The term “prodigal son” gets thrown out a lot in the sports world. The original parable having to deal with a wayward offspring finding their way back faith, family, and love is not always analogous to the person it is being applied to. While it might not 100% apply to former UTSA great Ashaad Mabry, enough of it is true for it to be applicable.
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A homegrown talent, Mabry was a flat-out star at Douglas MacArthur High School and earned a full-ride scholarship to play at Oklahoma State University. He decided to come back home after his mother became sick. At one point, he even thought about giving up the game entirely. However, just a few weeks before the inaugural 2011 game for the Roadrunners, Mabry found a home.
He would become an instant starter at UTSA and a cornerstone of the team’s defense for the next three seasons. He would earn preseason second-team All-Conference honors and honorable mention All-Conference honors as a junior in 2013. While he would go undrafted, Mabry was a member of the New Orleans Saints practice squad from 2015-2017. He would face a similar situation with the Carolina Panthers before becoming injured. He made a comeback with the ill-fated San Antonio Commanders this year, before injury again forced him to step away.
These days, Mabry is now embarking in a career in real estate while rehabbing and keeping his options open in terms of his playing career. He recently took some time out of his busy schedule to talk about his memories of that first game, venturing into the world of real estate, and on the debate of who UTSA’s true rival is.
EM: So, Ashaad, I know it’s been told before, but can you talk a little bit about how you ultimately ended up at UTSA?
AM: I went to Oklahoma State first, so there was the whole story that my Mom got sick and I wanted to be closer to home. I was actually going give up playing football, but I got in touch with [UTSA Safeties Coach Perry] Eliano when he was still there. They offered me a scholarship and I came home and that was pretty much it.
EM: What were your thoughts about going from a program like Oklahoma State to one that was a startup like UTSA? I guess, what were your overall thoughts on how things were back then?
AM: I knew it was going to take some work here because we were building something. That was pretty much my thought when I came here. I knew we were eventually gonna be DI when it was all said and done. I was really just excited.
EM: I never get tired of thinking back on that first game in the Alamodome. What was it like for you? I assume you’d played there before at one time or another. Had you ever experienced anything like that?
AM: Oh, that was amazing, man. What was it like 56,000 people there? It was crazy. I had played there in the playoffs in high school, but it was nothing like that. You could tell the guys that had been just practicing for a full year were super excited. Everybody was super excited, really. I don’t know if too many people in the country could’ve beat us that night.
EM: I know it didn’t turn out how you would’ve liked to with the Saints in New Orleans. What are your thoughts overall on your time in the NFL?
AM: Umm, it was interesting. It was fine, but it kind of sucked in that I made the 53-man roster in both of those years. I don’t know, from what they told me, it was trades that fell through and other situations. Never having to actually play during the regular season even though I made the roster, I don’t know, it will kind of haunt me forever.
I am grateful for the experience though. The only thing you can do is live with it and move on. I had never been hurt in football and I had never missed any games. But I tore my wrist in Carolina, and I was coming home and thinking it was time to move on when the Commanders called. As soon as I was out there, I hurt my knee pretty bad. Having back-to-back season-ending injuries was super tough. I’m actually going to decide pretty soon if I’m going to take another shot.
EM: How did your opportunity in real estate come about? What about you and your personality do you think makes you kind of suited for that world?
AM: It was just kind of dumb luck that I got into this. I was eating with some friends and talking about some stuff from high school. One of my friends mentioned that one of my teachers from high school started a real estate brokerage. I had been thinking about getting into it and really, I heard that and hit him up a few days later. I got my license and went from there.
People always say that I’m charming and fun to be around. My Mom says that I’m smart and I like to make people happy. So, I know that you have to be knowledgeable and work hard to succeed in this business. I always thought that I’d get into coaching or into sales when I was done playing, so I’ve been fortunate to have a good mentor now that I’m just starting out in that.
EM: I’m always curious when talking to former players about this one particular topic. In your opinion, Ashaad, who would you consider to be UTSA’s official rival?
AM: It’s tough, people really want it to be Texas State. I personally consider it to be North Texas. I played them twice and they were both pretty good games. We beat them twice, but I have always thought that that was our rival.
EM: Last thing for you, Ashaad. What does it mean to you to be a Roadrunner?
AM: It means a lot. I have my jersey and my diploma displayed in my office here. I never even mention that I went to Oklahoma State. I’m proud to have gone to UTSA. I’m proud to have been a part of that program. It means a lot to me, especially being from here.
FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way
