Tarleton State University Athletics

Dylan Wagner is entering his third season in 2026 as Director of Recruiting and Player Development for Texan Football, his fifth year with the program.

Tasked with replacing one of the biggest classes in program history following a historic 2025 season, Wagner was vital in helping the Texans reload. A 63-man National Signing Day class in 2026 was the largest NSD class in Tarleton State Football history. According to AthLinkd, College Football's Premier Prospect Database, Tarleton State had the No. 1 class across all of the FCS. Earlier in the portal window, 247Sports had the Texans as the No. 1 ranked portal class in the FCS. Of the transfers, 17 are joining Tarleton State from the FBS level. The 2026 class also had 24 players who earned stars as a prospect in high school, with three four-star prospects, 20 three-star prospects and one two-star prospect.

On the Tarleton State Football staff during the historic season in 2025, the Texans posted its best season in the Division era. The Texans won a share of the United Athletic Conference title, earned the No. 4 seed in the FCS Playoffs, and advanced to the quarterfinals in just their second year of playoff eligibility as a Division I program. Tarleton State began the season winning a pair of nationally televised games (42-0 at Portland State on ESPN2 during Week 0, 30-27 OT at Army on CBS Sports Network during Week 1), and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls. With an overtime win against Austin Peay on Nov. 22, the Texans clinched a share of the UAC Championship. It was Tarleton State's third conference championship in the past eight seasons, and the Texans' sixth conference championship as an NCAA institution. The 2025 conference title marked Tarleton State Football's first conference championship in the NCAA Division I era, and Tarleton State Athletics' second regular season conference championship in the D1 era (Tennis in 2022). When the Selection Show came around, it was no surprise to see Tarleton State’s name in the playoff field. The Texans not only earned a first-round bye, but also earned its highest-ever playoff seed as a Division I program. Tarleton State clinched its 12th win of the season with their victory in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, matching the most in a single season in program history. The United Athletic Conference co-champions, the No. 4 seed in the FCS Playoffs, reached the final eight for the first time in their Division I history. Tarleton State was just the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first active FCS program to accomplish that feat since 1985 (Eastern Washington). The Texans were ranked No. 6 in both the final Stats Perform Top 25 Poll and the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. The record-setting season was recognized with a plethora of awards. In addition to having 12 players named to All-UAC Teams, four Texans earned spots on the Stats Perform FCS All-America Teams. Tarleton State was also well represented nationally in the postseason awards, having Texans as finalists for the Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice, Eddie Robinson and Walter Payton awards. Academically, 12 Texans earned spots on the UAC All-Academic Teams.
 
The Texans posted a historic campaign in 2024, going 10-4 overall and 6-2 in United Athletic Conference play, winning their FCS Playoffs debut against Drake before dropping a tight contest at No. 4 South Dakota in Vermillion in the second round. It was the longest regular season in program history both in number of games played and number of days on the calendar, with Tarleton State opening on Week 0 (a 26-23 win over McNeese on ESPN2) on Aug. 23, and finishing with a 42-31 loss at South Dakota on Dec. 7. On Nov. 30, 13-seed Tarleton State hosted Drake in the first round of the FCS Playoffs  winning 43-29 at Memorial Stadium. The Texans became the fifth team in the history of the FCS Playoffs (Division I-AA Playoffs), which goes back 46 years, to win their first playoff game at the FCS level in their first year eligible after reclassifying from NCAA Division II. Two of those five teams comprised of the four-team playoff field in that initial round of the FCS Playoffs – Florida A&M and UMass, in 1978. The other two programs are currently in the FBS; Troy in 1993 and UCF in 1990. The Texans earned the No. 13 seed in the FCS Playoffs among the 24-team field across 129 FCS programs in just their first year of championship eligibility. They had become just the first team fresh off of reclassification to make the playoffs since 2009 (South Dakota State). Tarleton State was named No. 12 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll of the season, and No. 13 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll of the season. Tarleton State was ranked in both polls every single week of the 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the postseason. The Texans were just one of 11 teams nationwide to never leave the polls, joined by Idaho, Illinois State, Montana, Montana State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, UC Davis, UIW and Villanova. Tarleton State started 2024 7-1, with a six-game winning streak, their best start and their longest winning streak in the D1 era. The Texans finished second in the UAC. Across the board, Tarleton State was ranked No. 22 in total offense and they forced the tied-third most turnovers. Tarleton State had both the leading receiver (Darius Cooper at 1,450 yards) and the leading rusher (Kayvon Britten at 1,982) across all of the FCS.
 
Wagner served Texan Football as a graduate assistant in 2023 and a student assistant in 2022. In his first two years at Tarleton State, Wagner served as the main liaison between the offensive and defensive staffs, helping the offensive staff with in-depth opponent scouting reports, with major input on recruiting, plus much more.
 
"I want to thank Coach Whitten for this great opportunity, it has been a blessing to be a part of this program and I am ready to attack this new position," Wagner said at the time of his promotion to Director of Recruiting and Player Development. "We are truly building something special here at Tarleton State. I'm excited to keep building and to bring the best of the best here to Stephenville."
 
Originally from Lubbock, Texas, Wagner earned his undergrad in sport management from Tarleton State in 2023 and received his master's in sport administration in May 2024.