Head coach GJ Kinne and the Bobcats enter their bye week with a 3-1 record following a 35-3 win against Nicholls State last week. Other than a disappointing loss to Arizona State in week 3, the Bobcats have a lot to hang their hat on. GJ Kinne will take this time to evaluate his teams’ strengths/weaknesses and prepare for the opponents ahead. Not to mention, extra time for players like tight end Blake Smith and defensive backs Trez Moore and Amarion Atwood to get healthy.
Recap
The Bobcats started the season 2-0 heading into Tempe to play their toughest opponent of the season, the Arizona State Sun Devils. Although the Bobcats showed a lot of fight, they were clearly unmatched and unprepared for the Sun Devils game plan. A couple of costly turnovers from Beau Sparks and Brad Jackson made the hill too tall to climb for this Texas State team. Although the Bobcats offense gained 400 yards of total offense to Arizona State’s 347, The Bobcats fell to the Sun Devils 34-15.
Last Saturday, GJ Kinne and his team had an opportunity to bounce back against an FCS opponent in Nicholls State. Nearly 32,000 Bobcat fans packed UFCU Stadium for the historic “Battle of the Paddle”. Texas State showed up for their fans, shutting down the Nicholls State offense and doing practically whatever they wanted on offense. GJ Kinne made sure the Bobcat faithful had nothing to worry about after their loss against Arizona State the week prior. Texas State handled Nicholls State, resulting in a score of 35-3.
Bye Week News
After much needed reassurance and a bye week ahead, the Bobcat faithful assumed it would be a stress-free week. This was before everyone heard the news that legendary Oklahoma State Coach, Mike Gundy, had been fired on Tuesday. Gundy had been the head coach for the past 20 years and is the winningest coach in OSU history. Big shoes to fill, right? As of Wednesday morning, Bobcats head coach GJ Kinne is the favorite to land the job. We knew this time was coming and it’s hard to say it’s not deserved. It’s a part of the cold world of college football, especially smaller universities. If you’re lucky enough to land an up-and-coming coach, you only have a few good years before he gets poached by a bigger program with deeper pockets.
Bobcat fans – it’s not time to fret. Yet. There have been no reports of Kinne speaking to OSU nor has he spoken on the topic. When he took the Texas State job three years ago, he ended up coaching two more games with IWU. It’s not his style to leave his players high and dry. The real threat is losing our head coach who turned the program around and taking our star players with him. Another thing that would hurt tremendously, but it’s tough to blame somebody for doing so. Establishing a culture in a new program is much easier to do when you bring in your guys that already know what that culture looks like. Let’s just hope and pray GJ Kinne is as “all-in” as he says he is. OSU fans are already on the Kinne train and have coined a catchy phrase that I’m 100% going to steal.
Whatever happens with GJ Kinne, Bobcat fans must be appreciative of what he’s done for the university. Personally, I’d be shocked if he’s offered the job and declines. I really do believe he cares about this team and city as much as he claims. But some offers are just too sweet. Not to mention, it’s a Power 4 school and a chance to coach in the same state he played college ball in.
Following the Bobcats bye week, they face 1-3 Arkansas State in their first conference game. A game they should win, especially with a week of rest and preparation. Conference play starts Saturday and it’s important to win these next matchups if Texas State wants a shot at a conference title. If GJ Kinne ends up leaving, the best way to go out would be to give this fanbase their first Sun Belt championship. Instead of panicking, it’s best to focus on the schedule at hand. Tune into ESPNU to watch Texas State face Arkansas State on October 4th at Centennial Bank Stadium.