SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State football’s reputation is growing thanks to back-to-back wins in the First Responder Bowl, but the hard work doesn’t end there.
The Bobcats are eyeing a Sun Belt Conference championship, but before they can hoist a championship trophy, head coach GJ Kinne must decide who his starting quarterback will be.
The program made four quarterbacks available to reporters on Thursday morning who could earn the starting role.
Each Bobcat quarterback — redshirt freshman Brad Jackson and redshirt junior Holden Geriner along with redshirt seniors Gevani McCoy and Nate Yarnell — sounded like politicians making their cases for public office.
“8-5 and winning the First Responders Bowl two years in a row is great, but for us, our expectation is: we want to win a Sun Belt Championship and have a chance to go to the College Football Playoff,” Jackson, a Reagan High School alum, said. “I’m still a (redshirt) freshman, but I’m able to kind of know what we’re trying to do here and just be able to lead guys.”
Geriner and McCoy said they noticed some key differences between Texas State’s playbook and their old teams’ playbooks.
“The biggest difference that I would say is just in the passing game,” Geriner said. “There’s more vertical downfield stuff here whereas Auburn was a little more dink and dunk, stuff like that. I’ve really enjoyed getting to learn the offense here and getting to work with the guys.”
“I’ve learned that this offense is very explosive, and that’s very exciting for a QB,” McCoy said.
Yarnell arrived in San Marcos as a 6-foot-6 transfer quarterback who previously suited up at Pittsburgh.
“Coach (G.J.) Kinne has built a fantastic culture here, and we’re going to score points. That’s why I came here,” Yarnell said. “(Offensive coordinator Landon) Keopple sat me down in his office, we watched film for about three hours and the whole time, I’m like, ‘Yup, I know.’ We’re on the same page, thinking the same thing and I know where the ball is supposed to go.”
Kinne and Texas State may hint at their quarterback plans when the Bobcats hold their spring game on April 12.
