Introductory press conferences are often masterclasses in sports cliches.

Coaches often go on long diatribes about establishing culture and expectations for the program they inherit. Everyone wants to be bigger and faster and win now.

For GJ Kinne, he only needed less than two months to prove that his words were more substantive than cliché. The former Tulsa standout and Gilmer product underscored his intent to recruit the state of Texas and reestablish Texas State’s footprint in the high school ranks.

Previously, the Bobcats inked just eight Texas high school football players over three recruiting cycles instead opting for a transfer portal-heavy strategy. There was some credence to how that made sense: Acquire ready-made talent, compete immediately. The latter never happened and the former didn't leave much room for error. Without the grassroot connections at the prep level, Texas State’s future on the field was in murky territory. Thus, the hashtag Kinne accredited to cornerbacks coach Matthew Gregg was born, #TakeBackTexas.

“I’ve been around a bunch of different states and coaches around a bunch of different states, but Texas high school football is king, there’s no doubt about that,” Kinne said. “We’re going to recruit Texas high school football players and coaches alike, bridge that relationship.”

Kinne didn’t write off recruiting the transfer portal. He’s done that so far too. But even then, nearly every player brought in has ties back to Texas.

“But the foundation of our program will be Texas high school football players,” Kinne said.

Since getting hired in December, Kinne juggled FCS Playoff prep at Incarnate Word while putting together his staff and recruiting for his new job in San Marcos. Once the Cardinals were eliminated, recruiting became a fulltime affair.

Kinne’s staff, mostly brought over from UIW, was quick to show their faces all across the Lone Star State and added nine to their roster on the first National Signing Day in December, four from high school.

"The main reason I committed to Texas State was because of the coaching staff," Mansfield Timberview offensive lineman and 2023 signee Bami Badusi said. "They were really amazing, and the fact that I was close to the staff before they moved to Texas State really made me more comfortable with committing there. Not only was the staff amazing, they also said that they will be rebuilding Texas State, which I really liked."

Since then, it’s been pedal to the metal in rounding out the program after losing 15 players to the portal. Part of the solution has been former Incarnate Word players, seven in fact. Three of which Kinne said required the to fend off Power Five interest to bring the to San Marcos.

“We know those guys and we know what we’re getting,” Kinne said of his imported UIW players.

The crown jewel of Texas State’s class was always going to be whomever they signed to take over at quarterback.

In 2022, the Layne Hatcher Project didn’t work out and he was off to Ball State leaving just Ty Evans and CJ Rogers, two quarterbacks who hadn’t taken a meaningful collegiate snap, as the only ones left on the roster. Once Texas State identified its primary target, it was just a matter of convincing him to come back to Texas.

But Kinne and offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich's track record spoke for itself, and it eventually made Arkansas transfer and Fort Bend Marshall product Malik Hornsby a believer.

“That was a wild ride,” Kinne said of the process in recruiting Hornsby. “Our pitch was basically what we’ve done with Lindsey Scott this past year, what Coach Leftwich had done with Cam Ward previously. I think he fits our offense and what we want.”

Hornsby was a former four-star quarterback out of high school and now finds himself as the presumptive starter heading into spring camp with elite track speed and a gifted arm. The Missouri City kid was reportedly heavily recruited by Matt Rhule and Nebraska and was predicted to end up in Lincoln, but ultimately received bigger commitment from Texas State to be played at his preferred position, quarterback. He along with Oklahoma transfer defensive back Josh Eaton, another former four-star prospect, were the most highly-touted grabs for the new staff in San Marcos.

Heading into the second signing day, Texas State anticipated finishing with 23 signees in total but picked up surprise grabs like Spring Westfield quarterback PJ Hatter, previously committed to Jackson State. The Bobcats inked 33 over both signing days. 

"I will do anything possible to help this new staff be successful,” said Spring Westfield offensive coordinator and former Texas State director of high school relations Stephen Hill. “They are doing what Texas State should have been doing all along and they are on their way to repairing relationships the other staff didn't care about.”

During their trek across Texas, the staff also got a big head start on the future by even offering 10 2026 recruits and countless others from the incoming 2024 and 2025 classes. "Take Back Texas" isn't just a hashtag, but an initiative.

“The reception has been awesome, I think people like it and it’s what we want to do we want to take back Texas,” Kinne said.

Kinne said new university president Kelly Damphousse and athletic director Don Coryell played a big part in recruiting as well having talked to most if not every recruit who came to campus for an official visit and reiterated the university's commitment to renovation and program building.

"I chose Texas State because I felt more loved and the environment was just better and GJ (Kinne) is Mesquite," Mesquite Horn signee Chris Dawn Jr. said. "I feel like we can turn it around."

Texas State 2023 Signees:

OFFENSE (17)

DEFENSE (16)