The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
Jeff Traylor, the former head coach and athletics director at Gilmer [Texas] High School, is in his second season as tight ends and special teams coach at Texas.
Traylor, who was hired in February 2015, was Gilmer’s head coach for the 15 seasons (2000-14) prior, amassing three state championships (2004, ‘09 ‘14) and a 175-26 overall record (.871). He also led GHS to state runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2012, while capturing 12 district titles.
While at Gilmer, Traylor coached both CB Kris Boyd and his brother LB Demarco Boyd, who both play for the Longhorns.
In his first season at Texas, two Longhorns’ special teams players garnered All-Big 12 honors. Punter Michael Dickson, who averaged 41.3 yards per punt on 77 attempts, was named honorable mention. He was joined on the honorable mention team by Daje Johnson. Johnson averaged 24.0 yards per kick return and over 10.7 yards per punt return with a touchdown. Texas tight ends caught 22 passes for over 300 yards and two touchdowns in Traylor’s first season. Senior tight end Logan Mills was named a recipient of the Big 12’s highest academic honor - the Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award. Both Johnson and K Nick Rose signed as undrafted free agents with the Atlanta Falcons following the 2016 NFL Draft.
Gilmer reached the 10-win mark 11 times under Traylor’s direction, all in the last 12 years, while also recording seven 13-win campaigns. The Buckeyes reached the 15-win plateau three times, all of which resulted in undefeated state championship years, including two 16-0 marks in 2004 and 2014.
Two former Longhorns who have had NFL careers played under Traylor at Gilmer in CB Curtis Brown and C David Snow. Brown lettered at Texas from 2007-10, and was a 2011 third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, playing with the organization until 2013, and recently signing with the New York Jets. Snow lettered at UT from 2008-11, signing as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills (2012) before playing with the Steelers (2013).
En route to the 4A Division 2 state title in 2014, the Gilmer offense put up the second-most points in the history of Texas high school football with 950 in 16 games for an average of 59.4 points per game. The Buckeyes scored over 60 points on nine occasions, twice posting 80 or more. They also averaged 536.1 total yards per game (8,577) with a balanced 293.9 passing yards and 242.1 rushing yards per contest.
The defense was equally impressive, allowing only 276 points (17.3 ppg) with five single-digit performances and two shutouts, while recording 23 interceptions and forcing 17 fumbles. Gilmer capped the season with a win over West Orange-Stark at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and had eight different players earn 4A All-State honors from either the Associated Press or Texas Sports Writers Association.
Gilmer’s two other state titles under Traylor both came in 3A in 2004 (Division 2) and 2009 (Division 1), before the change in class structure in Texas high school football moved the school into 4A last season.
Prior to Gilmer, Traylor was an assistant coach at Jacksonville [Texas] High School from 1993-99, where he served as passing coordinator, defensive backs coach, receivers coach and special teams coordinator.
Traylor began his coaching career at Big Sandy [Texas] High School, where he spent four years as an assistant coach from 1989-1992.
A 1986 graduate of Gilmer High School, Traylor earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from Stephen F. Austin while playing football as a walk-on.
Traylor and his wife, Cari, have two sons, Jordan, who is a graduate assistant for the Longhorns, and Jake, and one daughter, Jaci.
