Bobcats make adjustments to offense with new faces

Texas State completed their third week of spring practice in preparation for the 2024 season.

One of the key areas the Bobcats have been focusing on is the offensive line where Texas State will have to replace two starters in center Caleb Johnson and right guard Brey Walker.

“Last year, we told you guys that we like to move some guys around,” Kinne said. “Maybe one day this guy is at tackle then tomorrow he is a guard. We are getting [Dorian] Strawn some center reps. So it’s been good. A lot of competition and some new faces so that group is trending in the right direction. Anytime you are getting that many guys reps, sometimes three groups, it’s tough, but we got some players.”

One of the offensive lineman looking to compete for a starting role is lineman Chayse Todd.

A red-shirt junior who transferred from Houston, Todd played 250 snaps for the Bobcats last season at left tackle, left guard, center and right guard.

Kinne noted that the red-shirt junior has made significant progress through the offseason and looks to make an impact for the Bobcats this season.

“A guy like Chayse Todd stands out to me,” Kinne said. “That’s a guy who has played really well all spring. He was here with us last year. He’s a little bit more athletic, can move around so we are able to do a little more with him. We also have a couple of guys battling for the guard and tackle spots.”

Todd along with Alex Harkey, who played 31 snaps last season, are two offensive lineman that Kinne expects to help fill in the holes on the offensive line.

“Alex Harkey and Chayse Todd have both really taken the offseason,” Kinne said. “They might have not played last season but they got a ton of reps, practice and some game reps. They both have gotten bigger, stronger in the offseason and being in year two of the system. Those are two special players that I’m really excited about.”

Joining Todd and Harkey are offensive linemen Strawn, Nash Jones, Kimeto Obigbo, Trenton Scott and Marcus Alexander who took more than 100 snaps for the Bobcats last season.

With the amount of returners on the offensive as well as the development of a couple players, Kinne is excited to see what the Bobcats O-Line will do this year.

“Dorian Strawn is a guy who played a ton of snaps last year,” Kinne said. “From a size and athleticism standpoint, he is really special and a good player. Obviously Nash Jones is who he is. We have a lot of offensive lineman that are really special and playing at an extremely high level. We just have to continue to get better at the small details and the discipline aspect of it.”

Another key factor for the Bobcats is adjusting the team’s offensive identity with the amount of new transfers and coaches that joined Texas State over the offseason.

With the addition of 24 new players, and two new offensive coaches in Chad Morris and Barrick Nealy, the Bobcats are trying to find the middle ground of adjusting their gameplan to their new people on campus and vice versa.

“We are trying to figure out who we are going to be identity wise,” Kinne said. “We have new faces, new schemes, new ideas, new thoughts and new coaches. It’s always good to find the strengths and weaknesses of your team, and we are figuring that out. We are also experimenting with some things and taking plays out that maybe worked really well for us last year but this year will not and vice versa. It’s just that balance of who we are going to be.”

One of the adjustments that the Bobcats are making is with quarterback Jordan McCloud.

With McCloud’s superb decision making and ability to hit his wide receivers, Texas State is potentially open to throwing the ball more compared to last year.

“When McCloud is out there, he just knows where to distribute the ball,” Kinne said. “I’ve already seen Mack [Leftwich] wanted to drop back and pass it every play because he is so good while taking care of the ball. But we are still going to be a run-pass play action team. I could see us with the way [McCloud] operates, throwing the ball a little bit more but we will see.”

But because the Bobcats have a talented offensive line and a running back filled with four starting running backs with Ismail Mahdi, Lincoln Pare, Torrance Burgess Jr. and Deion Hankins, don’t expect the Bobcats to move away from running the ball.

“I still want to be a runpass play action team,” Kinne said. “We have a special o-line and special running backs so it is a good problem to have. When you are calling plays and you see the quarterback do exactly what he is coached to do at all times, it’s pretty fun as a play caller.”

This will be the last week of spring practice before the Bobcats starting Fall Camp.

Texas State will conclude spring practice with the annual Maroon and Gold Spring Game this Saturday.

cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc