LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — UTSA defensive coordinator Jess Loepp has been named a nominee for the Frank Broyles Award, the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation announced Tuesday.
Loepp is one of 57 nominees for the 2023 Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches. They were selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 131 FBS programs across the country. The Broyles Award selection process includes the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), broadcasters, a college football hall-of-fame selection committee, and current college head coaches.
A selection committee of distinguished former head coaches, broadcasters and a committee representing the FWAA will select 15 semi-finalists, five finalists from the list of nominees, and an overall winner.
Loepp is in his fourth season as a member of the UTSA staff and safeties coach and his second year as defensive coordinator, after he was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2021. During his time in San Antonio, the Roadrunners have posted a 37-13 record, won back-to-back conference championships and are bowl eligible for the fourth consecutive year.
This fall under Loepp’s guidance, the UTSA defense has emerged as one of the most aggressive units in the FBS. The Roadrunners have posted 79 tackles for loss and 38 sacks through 10 games. UTSA leads the American Athletic Conference and ranks second in the FBS with 3.8 sacks per game, while standing second in the AAC and seventh nationally with 7.9 tackles for loss per contest.
The Roadrunners have dialed up the pressure all season, registering five or more tackles for loss in nine games, including 10-plus in four contests, paced by a season-high 13 against Florida Atlantic. Additionally, UTSA has recorded four-plus sacks five times, including a season-best seven versus Texas State. Over the last five contests, the Roadrunners have posted 46 TFLs and 25 sacks, good for averages of 9.2 and 5.0 per contest during that stretch.
UTSA has held six opponents to fewer than 400 yards of offense, including 162 by Florida Atlantic, the fewest yards allowed by the Roadrunners this year, and 242 by Texas State. Both totals are season-low yardage outputs for those two teams. Additionally, UTSA held Rice to just 229, that team’s lowest total since the season opener versus Texas.
The Roadrunners have held four opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards, including 20 by Florida Atlantic and 31 by Texas State, both season lows for the two teams. UTSA also limited Rice to 47 rushing yards and Temple to 70 this year.
UTSA has allowed only 596 rushing yards combined through six conference games, an average of 99.3 per contest.
In the takeaway department, UTSA has forced 13 turnovers this season, all in the past seven contests, with seven interceptions and six fumble recoveries.
The Broyles Award is presented by Oaklawn, Hot Springs, Arkansas. Proceeds from the 2023 Broyles Award support the Broyles Foundation’s mission to provide a game plan for Alzheimer’s caregivers through education, support, and resources. The Broyles Foundation can be followed on Facebook, X and Instagram.
2023 Frank Broyles Award Nominees
AIR FORCE – Brian Knorr, Defensive Coordinator
ALABAMA – Tommy Rees, Offensive Coordinator/QB
APPALACHIAN STATE – Frank Ponce, Offensive Coordinator/QB
ARIZONA – Johnny Nansen, Defensive Coordinator
ARIZONA STATE – Brian Ward, Defensive Coordinator
ARKANSAS – Travis Williams, Defensive Coordinator/LB
BOSTON COLLEGE – Matt Applebaum, Offensive Line
BYU – Jernaro Gilford, Cornerbacks
CINCINNATI – Bryan Brown, Assoc. Head Coach/ DC
CLEMSON – Wes Goodwin, Defensive Coordinator/LB
COLORADO STATE – James Finley, Tight Ends
DUKE – Tyler Santucci, Defensive Coordinator/LB
FLORIDA STATE – Adam Fuller, Defensive Coordinator
GEORGIA – Mike Bobo, Offensive Coordinator/QB
GEORGIA SOUTHERN – Bryan Ellis, Offensive Coordinator/QB
GEORGIA TECH – Buster Faulkner, Offensive Coordinator/TE
IOWA - Phil Parker, Defensive Coordinator/Sec.
IOWA STATE – Jon Heacock, Defensive Coordinator
JAMES MADISON – Bryant Haines, Defensive Coordinator/LB
KANSAS – Jim Zebrowski, Quarterbacks
KANSAS STATE – Joe Klanderman, Defensive Coordinator/S
LOUISVILLE – Ron English, Defensive Coordinator
LSU – Mike Denbrock, Offensive Coordinator/TE
MEMPHIS – Tim Cramsey, Offensive Coordinator
MIAMI – Lance Guidry, Defensive Coordinator
MICHIGAN – Sherrone Moore, Offensive Coordinator/OL
MISSOURI – Kirby Moore, Offensive Coordinator
NC STATE – Tony Gibson, Defensive Coordinator/LB
NEBRASKA – Tony White, Assoc. Head Coach/DC
NORTH CAROLINA – Chip Lindsey, Offensive Coordinator/QB
NORTH TEXAS – Drew Svoboda, Special Teams
NOTRE DAME – Al Golden, Defensive Coordinator/LB
OHIO – Spence Nowinsky, Defensive Coordinator/DE
OHIO STATE – Jim Knowles, Defensive Coordinator/LB
OKLAHOMA – Jeff Lebby, Offensive Coordinator/QB
OLE MISS – Pete Golding, Defensive Coordinator/LB
OREGON – Will Stein, Offensive Coordinator
OREGON STATE – Jim Michalczik, Assoc. Head Coach/Run Game/OL
PENN STATE – Manny Diaz, Defensive Coordinator/LB
RICE – Marques Tuiasosopo, Offensive Coordinator/QB
RUTGERS – Joe Harasymiak, Defensive Coordinator
SAN JOSE STATE – Josh Oglesby, Offensive Line/RG
SMU – Scott Symons, Defensive Coordinator
TENNESSEE – Tim Banks, Defensive Coordinator
TEXAS – Pete Kwiatkowski, Defensive Coordinator/OLB
TEXAS STATE – Mack Leftwich, Offensive Coordinator
TEXAS TECH – Kenny Perry, Assoc. Head Coach/Special Teams/RB
TOLEDO – Mike Hallett, Co-Offensive Coordinator/OL
TULANE – Shiel Wood, Defensive Coordinator/LB
UAB – Alex Mortensen, Offensive Coordinator
UCLA – D’Anton Lynn, Defensive Coordinator
UNLV – Brennan Marion, Offensive Coordinator
UTAH – Morgan Scalley, Defensive Coordinator/S
UTAH STATE – Kyle Cefalo, Co-Offensive Coordinator/WR
UTSA – Jess Loepp, Defensive Coordinator/S
WASHINGTON – Ryan Grubb, Offensive Coordinator
WEST VIRGINIA – Matt Moore, Offensive Line
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