The Texas State inside linebacker group, under second-year assistant coach
Brian Gamble, is top heavy with experience with only three of the nine-member room having played eight-or-more collegiate football games.
But those who have reach that plateau should provide reliable and safety blanket for Gamble and defensive coordinator
Zac Spavital throughout the 2022 campaign.
Check out below for a preview of the Bobcat inside linebackers for the 2022 season:
Who's Returning
Following a breakout 2021 season that saw him be selected as the Sun Belt's Defensive Player of the Week following a career-high 14 tackle performance against South Alabama, Tupou is back to anchor an inside linebacker group that features seven underclassmen and only two upperclassmen. In just two seasons as a Bobcat, after transferring from UTEP, Tupou has been credited with 139 tackles and three forced fumbles.
From a career-games-played standpoint, Harris is one of the most experienced football players on the Texas State roster. The redshirt senior out of Rosharon, Texas native has played in double-digit games in every season following a redshirt year in 2017: 12 (2018), 11 (2019), 12 (2020) and 10 (2021).
In fact, Harris and Tupou are the most experienced Bobcats in terms of career games played: 45 for Harris and 46 for Tupou (22 at UTEP).
Harris is also moving to the inside linebacker position this year after spending his Texas State career as an outside linebacker. He has been working at the new position since spring practice.
After arriving in San Marcos from Edna, Texas, where he was a two-way standout at the running back and defensive end positions at Edna High School, Haynes has settled into the inside linebacker position nicely. The redshirt sophomore has tallied double-figure games played over the last two seasons after appearing in just one as a true freshman in 2019.
Of the six other student-athletes in the inside linebacker room, only sophomore
Josh Emmanuel appeared in a collegiate game as the Dallas native played in six games in 2020 and one in 2021.
Who's Departed
Coleman appeared in 43 career games over six seasons as a Bobcat. He totaled 139 career tackles, which was highlighted by an 82-tackle senior season in 2021. Coleman, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound, Dallas native was credited with a career-high 14 tackles against ULM on Nov. 6, 2021. His tackle total against the Warhawks was higher than his season totals for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
In his two seasons in San Marcos, Stringer, who transferred to Texas State from Texas Tech prior to the 2020 season, totaled 65 tackles in 22 games played as a Bobcat. His lone interception came against D'Angel Mandell when Texas State played BYU on Oct. 24, 2020.
Aaron Allert, who redshirted in 2020, appeared in only one game — the season-opening contest against Baylor in 2021 — and was credited with one tackle in his two years in San Marcos after graduating from Lexington (TX) High School.
Zane Little, like Allert, redshirted his first year on campus (2018) and did not see game action after that.
Who's New
Brian Holloway appeared in 26 career games throughout three seasons at SMU. He was credited with 31 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup during his time as a Mustang. Prior to his first season in Dallas, Holloway played in 12 games and registered 45 tackles as a member of the Kilgore (TX) College program, which went on to win the Southwest Junior College Football Conference Championship over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College.
CJ Williams, a 5-10, 220-pound junior out of Taylorsville, Miss., by way of Taylorsville High School, enrolled at Texas State in January 2022 following a standout two-season career at Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, where he played in 18 games and was credited with 36 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries and one pass breakup. He also excelled in the classroom earning NJCAA All-Academic Student-Athlete Second Team honors and Distinguished Academic All-MACCC honors.
What to Watch For
The trio of Harris (45), Tupou (24), and Haynes (22) has appeared in a combined 91 career games as Texas State Bobcats. Just between those three veterans, the inside linebacker position has been credited with 234 career tackles: 79 for Harris, 139 for Tupou, and 16 for Haynes. With all three set to return in 2022, the inside linebacker position group should be among the most reliable groups within the program.
Other 2022 Position Previews
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Offensive Line
Tight Ends
Quarterbacks
Defensive Backs
Preseason Camp Information
Texas State started official fall camp practices on August 3 and will participate in 20 days of practices before the first game week in late August. Videos of the weekly press conferences can be found here.
Ticket Information
Season tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now for the 2022 Texas State football season. Season tickets for all six home games start as low as $80 while single-game tickets start at $20. Fans can purchase their tickets today at
TXST.com/tickets.
Gallery: (8-20-2022) 2022 FB Position Preview: ILB
