SAN ANTONIO — We found out the night of the Frisco Bowl that Incarnate Word had hired their new football coach, G.J. Kinne.
I was quickly reading through the press release during the bowl game post game press conference, which was not the happiest ever for the Roadrunners having just fallen to San Diego State a few days before Christmas.
I had noticed toward the bottom of the UIW email that Coach Kinne and Coach Traylor had a history dating back to when Kinne was Traylor's starting quarterback at Gilmer High School in northeast Texas. I suddenly really wanted to ask Traylor about that not knowing when we'd see him again, but quickly thought better with encouragement from UTSA media relations director Kyle Stephens that right then and there would not have been the best time.
He was right. Coach Traylor was disappointed in the bowl game outcome, and only wanted to address that, and I could certainly respect that.
But recently this spring we had the opportunity to request and get the two head coaches of their respective programs to sit down and talk about how things have come full circle in San Antonio. They worked together as college assistants at SMU and Arkansas, and now lead our cities two major programs, UTSA and UIW. The following is the conversion back and forth between Traylor and Kinne on a number of topics.
"G.J. has always been very special," said Traylor. "The way he handles himself, and the way he loves kids. We are very similar believe it or not. I think he will do the exact same things as a head coach. I was with him Arkansas. I was with him at SMU, and I watched him those exact kids the exact same way."
"Always just someone that I can lean on in this profession, and I've probably talked to him once a week since I took the job," said Kinne. "It has been lots of fun to connect with him."
"I was very involved in the hiring process," said Traylor. "UIW did a great job of staying in contact with me, and letting me know what they were doing. They were asking me my thoughts. They were very professional. There is nothing I wouldn't do to help G.J. I still feel that way. He can spot talent. He's always been really good at identifying players. I'm sure he will development that talent, and I'd let him coach my kids. When he was at Hawaii, when he was at Central Florida, it doesn't matter where he's been, he's always called me and we've always talked."
"There's no doubt I'm gonna be following them (UTSA) close," said Kinne. "When we're done evaluating our film I'm gonna be right to UTSA."
"There is a unique relationship there for me that I've just watched develop, and I just wanna help him all I can," said Traylor.
"Like I said, being with Coach Traylor my senior year, and then going on to play collegiate, he's one of the big reasons that I'm here today," said Kinne. "Not only my playing career, but then coaching, getting to be with him at SMU and then Arkansas. Things I'll do and talk to the team about. The way I'll script practice, and the way I'll evaluate practice has lots to do with Coach Traylor and the lessons he's taught me over the years. It has been for fun for me. I'm in the honeymoon stage. I'm undefeated, and that's what he told me is to enjoy this time right now because when you start facing some adversity and playing some game, that's what really being a head coach is all about."
"On Friday nights the guys that I'm the closest to, I'll usually text them and let them know that I'm thinking about them," Traylor said. "I'm sure that G will be one of those that I'll text on Friday nights."
