SAN ANTONIO — Regardless of who the coaches are at both schools, the pipeline of football talent continues to flow from Judson High School to UTSA.
Cornerback Xavier Spencer signed with the Roadrunners on Wednesday, becoming the third Judson graduate in two years to join the UTSA program.
Spencer, who also had a scholarship offer from UTEP, was recruited by first-year head coach Jeff Traylor and made his official visit to UTSA last weekend. He committed to the Roadrunners on Monday.
"It was a good decision for me," Spencer said Wednesday. "When I went for the visit, I felt that UTSA fit me. I felt a bond with the coaches. When I signed this morning, Coach Traylor and the whole defensive staff face-timed me (via cell phone) and congratulated me. It was a big relief for me."
The seven other players who signed with UTSA on Wednesday were:
- Ernesto Alamaraz, 6-4, 280, offensive lineman, sophomore transfer, East Los Angeles College
- Walker Baty, 6-4, 280, defensive lineman, freshman, Liberty Hill High School
- Kaedric Cobbs, 5-10, 210, running back, freshman, Denton Guyer High School
- Makai Hart, 6-4, 295, junior transfer, Trinity Valley Community College
- Allen Horace, 6-5, 250, freshman, Crockett High School
- Avery Morris, 6-2, 205, LB, freshman, Atascocita High School, Humble
- Monte Williams, 6-3, 305, OL, freshman, Mesquite High School
UTSA signed Judson running back Sincere McCormick and safety Rashad Owens in the early signing period in December 2018. Both started as freshmen last year in Wilson's last season as head coach.
"It'll be good to play with Rashad and Sincere again," Spencer said. "We're like a family at Judson. We all have a tight bond. We want to represent San Antonio and the area well."
Traylor, who was hired Dec. 9 to succeed Wilson, had plenty of good things to say about Spencer.
"He's from Judson," Traylor said, when asked what he liked about Spencer. "I mean, it's a great program. I guess I can't say the high school coach's name. The (Judson head) coach does a great job. I've worked with some of those guys before, coached against them.
"I trust them. Rashad is a great player for us. Sincere is a great player for us. Jarveon (Williams) was a great player for us. For me, it ought to be a pipeline we trust. He's (Spencer) is long. He's intelligent. You get somebody with length, speed, physicality, IQ, character and a great program, I'll hedge my bet."
Jarveon Williams, now a graduate assistant on Traylor's staff, was the first Judson player to sign with UTSA. He played four seasons with the Roadrunners, from 2013-16, and became UTSA's first 1,000-yard rusher as a junior.
Williams played his first three seasons under Larry Coker, UTSA's first head coach, and one with Wilson at the helm.
Traylor was associate head coach at the University of Arkansas the last two seasons before being hired to succeed Wilson, who was fired Dec. 1 after going 19-29 in four season.
Wednesday was the first day of the NCAA's traditional signing period, which ends April 1. Three other players from Greater San Antonio schools – Wagner wide receiver Josh Cobbs (Wyoming), Boerne Champion safety Bowen Fjord (Utah State) and Madison linebacker Valen Penn (UNLV) – signed with FBS schools on Wednesday.
Twelve players from the San Antonio area signed on the first day of the early signing period in December. The NCAA implemented the early signing period in 2017.
"Today is a great day," Traylor said. "I know every college coach in the country is going to say that today, but it really was a great day. The most important thing to us is the straight-line recruiting that goes on in the state of Texas. It's something that the Texas High School Coaches Association is very proud of.
"We're going to go through the high school coach before we sign a kid. In the month of January, our coaches saw 305 high schools. Of the 17 kids we signed, 16 of them played in the state of Texas. We had one from Los Angeles."