Bobcats hire Jake Spavital as new head coach

Texas State has hired West Virginia offensive coordinator Jake Spavital as its new head coach, Texas State athletics announced on Wednesday. 

Spavital, 33, will become the second-youngest FBS head coach. He is replacing Everett Withers, who was dismissed from Texas State on Nov. 18. Withers went 7-28 in nearly three seasons in San Marcos.  

Houston offensive coordinator Kendal Briles was the leading candidate for the head coaching vacancy, but he reportedly confirmed his commitment to Houston. Spavital quickly became the front runner for the opening. 

Spavital has moved through the college ranks quickly. He was West Virginia’s quarterback coach under Dana Holgorsen from 2011-12. He replaced Kliff Kingsbury as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coach under Kevin Sumlin from 2013-15. He then went to California where he was the offensive coordinator for Sonny Dykes in 2016. Since then, he returned to West Virginia, where he’s been the Mountaineers offensive coordinator and quarterback coach since 2017. 

Spavital will be responsible for improving a struggling offense at Texas State. The Bobcats were No. 122 in the country in scoring offense with 19.8 points per game in 2018. Texas State only averaged 182.2 passing yards per game and 148.1 rushing yards per game in 2018, which ranks No. 104 and No. 95 in the nation. 

Spavital’s offense at West Virginia this season is ranked No. 8 in total offense with 520 yards per game. The Mountaineer passing offense is third in the nation with 358 yards per game. West Virginia also averages 42.3 points per game, which is ninth-best in the country.