The first stop of the Texas College Tour for the 2026 Dave Campbell’s summer magazine was in San Marcos to visit with head coach G.J. Kinne. He’s raised the floor in San Marcos, leading the Bobcats to three consecutive bowl victories after inheriting a program that hadn’t previously played in a bowl game at the FBS level. The next step is to raise the ceiling, and the challenge ahead is the maiden voyage in the new-look PAC-12. 

Kinne is excited about his 2026 roster, comparing it a loaded 2024 roster that entered the season with Sun Belt championship aspirations. He believes that Texas State is no longer 100 percent reliant on the portal and that his Bobcats have found a good balance between developmental players signed from high school and the JUCO ranks and the cherry-picked pieces in the portal. 

“We’ve found a good balance with the high school and JUCO kids that we’ve recruited, keeping our best players, and then adding some quality guys at need positions through the portal,” Kinne said. “I feel great about where our roster and culture are, but this is our hardest schedule so we’ll need to stay healthy and win those close games.”

Here are some notes from the stop. The only thing I left out was a picture of the taco plate I devoured at Herbert's. 

Offense 

• Texas State returns a starting quarterback for the first time under Kinne with Brad Jackson back for his redshirt sophomore season. Jackson should take another step forward because he’s bigger, stronger, faster, and in Year 3 of the same system, but Kinne believes the key to Jackson’s evolution is pocket presence. Jackson relied on his athleticism a lot last season, which can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, Jackson is a great runner. But he also missed some big-play chances down the field because he abandoned the pocket early and didn’t let things develop. Jackson agreed and said that he’s learn to trust the offense more and will be more patient in letting things develop down the field. 
• Kinne is more confident in his depth at quarterback than he’s been in years passed. The Bobcats hit on Gavin Parkhurst, who is now a redshirt freshman. He was a late addition in the 2025 class after Texas State lost a quarterback commitment, but it has worked out. But I left believing that Boston College transfer Shaker Reisig is QB2 in San Marcos. Kinne said that Reisig would start at 90 percent of G6 schools. 
• The battle at wide receiver is for WR3. Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr. are 1A and 1B. The competition for the third spot likely comes down to Zechariah Sample, an Arizona State transfer who Texas State tried to recruit out of Katy Jordan High School, and Kylen Evans, who played some as a redshirt freshman last season for the Bobcats. Tucker Cusano is also in the mix. Sample is a speedster who fits the Texas State system more than he did Arizona State’s. Kinne said Cusano, a redshirt freshman out of Coppell, has the best ball skills of the group of receivers battling it out for WR3. 
• The wildcard is La’Keyleon Graves, Texas State’s first four-star recruit. The Kilgore product is already impressing coaches and players, including his future QB. Jackson raved about Graves’ demeanor and work ethic. He said Graves Moss’d a defensive back for a touchdown in the second practice of spring and acted as if it was an every-day occurrence. Expect Graves to play on offense and on special teams as a true freshman. 
• Don’t be surprised if the Bobcats play more 12 personnel in 2026 because of the quality and depth in the tight end room. A healthy Blake Smith unlocks the offense and takes pressure off finding a standout No. 3 wide receiver. Ty Stamey, now in his second year with Texas State after transferring from Louisiana, is probably TE2. Jake Simpson and Arvis Battle Jr. give Texas State four legitimate options at tight end. 
• The running back room is another deep position unit. Keeping Greg Burrell was huge because he’s the only big body in the room and Kinne thinks he can be an every-down back in 2026. Burrell had shoulder surgery in the offseason but should be fine for the season. 
• Burrell’s injury is a blessing in disguise because it’s given some young guys more opportunities early in spring. Former Rice transfer Taji Atkins, who redshirted last year, was compared to former Texas State great Ish Mahdi. Jaylen Jenkins and Torrance Burges Jr. are also still on campus. A young guy to watch is Cole Pryor, who Kinne said reminds him of Lincoln Pare. 
• The offensive line might be the lone question mark on offense, but not for a lack of talent. The best five will emerge over the spring and into fall camp, but Kinne is confident that they hit in the transfer portal. Sully Burns is the known commodity and he’ll start at left or right tackle. That’ll be decided by who wins the other tackle spot. If that player is better at left tackle, expect Burns to play on the right side. If that player is more comfortable at right tackle, Burns will play left tackle. 
• Justin DeLeon is another projected starter, likely at center. 
• Transfers to watch in the trenches include William Boone, Jaylen Early, Cameron Schultz, and Rasheed Jackson. 
• A breakout player in the trenches could be Bamidele Badusi. He looks the part at 6-foot-6 and 328 pounds. He’s now in Year 4 as a collegiate and is primed for an impressive season. Redshirt freshman Ameer Ross, a Duncanville product, is another candidate for a breakout season. 

Defense 

• We’ll post a Q&A with new defensive coordinator Will Windham separately, but Kinne said that the No. 1 thing he was looking for in a new DC was experience. Windham struck the perfect balance between up-and-comer and experienced defensive coordinator. 
• The defensive staff attacked the portal for defensive linemen and feel like they hit on most of the additions. Tae Woody might be the best of the bunch. 
• Bryce Carter was injured against Southern Miss and Kinne thinks had he stayed healthy, he would’ve left in the portal because of more teams would’ve taken notice. Other DTs that were mentioned were J.P. Deeter, Phillip Bradford, Kaleb James, and Chancellor Owens. Javarius Bell is a young player to watch. 
• Texas State has a recent history of elite edge rushers and the coaches believe DonTerry Russell is ready to be “the guy” for the Bobcats. He can be the Ben Bell or Khalil Alexander of 2026. 
• JoJo Landry is another player who suffered an injury that probably allowed Texas State to keep him in San Marcos. He tore his ACL against Eastern Michigan on a fluke play and is still not practicing in the spring, but Kinne thinks he could be a real demon off the edge. 
• Other players at defensive end to know are Ta’Derius Collins, Mekhi Buchanan, and Blake Isbell. 
• Terrance Cooks II is back to lead the linebacker room and he’s starting to turn his potential into production. He came on at the end of last season and should be one of the key members of the defense. 
• Kinne & Co. love Arkansas State transfer Javante Mackey. He was a Freshman All-American who was hurt after a transfer to Memphis and then had a falling out with the staff at Arkansas State upon his return, but the Bobcats are happy to have him and think he’ll be a standout defensively. 
• Jordan Sample is also in the linebacker room after a transfer from Arkansas State. Kinne called him the best special teams player in the Sun Belt last season and he could find a role on defense, as well. 
• Ayden Jones, Cole Nilles, and Tice Williams are also in the LB room. Nilles is athletic freak who led the room in testing numbers this offseason. 
• The cornerback room is tall and long. Trez Moore is back from injury and should start at one of the corner spots. Dexter Ricks Jr. has a ton of experience and Craig Royal Jr., who was CB3 last year, also returns. Chris Jones, Cordarian Powell, and Skyler Lewis provide even more depth and upside. All of those guys are over 6-feet tall. 
• Getting Ryan Nolan back was paramount for the defense and he has the inside track to start at boundary safety. Jayden Lawton moved to safety from corner and that gives him a higher upside. Chase Davis and Michael Patterson, an SFA transfer, are also in the mix to start at safety. 
• Amarion Atwood and Will Mitchell give the Bobcats two capable options at nickel. 
• Expect Aussie punter Thomas Flintoff to handle punting duties. 
• Kicker is up in the air, however. Michael James was the kickoff specialist last year and he’ll handle those duties again in 2026, but he’s also in the mix to win the field goal kicking job. He’s in a battle with transfer Dylan Cunanan and walk-on Jacob Bonilla.