UTSA’s Jeff Traylor and Owen McCown Break Silence on Shocking Memphis Playbook Leak—What It Means for the Rivalry

So, here’s a hilarious little nugget that has college football fans chuckling: it turns out former Memphis defensive back Tahj Ra-El might have accidentally moonlighted as an informant, allegedly slipping the Tigers’ playbook and defensive signals over to UTSA quarterback Owen McCown before a game last season. UTSA took the win 44-36, but the real kicker? Screenshots of their digital tete-a-tete went viral, sparking all kinds of chatter. Yet, when pressed at the American Conference Media Days, both McCown and coach Jeff Traylor put the kibosh on any claims that this leak influenced the game — or even their prep. McCown himself admitted he was surprised by the messages and insisted the info was “completely irrelevant.” Makes you wonder — in a sport as meticulously strategized as football, can a rogue leak really rattle the cage, or is it all just noise? Either way, UTSA’s 2025 season looks lit, regardless of secret play sheets flying around. LEARN MORE.

College football fans got a collective laugh earlier this week when it was revealed that former Memphis defensive back Tahj Ra-El allegedly leaked the Tigers’ playbook and defensive signals to UTSA quarterback Owen McCown before a game last season. UTSA eventually won the game 44-36, and the screenshots of the direct messages went viral earlier this week.

On Friday, while representing UTSA football at American Conference Media Days, both McCown and Traylor insisted that the leak had no bearing on the game, the way that UTSA prepared for the game or the final result with the Roadrunners coming out on top.

“I think it had no bearing on the game whatsoever,” Traylor said, via Jonah Dylan of Commercial Appeal. “I didn’t know anything about it. (QB Owen McCown) didn’t tell me anything about it.”

McCown backed that sentiment up, stating that he was shocked when he received the messages and it didn’t affect that way his team prepared for the game.

UTSA QB Owen McCown addresses the report that he was shared the Memphis playbook. pic.twitter.com/O0gZVbcObA

— JJ Perez (@theJJPerez) July 25, 2025

“First and foremost, I didn’t ask for any of that information,” McCown said, via JJ Perez of Inside Runner Sports. “Like coach said, the information was completely irrelevant and it doesn’t really fit how we prepare. Like I said, completely irrelevant and that’s all it was.”

McCown also responded to some people who were coming at him after the leak surfaced, saying that he wad cheating or asking for the information.

“I just think they don’t know how we process week in and week out,” McCown said. “Like I said, the information made zero sense and was completely irrelevant to what we do week in and week out.”

McCown didn’t actually give any input in the leaked screenshot, it was mostly Ra-El who was doing all of the talking with an attached picture of what appears to be a play sheet.

Whatever the Roadrunners did to prepare for that contest, it clearly worked as they had one of their best offensive days of the season. Now, Traylor and McCown are looking forward at the 2025 slate in front of them and the rest of this UTSA football squad.

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