Vaqueros debut | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Football Season is HERE!

Edinburg, TX– The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s inaugural football season has finally arrived. Draft Diamonds reporter, Justin Kelm & his wife Chyann Kelm have made the seven hour trip to Edinburg.

The Vaqueros (0-0) host the Lobos of Sul Ross State (0-0). The Lobos are proud members of the Lone Star Conference in NCAA Division II. The Vaqueros are proud members of the Southland Conference in NCAA Division I FCS. Players to Watch QB For Redshirt Senior Quarterback Eddie Lee Marburger this is homecoming. Marburger spent his high school days at Sharyland Pioneer High School in Mission, Texas.

While with the Diamondbacks, Marburger put himself on the Texas high school football map after a junior season that resulted in two all-state nods. Marburger threw for 4,505 yards and 58 touchdowns, while also running for 1,009 yards and 16 more touchdowns in 13 games. All of this landed him the opportunity to play collegiate football at UTSA. Marburger played from 2021 to 2024 with the Roadrunners. His most notable moment came during his redshirt junior season (last season) as he helped the Roadrunners to a Myrtle Beach Bowl victory over Coastal Carolina.

After spending all his time with UTSA, Marburger entered the transfer portal. That’s when the Vaqueros offered and the rest is history. Marburger now comes home to play with a Vaqueros team that is looking to make some noise in their first season.

Marburger stated, “I want to help win the FCS championship in year one.” For the Vaqueros their mantra is to #RallyTheValley and it is prevalent all throughout the city.

With Marburger commanding the offense, the Vaqueros look to make noise. Redshirt Junior DB For Redshirt Junior Marcus Heard Jr. tonight is a night to continue to show his talents. A Bryan, Texas native from Rudder High School, Heard Jr. is no stranger to being a leader. The two-time team captain at Rudder now has came to the valley from Davidson College in North Carolina. The transfer portal helped land Heard Jr. here.

I spoke with his former coach Jarry Poth, and now a current coach with Dayton High School (TX). We spoke about him and the culture of UTRGV. In such a small time, the support is amazing, “I know MJ has told I coached him in HS. He’s like a son to me. He’s playing Sul Ross! I was DC and OC at Sul Ross for 3 years and they’re my Alma Mater! Going to great to watch him play! MJ’s a special talent and tremendous kid! “

Coaching to Watch

Coach Marco Regalado who spent the previous two seasons as the executive director of player personnel & recruiting innovation at Rice, joined UTRGV football as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator on November 27, 2023.

Regalado helped Rice sign their highest-rated recruiting class ever according to 247Sports, with three members of the 2023 recruiting class ranking among the top eight in 247Sports’ database to ever sign with Rice. He also helped bring a strong Texas presence to Rice, signing 14 players from the state.   This past summer, Regalado gained experience with the Jacksonville Jaguars as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.   Regalado was named to FootballScoop’s Minority Watch List/Rising Stars in 2022 and the 247Sports 30 Under 30 Coaches List in 2021.

Prior to joining Rice, Regalado spent one year at Washington State, where he was promoted twice in less than one year. Regalado started as a recruiting assistant, was elevated to director of on-campus recruiting, and then promoted to director of recruiting. During Regalado’s tenure, Washington State won the Apple Cup with a victory over arch-rival Washington, appeared in the Sun Bowl, and doubled the number of recruits from Texas in 2022 from the previous year’s class.

Regalado spent the 2020 season as the running backs coach/recruiting coordinator at V.R. Eaton High School in Fort Worth, helping the team to its best season in school history with a 9-4 record while a pair of his running backs combined for over 2,000 yards of total offense.   He was the special teams coordinator/linebackers coach at PSJA Memorial in 2019 and worked in a variety of roles at Mathis High School in 2018. Regalado also spent two seasons at Santa Gertrudis High School in Kingsville from 2016-17, helping the team to win its first district title in 2016.

Regalado began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M-Kingsville, coaching on defensive line from 2014-16.   Originally from Zapata, Regalado earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science from Texas State in 2014, where he founded and served as president of the Texas State club football team which played semi-pro teams in Texas. He earned his Master of Education in Educational Administration from Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2016.

Stadium gates will open 90 minutes before kickoff. Gates to the inaugural football game will open at 5:30 p.m. CT Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT. Be sure to follow along.