Texas State officially introduced current Incarnate Word head coach G.J. Kinne to lead the Bobcats’ football program Wednesday afternoon at the South End Zone Complex at Bobcat Stadium.
Kinne was happy to be offered the job, stating he wanted to stay in the Lone Star State despite having others programs express interest in hiring him.
“First off I’m excited and honored to be the new head coach at Texas State,” Kinne said. “We have unbelievable leadership here at Texas State. Throughout this interview process, I figured out quickly these guys are hungry and committed to building a championship program which is very important to me … I had some different opportunities that came up after the season that offered me great things but I wanted to be at Texas State and I chose Texas State.”
As Texas State started the process of looking for a new head coach, University President Dr. Kelly Damphousse wanted the athletic administration to find someone with deep ties to the state as well as a high powered offense which Damphousse sees in Kinne.
“When we started the process on Sunday afternoon, my advice to Don and his team was to move swiftly but carefully.” Damphousse said. “I asked them to look for a couple things, one to find someone who had close ties to not only Texas football but also Texas high school football and to find someone who had an offensive scheme that can score a lot of points. I think we found someone who can do that.”
Texas State Athletic Director Don Coryell also stated that Texas State should be at the top of the Sun Belt come football season and when the time comes, the Bobcats should be competing for a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.
“Everyone knows that Texas State should be winning football championships,” Coryell said. “We have too much to offer and we have an institution that is second to none. Winning is not optional here once this program gets rolling and I can promise you that we will do it. We not only want to play for Sun Belt Conference Championships but we also want to play in the College Football Playoff once it expands because our league is going to be in those conversations.”
Being the son of former Texas high school football coach Gary Joe Kinne II, growing up inside the football locker room helped Kinne want to become the head coach he is today.
“I’m a Texas guy through and through, and a son of a Texas High School football coach,” Kinne said. “I grew up on the sideline, in the fieldhouse and on the back of the school bus after the game. After I was done playing, I knew I wanted to be a head coach.”
Kinne also said his relationships with his players and previous relationships with his own coaches helped forge the ones he has with his team.
“My coaching philosophy is that I’m a players coach,” Kinne said. “I’m a guy that has a lot of fun on the field but we are going to work hard. It’s all about the relationships for me. The coaches that I’ve had who loved me tend to play harder for them.”
Known for his high powered offense at Incarnate Word, Kinne also looks to continue the defensive tradition Texas State started last year.
“We are going to be an exciting brand of football,” Kinne said. “Offensively we are going to be a tempo team that runs play action and lights up the scoreboard. We had the number scoring offense in FCS or FBS while averaging nearly 50 points per game … Defensively, we are going to attack and play at a high tempo. We lead the nation in tackles for loss and are third in sacks so we are going to swarm, play with great energy, and play a relentless style of football.”
When talking about the team culture, Kinne has a simple saying that both the coaches and the players can follow in order for the Bobcats to succeed and qualify for their first bowl game in program history.
“The culture part is a huge piece of this deal,” Kinne said. “It’s a simple message of ‘Habits reflecting the Mission.’ Our mission is to be champions whether it is in competition, in the classroom, and in the community. It’s simple for me and for the guys in the locker room … If your habits don’t reflect the mission of being a champion, then you are not here for the right reasons.”
In the end, Kinne believes that Texas State can go to next level considering all the positives San Marcos has to offer.
“I’ve always known that if the right guy got this job, Texas State would do great things,” Kinne said. “This place is unbelievable with 40,000 students, a river that flows right through campus, and we are the only school in Texas that is in the Sun Belt Conference. This place is so unbelievable that I’m fortunate enough to be here.”
