SAN MARCOS, Texas - After watching his team's first five practices, Texas State head coach Jake Spavital is pleased with the progress the Bobcats are making this fall.
 
"We have had to go full speed ahead right now," Spavital said. "We can't pump the breaks like we did last spring. We have gotten every scenario in except the end of the game, on-side kick situations.
 
"What is interesting about our practices is that they are getting more and more competitive daily," Spavital added. "That is what I am getting pleased with, because you are starting to see some strides on the offense. They are getting to the point where the defense isn't always dominating each practice."
 
A perfect example of the offensive progress and team competitiveness came on Texas State's first day in full pads.
 
"We started our team period with a two-minute segment, and the offense went about 75 yards for a touchdown," Spavital said. "The defense went to their individual periods, and they came back out with an edge in the run-play action period. I really liked how the defense stepped up and responded to their earlier performance at the beginning of practice. But you are starting to see the offense is starting to get a little chippy."
 
Spavital is also pleased with the progress of Texas State's kicking game during its red-zone situations that include live field goal and extra-point attempts.
 
 "This is the greenest group of guys that I have had to work with because a lot of the kickers are coming in as first-time players here," said Texas State special teams coordinator and running backs coach Nick Whitworth. "Getting these guys exposure and trying to develop them in a short amount of time has been fun."
 
Texas State's kickers include Texas transfer Joshua Rowland, freshman Alan Orona, junior college transfer Seth Keller and sophomore Foster Hilborn, who is returning this year from an injury.
 
"These kickers are showing their strengths in where they can put together a pretty decent field goal in terms of the yardage," Spavital said. "I thought that was something that was missing last year. So that is pleasing to me as a coach that we have made a lot of strides in special teams as well."
 
Texas State opens the 2019 campaign with a nationally televised midweek game at Texas A&M beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 29.

Texas State plays its first of six home games against the Wyoming Cowboys at 6 p.m. on Sept. 7. The Bobcats also host Georgia State (Sept. 21), Nicholls (Sept. 28), ULM (Oct. 10), South Alabama (Nov. 9), and Troy (Nov. 16).

Fans can purchase season tickets by contacting the Texas State Athletic Ticket Office at 512-245-2272 or online at TXST.com/tickets. Fans can contact the ticket office via email by sending questions to gametickets@txstate.edu. Prices for season tickets start as low as $80 for one general-admission season ticket. Priority seating options are still available. Part of the purchase price for each ticket goes to the Bobcat Club, which continues to raise scholarship funds for Texas State student-athletes.

Texas State football fans can get a behind the scenes view of the football program throughout the 2019 season by visiting the Jake Spavital "Game Time" Radio Show at Chimy's on Tuesday nights. In total, the show will be live from Chimy's seven times with hour-long shows beginning at 6 p.m. The first show will air on Aug. 27. The remaining live shows will be on Sept. 3, 17, and 24, Oct. 8, Nov. 5 and 12.