Texas State notebook: G.J. Kinne hopes to duplicate magical IWU season with familiar faces
SAN MARCOS — G.J. Kinne is determined to revamp Texas State’s offense and “light up the scoreboard” this season, but the defense is also receiving a makeover with a signing class that signals a schematic change.
Under previous defensive coordinator Zac Spavital, the Bobcats primarily ran a three-down defense and increased their total sacks (27, up from 18 in 2021) and tackles for loss (77, up from 58) last season after implementing a second edge rusher/outside linebacker.
Kinne, though, has brought in his own defensive coordinator from Incarnate Word, Johnathan Patke. He's one of seven assistants Kinne brought with him from San Antonio.
Using Patke's 4-2-5 scheme last season, the Cardinals led the nation — FBS and FCS schools — with 129 tackles for loss while finishing No. 9 in sacks in the FCS and No. 10 in takeaways. Incarnate Word also had the second-best total defense (363 yards allowed per game) and scoring defense (25.6 points per game) in the Southland Conference.
Scheme in place, the Bobcats then signed those types of players
Of the 33 players in Kinne's first signing class, 16 are on the defensive side, including seven backs and six linemen. Increasing the number of linemen and defensive backs is an indicator of the impending scheme transition, though that's not something Kinne is keeping secret. On Wednesday, during his national signing day press conference, he explained how the Bobcats would be in a four-man front, using more defensive ends, with two true inside linebackers and an added hybrid safety/cornerback in the backfield.
More: Texas State honors former Bobcats star Jeff Foster with basketball court dedication
Current outside linebackers Jordan Revels and Ben Bell will probably switch positions in Patke’s defense, but it shouldn’t be a drastic change for either. Revels, a two-time All-Sun Belt honorable mention selection the past two years, played defensive end his first three seasons before switching to linebacker last year. He reached a career-high in sacks (4½) playing in the extra edge position. And Bell was a defensive end at Louisiana Tech before transferring to Texas State, registering 27 tackles and 3½ sacks on the line for the Bulldogs in 2021.
That Incarnate Word feeling around the program
Along with the seven Incarnate Word coaches, Kinne signed seven Incarnate Word players as transfers, bringing in five offensive linemen — Nash Jones, Dorion Strawn, Emeka Obigbo, Jimeto Obigbo and Caleb Johnson — along with receiver Kole Wilson and safety Kaleb Culp. Bringing coaches and players from his former program has helped with continuity and introducing the new system to other players, Kinne said.
“I think some of those UIW guys are the best guys we signed,” he said. “We know those guys. We know what we are getting. Very high character guys. Great football players. Really what we want this thing to look like. Starting with the offensive linemen, signing five of those guys — three of them had Power Five offers that we were fighting off to get here.
"That offensive line piece, getting those guys allows me to sleep well at night because those guys are really talented and really good," he added. "Really strong, and I think that’s shown so far since we’ve got back and started working out with the strength program. Some of the strongest guys are those that we signed from the offensive line at UIW.”
The other six Incarnate Word coaching additions, signed to guide the same position groups at Texas State, are offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich, offensive line coach Jordan Shoemaker, tight ends coach Will Bryant, running backs coach Kam Martin, safeties coach Dexter McCoil and cornerbacks coach Matthew Gregg.
Basketball: Both the men’s and women’s teams lost Thursday, with the men dropping a second consecutive game and the fifth in the past six.
The Bobcats (11-13, 4-7 Sun Belt) saw the return of starting point guard Mason Harrell after he missed three games, but it wasn’t enough to hold off Louisiana on the road in an 82-63 loss.
The women’s team (15-7, 7-4) fell to Troy 84-78. The Bobcats remain fourth in the Sun Belt standings with the conference tournament starting at the end of this month.
Both teams will look for redemption Saturday, with the men at Troy and the women hosting Louisiana-Monroe. Each squad has seven games left in the regular season.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas State notebook: Kinne has infused team with IWU staff, players
