Eaton emerges as top leader for Texas State

Despite being one of the several transfers that made the decision to come to San Marcos, Texas State cornerback Joshua Eaton has emerged as one of the vocal leaders for the Bobcats.

Coming in as one of 22 transfers, Eaton’s journey as a Bobcats is off to a good start.

“Everything has been great,” Eaton said. “From the players to the coaching staff, everybody has welcomed me with open arms. I came in with a lot of different transfers so we are all here adjusting pretty fine. We are having fun with each other, being there for each other, and taking each day one step at a time.”

Graduating from Aldine MacArthur High School in Houston, Eaton originally signed with the Oklahoma Sooners as part of the 2020 class.

After spending three years at Oklahoma, Eaton decided to transfer and join the Bobcats with new Head Coach G.J. Kinne.

For Kinne, Eaton’s poise and intelligence on the field are a big reason he wanted the Sooner transfer in San Marcos.

“From the moment he got here, he brought a sense of confidence,” Kinne said. “He is confident in himself and brings a lot of energy. He is very smart which you can tell on the field. He is seeing it fast when it comes [to] the route combinations and patterns. He brings both a veteran presence and leadership to the room and holds everyone accountable. He’s done a great job and does everything we ask him to do.”

Since joining the Bobcats in the offseason, Eaton has emerged as one of the figureheads not only in the defensive back room but on the defense as well.

“I can say I’m one of the vocal leaders,” Eaton said. “I try to show the daily aspects by doing each and everything right every day. I came in with some pretty [good] experience from an accomplished defense, knowing a lot of football. I came here willing to help the people that were already here and helping my teammates by giving the information that I have from OU to here. Football is football everywhere you go.”

But despite coming into San Marcos as a highly touted football player, Eaton has had to work to keep his spot.

With Eaton being joined by fellow transfers Caleb Ford-Dement from Washington State and Caleb Culp from UIW to join an already tough group of defensive backs in Alonzo Edwards, Chris Mills and Tory Spears, the room they share offers a consistent battle.

With everyone vying for a starting position, the practices have not been easy.

“It’s a competition,” Eaton said. “I come into the room everyday talking to everyone about competing … if you think you should get the opportunity, go out there and take it. Alonzo Edwards, Chris Mills, Caleb Ford-Dement, Caleb Culp, Tory Spears–everyone shows up everyday and are very physical. We all see the competition in the room so I come with the mindset to compete. Anybody could take my job any day.”

Because of the tough battles in the DB room, wide receivers such as Kole Wilson, a transfer from UIW, have noticed the competition has started to make the scrimmages between the offense and defense much tougher.

“Every single time we come out to practice, it’s a battle,” Wilson said. “We are battling, fighting, and competing. We are friends off the field but on the field it’s business. You can’t take a rep off because you will get exposed so you have to stay on your toes. We do talk trash to a certain extent but we are having fun at the same time.”

Despite the tough competition, the connection between the defensive backs is one of the strongest.

“It builds a lot of chemistry between the back seven,” Eaton said. “We are helping each other, willing to trust each other, and we are able to take criticism from one another because we all want to be successful. Nobody has an ego, or is too big, too strong. Nobody is better than anybody but rather everyone is willing to learn from each other’s mistakes and ask each other questions.

“That’s what you need in a cornerback room is togetherness.”

cmcwilliams@sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc