GJ Kinne
GJ Kinne
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- Title
- Head Coach
GJKinnewas named the head coach of Texas State football on December 2, 2022.And in a year’s time, the native Texan – and third-youngest coach in FBS – took the Bobcats to newfound heights in 2023 – and on an ascent to more in 2024.
Kinne, who was tabbed as the 21st head coach in program history when he was officially hired a day after his 34th birthday, led the Bobcats to an FBS program record 8 wins in his first season at the helm of Texas State and to the program’s first appearance and win in a bowl game.
The former NFL and collegiate quarterback inherited a Texas State program that had not had a winning season in 9 years. After bringing in 53 scholarship newcomers – and 71 total new players – over the spring and summer of 2023, Kinne and his staff guided the Bobcats to a season-opening win at Baylor (the program’s first win over a “Power 5” team), a 3-1 nonconference record, a 5-1 record at home, and a tied-for-second-place finish in the Sun Belt West Division standings. The Bobcats capped the season with a dominating 45-21 win over Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl in Dallas to finish 8-5 in Kinne’s inaugural season.
The Bobcats doubled their wins from the previous season with the help of the nation’s most improved scoring offense in 2023. Texas State averaged 36.7 points on offense, which was more than a 15-point improvement from the prior season and finished as the 14th-best scoring unit in the country. The Bobcats were also 14th in the nation in total offense (457.6 yards/game), 25th in rushing offense (186.7), and 28th in passing offense (270.9). It was the first time Texas State finished in the top-30 in the country in all 4 categories in an FBS season.
The Bobcats scored 40+ points in 6 games over the course of the season, including 3 times in conference play. They scored 77 points in the home opener against Jackson State, which fell one shy of the program’s record for most in a single game, and ended the year with 45+ points in each of their final 2 games.
The high-scoring offense was led by All-American all-purpose player Ismail Mahdi and quarterback TJ Finley. Mahdi, who was named a first team All-American by CBS Sports/247Sports, led the country in all-purpose yards (2,169) and scored 12 total touchdowns in 13 games. Finley, meanwhile, set the program’s overall single-season record for most passing yards by throwing for 3,439 yards. He also totaled 29 touchdowns in his first season as a Bobcat.
While the offense garnered the headlines, the other two phases under Kinne and his staff were among the nation’s leaders as well. The defense finished first in tackles for loss and eighth in sacks. Special teams, meanwhile, was sixth in the country in kick returns with an average of 26.08 yards. The Bobcats also returned 2 kickoffs for touchdowns, which matched their record for most in season (previous: 2013).
Texas State also garnered seven All-Sun Belt selections as well as four honorable mentions in 2023. Ismail Mahdi was a first team all-purpose selection and second team kick returner while kicker Mason Shipley (first team), wide receiver Joey Hobert (second team) and offensive lineman Brey Walker (third team) earned accolades from the offensive and special teams side. Linebacker Brian Holloway and defensive end Ben Bell were second team selections from the defense. Quarterback TJ Finley, wide receivers Kole Wilson and Ashtyn Hawkins, and defensive back Shawn Holton garnered honorable mention.
In addition to the record for most wins in an FBS season, Texas State set 20FBS program records for a single season in Kinne’s first campaign. The offense set 13different FBS records while the defense set 5 (sacks, TFLs, hurries and forced fumbles) and special teams turned in 3 (field goals made, kick return average, kick return touchdowns).
The Bobcats also set 29individual FBS season program records in 2023, including 9 by TJ Finley, 5 by Ismail Mahdi, 4 each by Joey Hobert and Mason Shipley, 2 each by Brian Holloway and Ben Bell, and 1 each by Shawn Holton, Kaleb Culp, and Kole Wilson.
Kinne rebooted Texas State football behind the mantra "Take Back Texas." Kinne, who is a son of a Texas high school coach and was born and raised in the state, and his staff put together a 2023 newcomer class that was rated by 247Sports as the program's best in its FBS history. The Bobcats used the injection of new talent by going 7-2 within the state of Texas during the season and picking up two wins in three games against Texas schools.
In mid-October, Kinne was named to the 2023 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List. He was one of 26 coaches -- and one of five from the "Group of 5" conferences -- to be in consideration for the annual top honor at the halfway point of the season.
An offensive mastermind with NFL experience and deep roots in the state of Texas, Kinne arrived in San Marcos after helping lead Incarnate Word to a Southland Conference championship, No. 7 national ranking, and a national seed in the FCS Playoffs in 2022. The Cardinals reached the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs and went 12-2.
The Cardinals were an up-tempo, high-flying offense in 2022 under Kinne. They ranked No. 1 in all of NCAA Division I – FBS and FCS – with 51.5 points and 581.2 yards per game. The team also had a defense to match as it ranked first in FCS in tackles for loss, ninth in sacks, and 38th in scoring defense.
Kinne was an FCS finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award in 2022, which is presented to the nation’s top coach.
While Kinne was in the running for national awards, he coached the 2022 Walter Payton Award winner in Lindsey Scott Jr.The quarterback thrived under Kinne as he totaled 71 touchdowns (60 passing, 11 rushing), threw for 4,686 yards, and rushed for 712. Scott Jr. finished the year first in FCS in passing efficiency, second in passing yards, and thirdin completion percentage. He was also named the Southland Conference Player of the Year.
Originally from Mesquite, Texas, Kinne was a highly-rated quarterback recruit out of high school who went on to be a three-year starter at Tulsa and then embarked on a five-year professional career in the NFL and CFL. In high school, Kinne played for Jeff Traylor, the current head coach at UTSA, at Gilmer High School (TX).
Kinne's father, Gary Joe, was a standout linebacker at Baylor and later coached at Allen High School, Kaufman High School, Mesquite High School and Canton High School (head coach). Gary Joe also coached at Baylor.
Kinne has coached at both the collegiate and NFL levels, starting as a graduate assistant at SMU in 2017 to an offensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019 to his head coaching roles. He has worked with some the industry’s top play-callers, including Doug Pederson, Gus Malzahn, Mike Norvell, Chad Morris and Chip Kelly.
He and his wife, Summer, have two children, Lincoln and Cooper.
GJ Kinne - Coaching Record
Overall (through the 2023 season): 20-7 (.741)
Seasons as a head coach: 3rd in 2023
Head Coaching Record
2023: Texas State – 8-5 (4-4 Sun Belt)
2022: UIW – 12-2 (5-1 Southland)
Coaching Career Timeline
2023-Current: Head Coach, Texas State (SERVPRO First Responder Bowl)
2022: Head Coach, UIW (Record: 12-2; Southland Conference Champions; FCS Playoffs Semifinals)
2021: Co-Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach, UCF
2020: Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach, Hawaii
2019: Offensive Special Projects, Philadelphia Eagles
2018: Offensive Analyst, Arkansas
2017: Graduate Assistant, SMU
Team Achievements as Head Coach
2023 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl champions
2022 Southland Conference champions
2022 FCS Playoffs semifinals and No. 7 national seed
Postseason/Bowl Games as a Coach
2023: SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (Texas State)
2022: FCS Playoffs Semifinals (UIW)
2021: Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (UCF)
2020: New Mexico Bowl (Hawaii)
2019: NFL Playoffs Wild Card Round (Philadelphia Eagles)
2017: DXL Frisco Bowl (SMU)
Bowl Games as a Player
2011: Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Tulsa)
2010: Hawaii Bowl (Tulsa)
2007: Holiday Bowl (Texas)
