SAN MARCOS - Texas State football head coach GJ Kinne isn't a stranger to coaching rumors. After Baylor fired head coach Dave Aranda last week, Kinne's name began popping up as a potential replacement.
Kinne said in 2025 that he addressed the speculation directly before drawing attention back to the Bobcats' upcoming matchup. But Kinne said Tuesday that he isn't focused on anything other than Saturday's game against Boise State.
Kinne took over at Texas State in 2022 as a 34-year-old coach coming off a 12-2 season at Incarnate Word. He was hailed as a brilliant offensive mind and has lived up to the hype; the Bobcats have averaged 35 points every season since his hiring. Texas State won its first bowl game in Kinne's first year and have won two more bowls since and have finished above .500 in every season since.
"Probably won't address it … I mean, this is year four of it happening," Kinne said.
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Texas State got off to a 4-1 start in 2025 and rumors swirled about Kinne being an option for the vacant Oklahoma State job. Afterward, the Bobcats went on a five-game losing streak, and the Cowboys eventually hired Eric Morris. Texas State is in a much different spot than last season. It's 4-3 and preparing for the two top Pac-12 teams in the following weeks: Boise State (6-1, 3-0 Pac-12) and Oregon State (5-2, 3-0).
The Broncos, particularly, are one of the nation's most consistent mid-major programs. They won the Mountain West title in seven of the past 15 years and are favorites to win the Pac-12.
"Everyone thinks its about the first round picks and the BCS bowls," Kinne said. "It's really about their process, their discipline and how they go about their everyday life on and off the field."
While Texas State's offense is flashy and can hit startling highs, the losses can be dumbfounding and unexplainable. Its 20-17 win last week over Utah State was the exact opposite, perhaps a sign that Texas State - and Kinne - are maturing.
If Texas State can go on a run to end the season, the talk around a potential move might heat up. But Kinne's far from the only potential suitor for the Bears. Head coach Jeff Traylor has UTSA off to a 7-1 start and is another name to watch.
For now, the Bobcats remain in the present.
"I love this place, and we're working on Boise State. I can promise you I can't think about anything else or we'll get killed," Kinne said.
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This article originally published at Texas State football coach GJ Kinne dismisses Baylor job rumors, focuses on Boise State.