MASTER VS APPRENTICE

The renewal of the Texas State-UTSA rivalry will have a unique twist in this year’s match-up as it’s the first meeting between Head Coaches G.J. Kinne and Jeff Traylor.

Noted for being the quarterback under Traylor at Gilmer his senior year, it will be quite a change for Kinne, as he now faces his mentor on the opposing side of the sideline.

“It’ll be different for sure,” Kinne said. “Everyone knows how much respect I have for Coach Traylor. I wouldn’t be in this position I’m in today without his help, guidance and mentor-ship. It’s going to be unique, but this is about the kids.”

Even Traylor, who has coached for over 20 years at both the high school and college level, noted the difference.

“I have mixed emotions about it,” Traylor said. “I’m very happy and proud of him. At the same time, they are right down the street and he has created a tremendous amount of momentum. They just pulled an upset, after being a 20-point dog and they are taking back Texas from what I’m hearing.”

Despite being at Gilmer for only one year, both Kinne and Traylor have a close relationship with each other.

The duo was reunited in 2017, joining Chad Morris’ staff at SMU, before following Morris to Arkansas in 2018.

Though Kinne split off from Arkansas, the duo was reunited in San Antonio, with Traylor taking over the UTSA football program in 2020 and Kinne taking over at UIW in 2022.

Now facing off for this first time as opposing coaches, Kinne said he didn’t believe he would ever have the chance to coach against his mentor.

“I honestly thought I would be coaching for him instead of against him,” Kinne said. “I didn’t think it was going to be this soon but that’s part of it.”

Though Traylor also said he can’t believe his former quarterback will be across the sideline, what doesn’t surprise him is the success Kinne has had as an offensive mastermind.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Traylor said. “He has always been different, so that doesn’t surprise me.”

A special memory for Kinne connected to his professional time with Traylor happened over the summer.

“One of the cool moments for me was at the Texas High School Coaches Association,” Kinne said. “We have all of the FBS head coaches in a meeting before we go out on stage. I walk in there and I see the greats and the legends, then it’s me and Coach Traylor sitting next to each other. Just two guys who graduated from Gilmer High School and he was my head coach for my senior year. That was a surreal moment for me.”

One of the reasons for their closeness is the fact that both Kinne and Traylor are so much alike.

“We are very similar,” Kinne said. “That was probably the one thing that stuck out to me. He has a high emotional intelligence and is able to push people but do it the right way.”

Despite playing for Traylor for only one year, Kinne’s bond with Traylor remains strong.

“The off the field memories are just as strong as the on the field memories are,” Kinne said. “Being in his son’s wedding, then when I had a death in my family he was the first one to call me. It’s a lot of those memories and the off the field conversations. … He is somebody that I’ve leaned on for a lot of things so I have nothing but respect for him.”

With both coaches preparing for each other, the communication between the two will be a little less this coming week.

“I don’t know how he wants to play that,” Traylor said, jokingly. “But we are both open books and we love each other so much, it’s probably best if we just text … He kicked my butt once in 2005, so I’m sure he is looking forward to it in 2023.”

But don’t expect the I-35 Rivalry to come in between the two’s relationship anytime soon.

“No matter what happens during the game on Saturday,” Kinne said. “Ain’t nothing going to change between me and Coach Traylor.”

cmcwilliams@sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc