Texas State notebook: G.J. Kinne turning Bobcats coaching staff into Incarnate Word North

SAN MARCOS — After finishing this season with the top scoring offense and a stout defense that got Incarnate Word to the semifinals of the FCS playoffs, new Texas State coach G.J. Kinne has decided if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Seven of the 10 on-field coaches Kinne has hired are following him to Texas State from Incarnate Word: offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich, defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke, offensive line coach Jordan Shoemaker, running backs coach Kam Martin, tight ends coach Will Bryant, cornerbacks coach Matthew Gregg and safeties coach Dexter McCoil Sr.

Texas State also announced Sam Houston State defensive line coach Mike O’Guin for the same position, Utah Tech offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator, and South Florida special teams coordinator and interim head coach Daniel Da Prato as associate head coach and special teams coordinator. Bret Huth also was announced as the strength and conditioning coordinator.

More: G.J. Kinne promises to focus Bobcats' recruiting efforts on state players, state products

Leftwich's hiring was announced Dec. 13. Patke was announced Dec. 22, the day after early national signing day. Leftwich called the plays for the Cardinals, who averaged 52 points and 581 yards per game. Patke’s defense led the nation in tackles for a loss with 129 and finished ninth in sacks with 43, averaging three a game.

This season was the first for both coaches as coordinators. Leftwich started as a graduate assistant and then quarterbacks coach his first four years at Incarnate Word, while Patke was the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Miami from 2018 to 2021. Patke also started his career as a graduate assistant at Incarnate Word from 2011 to 2013.

Recruiting: After signing nine players Dec. 21, Texas State announced three more signees to bring its 2023 class to 12 members. Incarnate Word receiver Kole Wilson, Washington State defensive back Kaleb Ford-Dement and Navarro College defensive back Michael Boudin II all have transferred in.

Including those three, eight of the 12 signees are transfers. The other transfers are Boise State edge rusher Deven Wright, Oklahoma defensive lineman Cedric Roberts, Incarnate Word offensive lineman Nash Jones, Houston Christian running back Ismail Mahdi and Kilgore College running back Donerio Davenport. The other four players in the class are Texas high school prospects: Mesquite Horn receiver Chris Dawn Jr. and defensive back Amarion Atwood, Mansfield Timberview offensive lineman Bami Badusi, and Frisco Independence tight end Jake Simpson.

Texas State has two pledges who didn't sign early — South Oak Cliff cornerback Taylor Starling and Kilgore linebacker Derick Mourning. Starling was committed before early signing day but chose to wait after receiving late offers from North Texas and UTSA; Mourning committed after early signing day. The next signing day is Feb. 1.

Basketball: While the women’s team (10-4, 2-1) is tied for third in the early Sun Belt standings, the men’s team (8-8, 1-2) is tied for last after winning the Sun Belt's regular-season championship the past two seasons. Both sides lost to Troy on Saturday, with the women falling on the road 79-63 and the men losing at home 55-52. But they both won Thursday night, with the women topping Appalachian State 66-59 at home and the men edging James Madison 63-62 on the road.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Incarnate Word North? Texas State's Kinne reshapes new coaches staff