Before moving to Pac-12, Texas State is gunning for a Sun Belt title

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It’s the last ride in the Sun Belt Conference for the Texas State Bobcats, and from the football team’s standpoint, they’re trying to approach it as just another season before bolting to the reborn Pac-12 Conference.

“We’re not really worried about that. We’re worried about finishing out in the Sun Belt and trying our best to win a conference championship,” senior offensive lineman Dorion Strawn said Tuesday during Sun Belt media days in New Orleans. “That’s something for the higher-ups to worry about. We’re not even thinking about the Pac-12, we’re just focused on the field.”

The Bobcats are coming off back-to-back 8-5 seasons, both of which culminated in bowl victories, and the program is on an upward trajectory. Moving to the Pac-12 will help increase the program’s profile, national relevance, and perhaps most importantly, its budget.

Head coach GJ Kinne said that while all of that is good and he’s excited about it, he’s trying to keep his team focused on what’s happening in the moment. He didn’t even mention the Bobcats’ first opponent of 2025, Eastern Michigan, on Aug. 30 at UFCU Stadium, when discussing how the team is preparing for the season.

“This year, we need every single fall camp practice, meeting, walk-through, to accomplish what we want to accomplish,” Kinne said. “These guys have a chip on their shoulder, and our focus now is OTAs tomorrow, wrapping up a great Sun Belt media day, and then getting on to fall camp. Looking forward more than that wouldn’t be a good idea for us.”

The Sun Belt preseason poll has the Bobcats slated to finish second in the West Division behind rival Louisiana, a team they lost to by a touchdown last year, 23-17. The squad finished in a three-way tie for second in the division last season with Arkansas State and South Alabama.

This year’s team, however, isn’t like last year’s. With 37 incoming transfers, according to 247Sports, it’s no wonder Kinne needs his squad to get all the repetitions together they can get.

“I like what we got, but we have a long way to go,” Kinne said.

With quarterback Jordan McCloud graduated, Kinne brought in three transfers at the position to compete with Brad Jackson. Kinne said he loves Jackson’s game and was glad he got some in-game experience last year.

“He’s an unbelievable kid,” Kinne said. “He’s a 4.0 student. Probably the fastest quarterback we have and he has the most experience in the offense. Throws it well, runs it well.”

Kinne said Auburn transfer Holden Geriner “spends more time in the film room than some of the coaches,” and has learned the offense very quickly. SMU transfer Keldric Luster came to San Marcos at the suggestion of Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee.

“Rhett called me and said, ‘Hey, you need to sign this guy. He’s really good,'” Kinne said. “He was someone we recruited out of high school when I was at Incarnate Word, so he’s been everything we thought he’d be.”

Former Lake Travis standout Nate Yarnell is coming back to Central Texas after playing for Pitt last year. Kinne said he was recovering from an injury but still had a great spring.

“All of them have handled the competition really well,” Kinne said. “We’re going to continue to push the envelope when we recruit quarterbacks to make sure we’re good there.”

When Texas and Oklahoma left the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference, other Big 12 programs were less than cordial to the Longhorns and Sooners about their departure. As far as the Bobcats trading the eastern part of the country for the west, they like to think the reason teams are after them is because of their on-field product.

“Everybody has something to say, but as far as a target on our back, I would always like to think it’s because we are who we think we are,” senior defensive end Kalil Alexander said. “We’ve got to bond with each other and have each other’s backs when we’re out there.”

Source link