At least Texas State enters big matchup with Troy healthier after the bye week
SAN MARCOS — A week off after seven consecutive games has Texas State “relatively healthy,” head coach G.J. Kinne said Tuesday.
The Bobcats (5-2) had a “pretty normal” bye week, aside from two days off for the team on Friday and Saturday before getting back to work on Sunday.
“We limited some guys that played a lot of reps,” Kinne said. “Got some young guys some good work and continued to build that depth for this stretch moving forward.”
Several players have been cleared to play for homecoming Saturday against Troy, including leading rusher Ismail Mahdi, who rushed 14 times for 50 yards with a cast on his arm in the Bobcats’ last game, a 21-20 win over Louisiana-Monroe. Mahdi is second in the nation with 1,189 all-purpose yards (726 rushing, 183 receiving, 280 on kickoff returns).
Fellow running back Calvin Hill also was cleared after starting the last game in place of Mahdi but leaving with an injury after five carries for 27 yards. Hill has 98 yards on 31 carries this season. Starting defensive tackle Tavian Coleman also left the ULM game with an injury but is on pace to play this week. He has started every game, recording 17 tackles, 5½ for a loss and 2½ sacks.
Three other defensive starters are set to return after missing the ULM game: cornerback Josh Eaton, nickel back Caleb Coleman and linebacker Dan Foster Jr.
Eaton started the first six games and is tied with Kaleb Ford-Dement for the team lead in pass breakups with five. Coleman alternated starts with A.J. Edwards the first six games, recording 14 tackles, 3½ for a loss, a sack and two pass breakups. Foster is fourth on the team in tackles with 34 after starting the first six games.
TJ Finley was named to the Manning Award watch list last week having thrown for 1,941 yards with 14 touchdowns to three interceptions in seven starts this season. Even with Finley’s success, Kinne believes there are still some areas that need improvement after Finley threw his second pick six of the season last game.
“(Finley) has got to do a good job of knowing when the play is over, especially on early downs and just throw the ball away,” Kinne said. “It’s his first year in the system and his first year being a full-time starter. You look at his stats and nationally how he’s performed, he’s playing really well. He prepares really well, and he’s given us an opportunity in every game to win. For him, it’s continuing to get to work and iron out the small details. He’s playing at a high level, and I think that will continue.”
After 27,573 fans showed up for the ULM game, the fifth largest crowd ever at Bobcat Stadium, the kickoff time this week against Troy was moved from 2 pm to 6 pm.
“I think that was a big part of going to the 6:00 was making sure the crowd was there,” Kinne said. “The same type of atmosphere and even better. You’ve got two teams on top of the division and homecoming and a lot to play for. Having that crowd there, having that student section rowdy again, they’ve been key in these big time wins we’ve had at home. Something interesting happening every week with the student section so that is good.”
Saturday's game
Troy (5-2, 2-1) at Texas State (5-2, 2-1), 6 p.m., ESPN+
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas State football is healthy for its big Sun Belt game with Troy
