As the Bobcats wrapped up the second week of fall camp, the depth chart for the Bobcats is starting to take shape. The rest of this week will be a traditional preseason practice schedule before the team goes into what it calls "mock week" next week. It is essentially the same game week schedule they will have during the season, and the program will use the "week before the week" to get into their seasonal habits and process.
 
Following Tuesday's practice, Texas State radio analyst Geff Gandy, who was a standout linebacker at Baylor from 1979 to 1982 before playing in the NFL, shares his thoughts of what he has seen so far in practice...

 
When it comes to being good at this level and winning games, it is down to three things for me: getting after the quarterback; be good up front on the offensive and defensive lines; and great quarterback play.
 
The Bobcats have addressed all three of those areas with the transfer portal. And when I come out here to practice and start watching what they're doing on the field, I can see they have enhanced what they have done schematically in those areas.
 
Just looking at the personnel in person, I can see the Bobcats are better than where they were last year. It's night and day to me.
 
GETTING AFTER THE QUARTERBACK
The defense has more confidence. They know what they're doing. They have more speed on the edge. It's all going to enhance their ability to disrupt the quarterback.
 
They may not get to the quarterback or sack the quarterback. But when a defense can get after the quarterback and disrupt them, it relieves the secondary. They don't have to hold onto their coverage as long, especially when the routes get messy and the defensive backs are forced to react to the unknown.
 
I'm sure this will allow defensive coordinator Zac Spavital to do more man or press coverage instead of zoning everything out.
 
That's why it's important for the defense to get after the quarterback.
 
IN THE TRENCHES ON THE OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE LINES
When I talk about "in the trenches," I'm talking about the physicality up front between the o-line and d-line. The Bobcats are bigger up front on the offensive line. They have more experience. They're more two-deep now. And the group can play every position. That's a big win. When you have quarterbacks who are new to the program or have limited game time, the offensive line has to tear up the defense and get after them.
 
On the defensive line, that is where the transfer portal came in. Nelson Mbanasor (Texas Tech transfer), Myron Warren (Texas), the Bell brothers (Levi and Ben, from LA Tech), Dominique Ratcliff (Louisiana), and Kajuan Robinson (Memphis) all joined in the offseason.
 
Then you have Nico Ezidore coming back along with Samuel Obiang and Davon Sears – plus the other returners – and now you are two-deep on the d-line.
 
"In the past, since I've been here, you're trying to take three to four guys and bridge them over what a normal roster would have five to six guys in those (defensive line) spots," said defensive coordinator Zac Spavital in last week's press conference. "Nico (Ezidore) was playing two positions in games (last year), but he doesn't have to do that now. He can really lock in and fine tune what he is good at.
 
"There's not a depth chart (on the defensive line). There's some real competition going on and it has not been like that since I've been here."
 
Combine that with more speed on the edge and the ability to get after the quarterback, when you get a push up the middle, you're going to disrupt the running play and you're going to disrupt the quarterback.
 
"I think the defense has done a really good job of minimizing our run game right now," said Spavital when addressing the tackling during live scrimmages. "They're very sound at what they do. They're very disruptive."
 
GREAT QUARTERBACK PLAY
I really think once all the quarterbacks settle down, get that game or two under their belt, I think we'll see a big difference in consistency.
 
From the quarterback's perspective, and what I mean by great quarterback play – and you can see it so far during fall practice – is you have to manage the game. Number two, get the ball in the playmaker's hands. Number three, don't turn the ball over. And this is where I agree with Coach Spavital: the Texas State quarterbacks are good at all three of those things.
 
I believe they are better where they're at this time of year than last year. And you have two new quarterbacks in Layne Hatcher and CJ Rogers plus a pair of returners in Ty Evans and Tanner Prewit.
 
This team has taken big steps forward in those three areas, and I believe they are going to produce results we're looking for. Now, the other teams are going to get better, too. So how much better we are at this point compared to them, we don't know yet.
 
But all of this is just ingredients in the mix. You got to pop it in the oven and see how it tastes when comes out. You won't know what team you have until you play a game. But two weeks into practice, I like where the Bobcats are at.