Nevada Football: First Look at the Texas State Bobcats

Texas State has a new head coach and a new outlook ahead of their non-conference clash with the Wolf Pack. Here’s a first look at the Bobcats.

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The Bobcats look to make headway and avenge last year’s loss.

Nevada Football: First Look at 2023 Non-conference Opponents

USC | Idaho | Kansas | Texas State

Can the Wolf Pack score a road victory against the new look Texas State Bobcats?

Location: San Marcos, Texas

Conference: Sun Belt

Series History: Nevada leads the all-time series over Texas State, 2-0.

2022 Record: 4-8 (2-6 Sun Belt)

Head Coach: G.J. Kinne (first year, 12-2 overall). After starring as a quarterback at Tulsa in the late 2000s, Kinne has had a relatively quick rise through the coaching ranks. He started at SMU as a graduate assistant in 2017 and landed his first offensive coordinator job at Hawaii three years later, followed by one-year stints at UCF and Incarnate Word before landing at Texas State. As UIW’s head coach in 2022, his Cardinals went 12-2 and made it to the FCS playoff semifinals, scoring wins over Furman and Sacramento State in the process.

Key Players

Calvin Hill, RB

Hill is a 5-foot 8, 200 lb running back from Baytown, Texas who has shown moments of brilliance when he has the ball. In 2022, Hill ran for 333 yards and scored a touchdown. Hill’s best game last season was against Florida International where he carried the ball 28 times for 195 yards and a touchdown.

Hill missed the last four games due to injury but Hill returns and alongside RB Lincoln Pare, are looking to make Texas State’s offense more potent in 2023. 

Ashtyn Hawkins, WR

Hawkins is a 5-foot 10 wide receiver from DeSoto, Texas who is already a valuable option for the Bobcat offensive. 

Last season Hawkins led the team in receptions (56), receiving yards (587) and receiving touchdowns (seven). Despite only playing nine games in 2022, Hawkins finished 19th in the country in receptions per game with 6.2 per game.

His best performance last season came against the Baylor Bears where he caught 13 passes for 114 yards and recorded a receiving touchdown.  Against the Wolf Pack last season, Hawkins played well as he caught 11 passes for 101 yards and scored a touchdown.

With G.J Kinne’s new high powered offense being installed at Texas State, look for Hawkins to continue to be a top target.

Jordan Revels, DE

Revels is one of the few known players in the Bobcat defense heading into 2023. Last season, Revels recorded 70 tackles (27 solo), 11 tackles for loss,4.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Revels fills up a stat sheet and his play is vital for a Texas State defense that is looking to rebuild into a strong unit in 2023.

Kaleb Culp, S

GJ Kinne went into the transfer portal to help bolster the defense for the Bobcats and found a familiar face. Kaleb Culp played safety for Kinne at Incarnate Word for two seasons and in that time, Culp was a two time All-Southland Conference player for the UIW Cardinals.

Culp played 30 games and recorded 195 tackles (133 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one interception. 

Texas State needs to improve on defense and Culp can be a player to help elevate the defense for Texas State in 2023. 

TJ Finley, QB

Finley comes to Texas State with some experience and upside to possibly be the starting QB for Texas State. Before coming to Texas State, Finley started at LSU and was there for a season before transferring to Auburn where he was in the Plains for two seasons.

During his college career, Finley has started in 11 games in his two college stops and has thrown for 2,199 yards and thrown for 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 59 percent of his passes. 

Along with those solid numbers, is his impressive physical stats as Finley is 6-foot 7 and weighs in at 255 pounds. Those are the makings of a potentially physically talented QB.

As of right now, Coach Kinne has not named a starter at QB for Texas State so it is a battle between Finley and Arkansas transfer Malik Hornsby to see who starts for the Bobcats. 

Should Finley be named the starter, he has the physical tools to potentially be a talented quarterback for Texas State.

Overview:

Offense

On offense, Texas State has the possibility to be an explosive offense. The team has yet to name a starter at quarterback but whoever is the starter has some talented players at their disposal. 

Calvin Hill and Lincoln Pare are a pair of talented running backs and receiver Ashtyn Hawkins is a dynamic pass catcher. First year head coach GJ Kinne coached an explosive offense at Incarnate Word and could possibly do the same at Texas State. 

The one issue is that the Bobcats offensive line returns zero starters from last season. On one hand, that could be good because the Bobcats can start over at that position but on the other hand it could spell disaster for Texas State in 2023 if the offensive line does not come together quickly. 

Defense

On defense, the Bobcats are a work in progress as Texas State only returns three starters from 2022. But Texas State does return Jordan Revels who is one of the best pass rushers in the Sun Belt Conference and could elevate their defensive line. 

Due to the lack of returning talent, Texas State had to hit the transfer portal and Kaleb Culp (UIW) came to the team looking to bring his talent and experience to the secondary.

Early Prediction

Nevada 19  Texas State 17

Texas State could bolster an impressive offense by the time this game comes around. The Bobcats have the talent at the skills position players to make this game close. But the lack of experience on the offensive line and a defense that is rebuilding will be the reason why the Wolf Pack should win a close contest in Texas.

Story originally appeared on Mountain West Wire