Asaad Chapman put on an absolute clinic against the nation’s No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns, allowing just one catch for 7 yards on five targets! That’s not just a good game; that’s a statement performance against the toughest opponent, one that earned him huge respect, even from former Roadrunner and current Philadelphia Eagle Tariq Woolen on social media.
Coach Traylor Said the Playbook is Wide Open. Why?
UTSA coach Jeff Traylor was clearly stoked when he reviewed the video from Saturday’s 30-6 loss to Texas. Forget the final score for a second, because the Roadrunners’ cornerbacks group absolutely jumped right off the screen. These guys were going up against a pair of potential future first-round NFL draft picks in Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, and Traylor said they “competed their tails off” with pristine technique. They legitimately threw some serious wrenches into the nation’s top team’s plans, creating genuine hiccups even as Texas eventually pulled away for the win.
The whole Roadrunners defense clearly got a confidence boost from that performance, but Traylor specifically highlighted the cornerbacks. He’s been “especially pleased” with them, stating flat-out that “the playbook is wide open when you’ve got corners that can cover.” He even said their play “exceeded even our expectations, and our expectations were pretty high.” He’s “really happy for that room right now,” and honestly, who wouldn’t be?
The Core of the Cover Crew is Balling Out
The Roadrunners came into preseason camp already thinking corner might be their deepest and most talented position group. Ahamad Chapman, who was a late junior college transfer in 2025, really emerged through that year, becoming a starter in UTSA’s final four games and preserving his redshirt. Now he’s joined this season by his twin brother, Asaad Chapman, who also transferred from San Bernardino Valley.
Don’t sleep on RJ Lester either. He came over last year as a transfer from Oklahoma State and was projected as a starter, but a heart issue that needed surgery kept him sidelined until bowl practices. Now he’s fully healed and was a Week 1 starter in 2026. Zach Morris, a New Mexico transfer in his third year, is finally showing what he can do, too. He earned a start Saturday after ankle injuries hampered him for most of the past two years. Cornerbacks coach Nick Graham deserves a ton of credit here, recruiting and developing this unit into what it is. Even inside linebacker Brandon Tucker pointed to Graham’s work as a key reason for their success. “Every week he gets after it, and he’s very hard on his guys,” Tucker said. “Those guys love him. Everybody’s bought in.” That’s the kind of coaching you want!
Now, can UTSA keep building on those high notes against Texas? We’ll find out Saturday in their home matchup against Colorado State. The big question mark is Ahamad Chapman, who’s currently questionable after leaving the Texas game due to injury. If he’s out, can the others step up again? This defense is ready to prove it wasn’t a fluke!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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