Texas State football finds itself in quite the predicament. The Bobcats don’t have a quarterback.
It is all the fault of a moronic move by 35-year-old head coach G.J. Kinne.
One in the hand is worth two in the bush. He learned that lesson the hard way and his decisions over the last 10 days are subject to a lot of scrutiny. They have led to a really embarrassing situation.
Kinne, who took over the Texas State program in 2023 after one season as the head coach at Incarnate Word, won eight games in his first year. The Bobcats reached — and won — their first-ever bowl game.
T.J. Finley was a big part of the success. He broke all kinds of program records while completing 67.4% of his passes for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. It was his breakout campaign after starting his career with three years at Auburn and LSU.
With one year of eligibility remaining, Finley announced his return to the program on the 11th of January. Big news. Kinne got his guy to run it back.
Or so it seemed!
Four days later, former Arizona and Washington State quarterback Jayden de Laura announced his transfer to Texas State. The commitment came as a complete shock to Finley, who was left in the dark and later entered the portal on the 16th. He transferred to Western Kentucky on the 22nd.
Kinne’s choice to add de Laura was bizarre. It didn’t make any sense to add a quarterback with one year of college football eligibility remaining when Finley was also set to return for his final year.
Passing game coordinator Craig Stuzmann was a big voice in favor of the move. However, he left the team to become the offensive coordinator elsewhere one week later.
To make matters worse, de Laura joined the Bobcats program one day after settling a civil lawsuit. Literally 24 hours prior.
Jayden de Laura is now leaving Texas State.
The addition of de Laura drew a lot of scrutiny from alumni, students and fans. His settlement stemmed from a sexual assault case in 2018.
Jayden de Laura and high school football teammate Kamo’i Latu pleaded guilty in juvenile court to second-degree sexual assault in October 2018. The plaintiff later filed a civil lawsuit against de Laura, Latu, their parents and the high school for negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, battery and assault. Details of the incident are graphic and disturbing.
A portion of the Texas State student body organized a protest for Friday afternoon and started a petition to remove him from the program.
ATTENTION!
Help protest Texas State’s new QB!!
Texas State has signed a new quarterback who has admitted to and plead guilty for sexual assault.
The women of Texas State will not stand for the recruitment of a sexual assaulter!
MEET AT THE HALL IN BETWEEN ALKEK AND LBJ @ 4:00PM FRI, JAN 26
Signs are encouraged by not required!
— A flyer posted on campus at Texas State shared on social media
The students will not need to protest. It was announced on Wednesday that de Laura with drew as a student at Texas State university and will not be a part of the Texas State football program.
Kinne and the Bobcats pushed their record-setting quarterback out the door for… this.