TXST FOOTBALL
Texas State also hires two more defensive coaches to staff
Texas State has hired three new coaches to the defensive side of the ball, including new defensive coordinator Will Windham as the Bobcats look to improve on last year’s defense that gave up an average of 29 points per game through 13 games and an average of 36 points per game in conference play.
On hiring Windam, Kinne felt the former South Alabama defensive coordinator was the best fit for the Bobcats.
“I interviewed a ton of people for that position,” Kinne said. “It was a person, scheme and a fit that I was really looking for. We talked about the ability to be multiple, and [Windham] checked that box. I remember game planning for these guys a couple of years in a row. Obviously with Kane Womack, and [Corey] Batoon that were there with him year one, you’re talking about the DC at Alabama, the DC at Missouri, and obviously Coach Windham all being on that same staff, year one.
“When you get into the interview process with [Windham], it was me and Coach [Tanner] Burns sitting in on all these interviews, and after he got done, it was like ‘Yep, that’s it.’ ... He checked every box. He had the experience, the scheme, the personality, the person, the family, really everything that I was looking for in a DC. He’s been awesome since he’s been here. The [players] really like him and gravitate towards him. I think he’s a home run hire for us, and I’m super excited about what he’s going to bring to the table.”
In addition to Windham, Texas State hired Marcus Patton as the new secondary coach and Chris Gistorb as the new defensive line coach.
Patton was previously the defensive coordinator at Sacramento State with stops at Colorado State and Tarleton State.
On hiring Patton, Kinne liked his coaching experience and success as well as the endorsement from Darren Sproles who played with Kinne at Philadelphia and Patton at Kansas State.
“He’s another guy who has defensive coordinator experience at multiple spots and a successful defensive coordinator at that,” Kinne said. ”One of the things that really stood out to me, Darren Sproles was my teammate in Philadelphia and he reached out about him and said a lot of good things. He was a former walk-on at Kansas State that earned a scholarship, played for Coach Snyder, and that’s something that really stood out to me.
“That probably tells you a lot about the character and person that you’re getting in the building. So really excited about his coordinating experience and then his ability to put multiple guys in the NFL in the secondary.”
Gistorb was previously the defensive line coach at McNeese as well as being a Texas High School coach at Cy-Fair, Angleton, Cy-Bridgeland, Cy-Ridge and Copperas Cove.
“You talk to and interview a ton of people and after you get done, it’s like ‘Yep, he has the energy,’” Kinne said. “He is a former Texas high school coach for a long time. His defensive lines, wherever he’s been, have been super successful. He’ll break your hand when he shakes it and has a great relationship with the players. You can kind of see that by his former players coming to play for him here at Texas State.
“That’s always important what the players say about him. He has the Texas High school coaching experience that I like and is just a great guy. Everyone on our current staff, when he came in after about a week, was like, “Man, Coach G is just a great guy.’ So really excited about him, bringing his family in here and him working with the Dline. I think he’s going to be a tremendous addition for us and I’m really excited about him.”
The Bobcats will start preparation for the 2026 season later this spring.
