DBU posted a .304 team batting average and finished fifth in the nation in slugging percentage and seventh in home runs, while producing a pair of All-Americans in Joel Hutter and Boomer Collins.? ?In his one year as recruiting coordinator, the Patriots inked five pitchers that would eventually be taken in the top 12 rounds of the 2015 MLB Draft (Drew Smith - 3rd round; Brandon Koch - 4th round; Cory Taylor - 8th round; and Joe Shaw - 12th round).
His only fall recruiting class at Dallas Baptist would also produce eventual freshman All-American selection Austin Listi.
Prior to his stint at DBU, Blair was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under legendary coach Mark Johnson at Sam Houston State for five seasons from 2007-11. While in Huntsville, he helped the Bearkats to three consecutive NCAA Regional appearances (2007-09) and tutored a pair of All-Americans (Bobby Verbick 2007/Todd Sebek 2008). Blair’s responsibilities included mentoring the offense, which set 19 school records during his tenure. As the recruiting coordinator, he signed 22 players to National Letters of Intent that were either drafted or signed with MLB organizations and coached 11 All-Southland Conference honorees.
Blair's eye for talent can be seen in the 38 drafted prospects he has signed over his career , including five eventual big league standouts.
Blair spent the previous five campaigns as an assistant at UTSA from 2002-06. While in the Alamo City, he served as the hitting coach and helped the Roadrunners earn a berth in the 2005 NCAA Waco Regional. He tutored 2002 All-American Mark Schramek, who also was the first player in program history to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft when he was the 40th overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds that season.
The Roadrunners were one of the top offensive teams in the Southland, hitting a league-best 55 home runs in 2004 and program-record 30 triples the following year.
Before entering the coaching ranks, Blair was a three-year starter in the outfield for Steve Smith at Baylor. He twice earned All-Big 12 laurels and still holds the program record with a 31-game hitting streak. Blair led the Bears with a .376 batting average in 1997 and signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998.
?Blair graduated in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in education with emphasis in health and human performance and received his master's degree in sport management from Sam Houston State in August 2013.
He is married to the former Pamela Ann Maiden and they have three sons, Carson, Andrew and Reid.
