Texas State football has been at the bottom of the barrel in the public eye for seemingly as long as time itself has lingered. After parting ways with supposed QB guru Jake Spavital, the university did not take long to find his replacement, G.J. Kinne. However, I believe the new Texas State football coach won’t last long either.
Previous Head Coach, Jake Spavital
Jake Spavital, the previous Texas State football coach, garnered respect from fans and critics alike. All things considered, he was a wildcard pick to touch the ill-fated program after Everett Withers tried his best at pumping life into the dismal flagship program. The radical shift towards the up-and-coming offensive guru was the type of hire that surprised the college football landscape when the news broke.
But, the praised quarterback guru could not sprinkle much success on the Bobcats. Looking back, his “magic” may have just been the talent he was surrounded with previously. Before helming the ship in San Marcos, he had coached college greats like Johnny Manziel, Kyler Murray, Will Grier, Case Keenum and Geno Smith, to name a few. At least at the moment, none of the names that circulated in the QB room at Texas State garner the same status as the football giants he mentored previously.
Ultimately, his overall record at the school was an underwhelming 13-35. While rocky, his tenure with the program has set the questionable foundation for newcomer G.J. Kinne.
New Texas State Football Coach G.J. Kinne
G.J. Kinne was in the latest batch of offensive gurus to enter the hiring cycle at the end of the 2022 season. While he was desired by many universities, he chose to stay in Texas and made the short trip from his previous school, UIW, to Texas State. While at UIW, his lone year as the head coach was a historic season for the program that saw the team amass an 11-1 record. On top of being the architect behind the most potent offense in FCS, that record was appetizing to many bigger programs.
However, I believe his time with the Bobcats will be relatively short. The administration set a precedent with both Withers and Spavital that losing records means a contract won’t be fulfilled. With that standard set, it is a clear message that the hype Kinne is receiving needs to be fulfilled, unlike his predecessor. Additionally, should he live up to the hype, and then some, it seems implausible that he would stay at a smaller program like Texas State. While the Bobcats live in the “Fun Belt“, should his success catch the wind of higher powers, it’s likely they will have the finical power and prestige to pull him out of his current deal.
In hindsight, this notion was likely established with Spavital. However, his hype disguised the grim reality to fans. Furthermore, his shortcomings triggered the same disgruntled grumblings that the fanbase is all too familiar with. But, this new normal should now be firmly established in the Texas State football community.
In conclusion, win or lose, I believe G.J. Kinne will not fulfill his current contract with Texas State.
