Most first-year, first-time head coaches are hesitant to make major coaching or scheme changes after one season. Texas State's Jake Spavital wasn't hesitant, firing offensive coordinator Bob Stitt, receivers coach Ron Antoine, and tight ends coach Morris Berger immediately after a three-win season.
The Bobcats, ranked 120th in the HERO Sports Preseason College Football Rankings, weren't expected to blow through defenses in Spavital's first season but Stitt's Air Raid was horrendous; they ranked near the bottom of the FBS in nearly every notable area, including points per play (119th), yards per play (118th), snaps per touchdown (119th), and yards per rush (127th), the latter of which was largely the fault of an offensive that ranked 128th nationally in line yards per carry and 124th or worse in four of Football Outsiders' eight other offensive-line categories.
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Spavital hired Ole Miss receivers coach Jacob Peeler to replace Stitt but Spavital will call plays for an offense that failed to score more than 21 points in eight of their 12 games last season.
"The reason that I am here today is that I got this job with my play-calling," Spavital, who called plays at West Virginia for two seasons, said in March. "I missed it last year, and I am glad to be back in that role."
Even with Spavital in charge, mass departures on both sides of the ball and very few winnable games will keep Texas State at the bottom of the West Division in the Sun Belt.
| Date | Opponent | Prediction |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 5 | vs. SMU | Loss (0-1) |
| Sept. 12 | vs. UTSA | Win (1-1) |
| Sept. 19 | at UL Monroe | Loss (1-2) |
| Sept. 26 | vs. Ohio | Loss (1-3) |
| Oct. 3 | at New Mexico State | Win (2-3) |
| Oct. 8 | at Troy | Loss (2-4) |
| Oct. 17 | at South Alabama | Loss (2-5) |
| Oct. 31 | vs. Louisiana | Loss (2-6) |
| Nov. 7 | vs. App State | Loss (2-7) |
| Nov. 14 | at Georgia Southern | Loss (2-8) |
| Nov. 21 | vs. Arkansas State | Loss (2-9) |
| Nov. 28 | vs. Coastal Carolina | Loss (2-10) |
