UTRGV football is one of the most exciting new stories in college football - and Coach Marco Regalado is helping build it from the ground up.
In this episode of The Preferred Walk-On Show, Seth Saunders sits down with UTRGV running backs coach Marco Regalado to talk about South Texas football, building a new Division I program in the Valley, recruiting the right kind of players, and the walk-on values that shape his coaching journey.
Coach Regalado’s path has been anything but traditional. He grew up in Zapata, Texas, earned an academic scholarship to Texas State, tried to walk on, helped create a football club when Division I football did not work out, and eventually climbed through Texas high school football, graduate assistant roles, recruiting, player personnel, Rice, Washington State, and now UTRGV.
The conversation also explores Coach Regalado’s creative side as a Texas country music artist, including how songwriting, perseverance, rejection, and coaching all connect.
This is a conversation about betting on yourself, building something before the spotlight arrives, recruiting belief before results, and proving the people who believed in you right.
Topics include:
- Building UTRGV football from scratch
- South Texas football culture
- Coach Regalado’s non-traditional coaching journey
- Walk-on values and “takes no talent” traits
- Recruiting tough kids who love football
- Player development and program culture
- Texas country music and coaching
- Lessons from mentors including Nick Rolovich, Craig Stutzmann, Mike Bloomgren, and Coach Bush
- Why effort, toughness, humility, and treating people right still matter
“Instead of trying to prove people who doubted you wrong, focus on proving every single person who believed in you right.”
“You’ll go very far in life if you work hard and treat people right.”
“We have to find tough kids that love football.”
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:47 Coach Regalado joins the show
02:11 Football coach by day, Texas country artist by night
07:57 Coming home to South Texas and UTRGV
09:00 Building a program from scratch
11:00 Recruiting belief before results
11:48 What UTRGV looks for in players
14:11 Coach Regalado’s non-traditional climb
15:14 Trying to walk on at Texas State
16:00 Creating a football club from scratch
17:11 Walk-on values and TNT traits
20:10 Coaches who shaped the journey
24:19 Washington State, Nick Rolovich, and taking a chance
25:58 Lessons from Rice and Mike Bloomgren
27:44 Coach Bush and the UTRGV opportunity
29:19 What players remember years later
31:34 Doc Brown's DeLorean
33:55 How to support UTRGV football
If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to The Preferred Walk-On Show for in-depth interviews with the coaches, players, and leaders shaping college football. New episodes every week.
The Preferred Walk-On is the people's college football show. Hosted by Seth Saunders, with James Kehm joining as featured co-host, the show covers college football's full Division I landscape: every Power Four conference, every Group of Six matchup, and every corner of the FCS. Walk-On grit. All-American tape.
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Walk-On grit. All-American film.
