When Texas State football head coach GJ Kinne spoke Tuesday night in front of nearly 10,000 incoming students during a pep rally at UFCU Stadium, he made sure to bring his freshman recruits with him.
For better or worse, Kinne said newcomers often have a certain perception of San Marcos until they see the dedication and environment fans create for the first game of a season. Kinne himself didn’t know what to expect the first time he participated in the university event, known as “Jumpstart” — but it certainly exceeded expectations.Â
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“I told them (the freshman) last night: ‘Where else is this happening?”‘ Kinne said. “It’s basically a pep rally slash party. You got the (university) president out there … smokes and DJs. I mean, those freshmen were like ‘What is going on?'”
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In the fall of 2024, Texas State announced it surpassed the 40,000-student enrollment mark for the first time in its 125-year history, reaching 40,678. It’s the second-largest school by enrollment in the Sun Belt, below only Georgia State’s 52,400
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When the Bobcats join the new Pac-12 in 2026, they project to be one of the largest schools in the conference. San Diego State is its lone competitor, as its student body reached 38,800 in the fall of 2024, according to CBS8. Oregon State is the only other school that tops 35,000 in the new-look conference. Kinne said he remembers talking to Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham last season, who was surprised and impressed with the energy Bobcat fans created in the stadium.
“It’s just a real college environment that I think a lot of teams at this level do not experience,” Kinne said. “That’s extremely unique to us, and we got to continue to build that … as far as attendance, students and all that. I think it was cool last night to experience that.”
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Texas State’s new captains
Kinne said Wednesday that the players pick the captains, but he likes to see how the coaches’ choices differ. Ahead of the 2025 season opener against Eastern Michigan, he was surprised when he saw they were all on the same page.
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Running back Lincoln Pare, quarterback Brad Jackson and offensive lineman Dorian Strawn were selected on offense. Safety Ryan Nolan, linebacker Treylin Payne and defensive end Kalil Alexander were the defensive selections; punter David Nunez will lead special teams.
“When guys are talking, they’re bringing guys up with them. And I think that that’s important,” Kinne said Wednesday. “Coach Dex (defensive coordinator Dexter McCoil) talks about it all the time. He’s not calling them out, he’s calling them up. I think that’s the message for the team.”
Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne watches practice at UFCU Stadium on Saturday, August.. 2, 2025 in San Marcos Texas.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
McCoil said Aug. 2 that championship teams are often player-led because they hold themselves accountable. Kinne put the team in an array of situations Wednesday in preparation for the Bobcats’ season, but on game day, he and his staff will be bound to the sidelines.Â
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“When they have that trust in each other, and they’re playing for each other, and they’re accountable to each other, that means something,” Kinne said. “As long as they stick together and continue to play for each other, we’re going to be just fine.”
Strawn, a redshirt senior, has been with Kinne since he coached at Incarnate Word. Strawn leads by example as one of the hardest workers on the roster, Kinne said. Pare’s voice carries weight as a four-year veteran Bobcat.
But the team selecting Jackson, a redshirt freshman, as captain is notable. Despite graduating high school in the winter of 2024, he’s already earned the respect of a team that blends transfers and recruits.
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“He’s just a great player. I think that always helps,” Kinne said. “From this offseason to the summer to fall camp … I think he’s probably the vocal leader on the offense … Brad has taken that next step as far as leadership.”
Texas State Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson (8) hands off the ball to Texas State Bobcats running back Lincoln Pare (7) during Texas State’s football practice at Jim Wacker Field at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman