QB
CTop-3 of 73.7, the structural risk under the Veer and Shoot.
**Dynasty-start roster (CFB 26)**DC Rating 5.6 / 10
Texas State
Strategist Kinne with the rare Veer and Shoot offense, dual Tier-3 Texas home pipelines, and a 6-senior cliff weighted to the run game.
The Dynasty Verdict
If you want a G. J. Kinne program where the rare Veer and Shoot meets dual Tier-3 Texas home pipelines, Texas State is the Sun Belt team built for one Year 1 sprint behind a senior backfield. Lockette anchors at RG senior 85 with pass block power 91. Pare takes the senior HB1 reps at acceleration 91 with stamina 89. Burgess Jr. rotates at HB at acceleration 93 and speed 91. Sparks bursts open downfield at junior WR 81 with speed 93, and Dawn Jr. shadows him at junior WR 80 with acceleration 94. The home pipeline is dual Tier-3 Texas (North Texas plus East Texas), the only above-Tier-1 reach on the entire board, which puts in-state Texas recruiting at the center of the rebuild plan.
What makes Texas State different from the other Sun Belt programs is the offensive scheme it inherits. Troy under Gerad Parker asks you to ride a Multiple offense out of a similar 2-prestige base. Texas State asks you to ride the rare Veer and Shoot behind a senior backfield with two junior burners on the perimeter. Same conference, same prestige floor, different scheme identity.
The 5.6 lands on the scheme rarity and the dual Texas home pipelines. Veer and Shoot is one of the rarer playbooks in CFB 26, and Kinne's Strategist archetype gives the launch the tactical edge to make the design work. The catch is the 69 overall and the 6-senior cliff at the run-game positions. Don't pick Texas State for a four-year build at this prestige tier. Pick Texas State for the one-year Sun Belt save where Kinne's Veer and Shoot rides Pare and Burgess Jr. behind Lockette into bowl eligibility, while the Texas home pipelines close a Year 1 class that backfills the senior cliff.
Head Coach
G. J. Kinne
StrategistKinne is a Strategist archetype with C+ coach prestige and C- coach stability. The launch hands him a senior-heavy run game (Lockette, Pare, Burgess Jr., Strawn) plus two junior WR burners (Sparks, Dawn Jr.) and a sophomore edge (Landry) as multi-year bridges. The Strategist tactical edge is what makes the rare Veer and Shoot work at this prestige tier. The catch is the C- stability mark: Kinne can scheme around the launch roster for one year, but the dynasty math depends on the dual Texas home pipelines closing a Year 1 class before the senior cliff hits.
Team at a Glance
| Conference | Sun Belt |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | G. J. Kinne · Strategist |
| Team Prestige | 2 stars |
| Team Overall (in-game) | 69 |
| Top Position Group | Running Back · B · top-3 avg 82.7 |
| Weakest Position Group | Special Teams · C- · top-3 avg 65.5 |
| Stadium Atmosphere | D- |
| Brand Exposure | D |
| Coach Prestige | C+ |
| Coach Stability | C- |
| Top-10 Senior Departures After Year 1 | 6 of 10 |
Top 10 Players
By overall rating at dynasty start
| # | Player | Pos | Yr | OVR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Tellek Lockette | RG | Sr | 85 | Injury 92 |
| 02 | Lincoln Pare | HB | Sr | 84 | Injury 92 |
| 03 | Torrance Burgess Jr. | HB | Sr | 83 | Acceleration 93 |
| 04 | Kalil Alexander | REDG | Sr | 82 | Toughness 90 |
| 05 | Beau Sparks | WR | Jr | 81 | Speed 93 |
| 06 | Greg Burrell | HB | Fr | 81 | Acceleration 91 |
| 07 | Chris Dawn Jr. | WR | Jr | 80 | Acceleration 94 |
| 08 | Jo'Laison Landry | LEDG | So | 80 | Pursuit 87 |
| 09 | D.J. Taylor | FS | Sr | 79 | Acceleration 95 |
| 10 | Dorion Strawn | LT | Sr | 79 | Injury 91 |
Position Group Grades
RB
BPare at HB (84, senior, acceleration 91), Burgess Jr. at HB (83, senior, acceleration 93), and Burrell at HB (81, freshman, acceleration 91). Top-3 of 82.7, the strongest unit on the roster.
WR
B-Sparks at WR (81, junior, speed 93) and Dawn Jr. at WR (80, junior, acceleration 94). Top-3 of 79.7.
TE
CTop-3 of 73.3.
OL
B-Lockette at RG (85, senior, pass block power 91) and Strawn at LT (79, senior, injury 91). Top-3 of 78.7.
DL
BAlexander at REDG (82, senior, toughness 90) and Landry at LEDG (80, sophomore, pursuit 87). Top-3 of 80.3.
LB
C-Top-3 of 69.7.
DB
B-Taylor at FS (79, senior, acceleration 95). Top-3 of 78.3.
ST
C-Top-3 of 65.5.
Recommended Playbooks
Offense
Veer and Shoot (Texas State Default)
Run Veer and Shoot because the senior backfield plus two junior burners is the design's whole point. Pare reads the option key at acceleration 91 and stamina 89. Burgess Jr. accelerates through the line at acceleration 93. Sparks runs vertical at speed 93. Dawn Jr. clears the second level at acceleration 94. Lockette anchors the right side of the line at pass block power 91.
Why this fits
A B RB grade with three top-10 backs (Pare, Burgess Jr., Burrell) and a B- WR grade with two junior burners give the Veer and Shoot the run-pass option mix the scheme demands. The C QB grade caps the design's downfield ceiling at quick reads off the option look.
Defense
4-2-5 (Texas State Default)
Run the 4-2-5 because the senior edge plus deep safety anchors the design. Alexander sets the edge at toughness 90. Landry hunts at sophomore LEDG with pursuit 87. Taylor patrols deep at acceleration 95 and jumping 94, the highest single-attribute mark on the roster. The 4-2-5's nickel personnel masks the C- LB grade.
Why this fits
Landry's sophomore eligibility carries the multi-year edge bridge. The 4-2-5's five-DB look protects the LB depth and lets Taylor roam the deep middle.
Recruiting Outlook
Pipeline regions
- North TexasTier 3
- East TexasTier 3
- Southwest TexasTier 1
- ColoradoTier 1
- MississippiTier 1
- LouisianaTier 1
- OhioTier 1
- ArkansasTier 1
- OklahomaTier 1
- NebraskaTier 1
You'll recruit hard in Texas. The dual Tier-3 home (North Texas plus East Texas) is the only above-Tier-1 reach on the entire board, anchoring the recruiting plan. Below that, eight Tier-1 reaches don't compound. Kinne at C+ coach prestige and C- coach stability lands specific in-state recruits the bigger Sun Belt programs also want, but the recruiting math caps at the 2-prestige floor.
Position priorities for Year 1 are dictated by the 6-senior cliff weighted to the run game. Quarterback is critical; the QB room grades C and the senior tackle plus senior HBs all graduate together. After QB, replacement HB depth behind Pare and Burgess Jr., replacement OL behind Lockette and Strawn, replacement DB behind Taylor.
Avoid the deep South entirely beyond a single targeted player. The Tier-1 cluster (Southwest Texas, Colorado, Mississippi, Louisiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska) is for filling specific position gaps with single-player targets only.
Your Year-by-Year Path with Texas State
Year 1
The Senior Run-Game Year
You're inheriting a 2-prestige roster with a 69 overall and the rare Veer and Shoot. Don't experiment. Run Veer and Shoot, lean Pare and Burgess Jr. on the senior backfield rotation, let Sparks and Dawn Jr. take vertical shots, and ride Lockette on the right side. Year 1 is bowl eligibility and a 6-7 win Sun Belt baseline. While you're winning, sign the Year 1 QB and HB classes that the dual Texas Tier-3 home closes.
Goal
Sun Belt bowl eligibility, 6-7 wins, top-150 recruiting class with QB and HB at the top.
Years 2-3
The Junior Window
Six senior anchors graduate. Sparks, Dawn Jr., and Landry all return as multi-year top-10 players, with Burrell at freshman HB as the bridge behind the graduating backfield. The Year 1 QB recruit becomes Year 2 starter. Kinne's Strategist tactical edge stretches the junior cohort into a Sun Belt bowl-eligibility window.
Goal
6-7 wins, Sparks at 85+ as a senior, top-150 recruiting class.
Year 4+
The Sun Belt Floor
By Year 4, the dynasty depends on whether Kinne's Year 1-2 recruiting closed enough multi-year talent to backfill the run game. C- coach stability at 2 prestige is the structural risk. Realistically, sustained 6-7 wins in the Sun Belt under Strategist coaching with the Veer and Shoot intact.
Goal
Stable 6-7 win Sun Belt program with the Veer and Shoot identity intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Texas State good for dynasty mode in CFB 26?
Yes for a Strategist Kinne one-year save with the rare Veer and Shoot, with caveats. Texas State enters CFB 26 with a 69-overall roster, C+ coach prestige and C- coach stability under Kinne, and a B RB grade anchored by Pare at HB senior 84 and Burgess Jr. at HB senior 83. The 2-prestige floor and 6-of-10 senior cliff are the structural caps.
What's Texas State's prestige in CFB 26?
Texas State enters CFB 26 with a 2-star prestige rating, paired with C+ coach prestige and C- coach stability. The dual Tier-3 home (North Texas plus East Texas) is the only above-Tier-1 reach on the recruiting board, giving Texas State a Texas-centered pipeline plan.
What playbook does Texas State use in CFB 26?
G. J. Kinne's Texas State runs the rare Veer and Shoot offense and the 4-2-5 defense. The Veer and Shoot fits Pare at HB, Burgess Jr. at HB, and Sparks plus Dawn Jr. at WR. The 4-2-5 deploys Alexander at REDG (82, senior, toughness 90), Landry at LEDG (80, sophomore, pursuit 87), and Taylor at FS (79, senior, acceleration 95).
Who is Texas State's best player in College Football 26?
Tellek Lockette at 85 OVR, senior right guard, with injury 92, pass block power 91, and toughness 90. Lockette is the highest-rated player on the roster and the right-side anchor of Kinne's Veer and Shoot. Lincoln Pare at HB (84, senior, acceleration 91) and Torrance Burgess Jr. at HB (83, senior, acceleration 93) round out a senior top three.
Should I rebuild Texas State or take an easier team?
Texas State is a one-year Sun Belt save, not a four-year build. The Year 1 ceiling is bowl eligibility behind the senior backfield; the Year 2-3 floor depends on the junior WR pair plus Burrell developing under Kinne's Strategist system. Take Texas State if you want the rare Veer and Shoot at 2 prestige with dual Texas home pipelines. If you want a similar Sun Belt profile with a different scheme, look at Troy.