IRVING — Perhaps some of it is the gift of gab he inherited from his famous father. Or maybe it’s just a coach building up a future opponent.

Nothing new there.

But to hear Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz rave about the UTSA football program and coach Frank Wilson is like watching one of those wind-up toys just go and go and go.

“I think Frank has done an unbelievable job,” said Holtz, whose father, Lou Holtz, was a popular head coach at Arkansas and Notre Dame. “When you look at the culture, the team, the talent, the program and you go to a bowl game your first year, that’s pretty phenomenal.

“I’ve really been impressed with their talent level, how hard their players play. I expect them to be one of the tougher teams in our division.”

Holtz was just one of a number of coaches singing the praises of Wilson and the Roadrunners during Conference USA’s media days festivities Wednesday at an airport hotel.

UTSA is a consensus No. 2 pick in most preseason polls in C-USA’s West Division, right behind Louisiana Tech. The ’Runners finished second in the West a year ago after being picked to finish fifth.

In fact, many are predicting when the Roadrunners and Bulldogs meet Nov. 25 in Ruston, Louisiana, it could be for the right to represent the West in the C-USA championship game.

A year ago, little was expected from Wilson’s first team after the Roadrunners went 3-9 in 2015 under Larry Coker, prompting his dismissal.

But UTSA finished a surprising 6-6 during the regular season in 2016, earning the school’s first trip to a bowl game in just its sixth season of Division I football.

Wednesday, that newfound respect was on display.

“Coach (Larry) Coker and (athletic director) Lynn Hickey did a great job of laying the foundation,” said David Bailiff, now in his 11th season as head coach at Rice. “Coach Wilson is moving it up to where you’re seeing UTSA on the recruiting boards, recruiting the same players as everyone else. You didn’t used to see that.

“(Wilson) is obviously engaged in the community in San Antonio and with the team and he appears to be making all the right moves to keep that program moving forward.”

Count UTEP coach Sean Kugler among the UTSA admirers.

His Miners were engaged in an epic, five-overtime battle with the Roadrunners last season at the Alamodome. UTEP prevailed 52-49, but UTSA left an impression.

“It was a barn-burner, that’s for sure,” Kugler said. “They were a very physical team, probably one of the most physical teams we played all year. They’re going to be in the discussion (as favorites to win the West).

“I think they’re a quality team, a program on the upswing. It’s good for the conference. It’s good for football in Texas, too.”

Alvin Jones, a senior linebacker at UTEP, called the game against UTSA a year ago “crazy, very exciting.”

“I wish it hadn’t gone five overtimes,” Jones said. “I was exhausted. I played every play on defense. They had a great rushing attack. We had a hard time stopping them. They should have a great team this year, too.”

Southern Mississippi senior running back Ito Smith was a little more to the point when describing the Roadrunners, who upset the Golden Eagles 55-32 a year ago at the Alamodome.

“They killed us last year,” Smith said. “But we’ve got them at our place this year. We’ve got the date circled on our calendar.”

Circled on their calendar? Another sign of growth and respect for the Roadrunners.

“They got on us really quick last year down in San Antonio,” Southern Miss coach Jay Hopson said. “You’ve got to give those guys credit. That’s certainly a team that has our respect. I think Frank and their players have done an outstanding job.”

Several individual Roadrunners players received high marks, too, including from their competitors.

Rice linebacker Emmanuel Ellerbee said he couldn’t help but notice the play of his UTSA counterpart Josiah Tauaefa during the Roadrunners’ 14-13 victory over the Owls in 2016 at Rice Stadium.

Tauaefa was named to the freshman All-America team after recording a school-record 115 tackles a year ago.

“I watched him a lot. He really stands out,” said Ellerbee, like Tauaefa a first-team preseason All-C-USA selection. “He’s an athletic guy. I saw the North Texas game where he jumped over a guy to make a tackle. That’s athleticism. To do what he did last year as a redshirt freshman was pretty impressive.”

Said Holtz, finally winding down: “That game we play at the end of the year could be for the West (title). UTSA is turning heads right now.”

jwhisler@express-news.net

Twitter: @johnfwhisler