Rebuilding Bobcats working to improve
Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country entering the 2017-18 season. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 130 to our projected No. 1 team.
State Texas
Everett Withers (2-10, entering second season; 27-23 overall) 2-10 overall, 0-8 Sun Belt.
Everett Withers took over a tough job rebuilding the Texas State program last season following the retirement of Dennis Franchione after going 20-28. The players on the roster could sense Franchione was on his way out and Withers, who had past success leading James Madison, had to shake up his roster. Withers was blunt in his assessment of the program, often saying the team wasn’t good enough to play at the FBS level last season. The flaws were obvious, with the overwhelmed Bobcats going 2-10 overall and winless in Sun Belt play.
“I love these guys,” Withers told the San Antonio Express-News this spring, highlighting the difference between last year’s Bobcats and this year’s team. “Are we more talented? No. But I like being around them. They’re good people, and they have a better care for each other than a year ago. I want my son to be around them. I want families to be around them. I didn’t like those guys last year. I didn’t bring my kids over here because I didn’t want them to be infested with what was going on.
“No disrespect to last year’s group; they didn’t know us; they didn’t know the expectations. We came in here swinging at them last year. We came here absolutely swinging at everybody in the athletic department because our standards were high.”
8 4
QB Tyler Jones, OT Ryan Melton, C Giuliano Cattaneo, G Felix Romero, LB Teron Fitzgerald, CB Brandon McDowell, S Javante O’Roy
RB Stedman Mayberry, WR Tyler Watts, WR Elijah King, TE Gabe Schrade, OG Aaron Brewer, DE Ishmael Davis, DE Jordan Mittie, LB Gabe Loyd, LB Bryan London
Mississippi State transfer Damian Williams transferred to Texas State and is the Bobcats’ top quarterback option. He passed for four touchdowns during the Bobcats’ spring game and is adapting to Withers’ system. He’ll get some help from 2016 team captain Gabe Schrade, a strong tight end who started all 12 games last season. Running back Stedman Mayberry, versatile offensive lineman Aaron Brewer and receiver Tyler Watts also will provide support.
The linebacker unit is one of the team’s strongest position groups, with Gabe Loyd and Bryan London leading the unit.
Texas State ranked No. 124 out of 128 NCAA-recognized teams last season with 18.6 points per game and No. 125 in scoring defense, giving up 41.1 points per contest. The team’s sole win over an FBS opponent was a 56-54 triple overtime victory at Ohio in the season opener. While the team surely has improved during the offseason, Withers has clearly stated Texas State still has considerable work to do before it can chase a bowl bid.
Texas State lacks the talent, size and depth to regularly compete at the Sun Belt level, but Withers certainly has the program moving in a positive direction. The roster is loaded with sophomores who will need time to develop. Williams is sure to help improve the offense, but he only has one year of eligibility and Texas State will need to keep working to develop a long-term solution at quarterback.