Former Texas State head coach David Bailiff is rejoining the program as special assistant to the head coach under GJ Kinne, the University announced Monday afternoon.

“Coach Bailiff is a tremendous addition to our coaching staff and we are grateful to have him join the program once again,” said Kinne in a statement. “Coach is a Bobcat through-and-through, from his time as a player to serving as an assistant coach to being a championship-winning head coach. He has also been a sincere mentor of mine over years, starting back when I was a student-athlete and he was the head coach at Rice. His knowledge of this program, Texas State University and the Central Texas community will help us restore our tradition and take a step towards winning championships.”

Bailiff previously served as head coach of Texas State from 2004 to 2006 and was a member of the Lone Star Conference championship team in 1980. He served as head coach of Rice from 2008 to 2013 before most recently serving as head coach of Texas A&M-Commerce from 2019 to 2022.

“I’m excited to be back with Texas State and the football program,” said Bailiff. “I started this journey at this great university in 1976 as a student-athlete and have enjoyed a few more stops along the way. I’m here to help Coach Kinne and (Texas State Director of Athletics) Don Coryell in any capacity I can. I want to see this university win and go to bowl games, and I also want to help Coach Kinne and this great university’s dreams come true.”

Per Texas State, Bailiff will assist in advising Kinne, providing oversight in alumni affairs, community relations, high school relations and football operations.