{"id":140195,"date":"2026-01-27T20:30:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T20:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/140195\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T20:30:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T20:30:14","slug":"how-texas-state-football-retained-a-db-who-entered-the-transfer-portal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/140195\/","title":{"rendered":"How Texas State football retained a DB who entered the transfer portal"},"content":{"rendered":"

On a call last week with the American-Statesman, Texas State football<\/a> safety Ryan Nolan<\/a> admitted his decision to enter the transfer portal was made prematurely.<\/p>\n

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The Bobcats had underachieved in 2025. Nolan\u2019s own production had taken a hit, as he said he hadn\u2019t been put in a position that best utilized his talent. On top of it all, his only impression of the new defensive coordinator, Will Windham,<\/a> was the 49 points Texas State\u2019s offense had hung on South Alabama in the season finale.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas State Bobcats safety Ryan Nolan (7) celebrates a stop in the third quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.<\/p>\n

Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n

When Nolan informed Texas State head coach GJ Kinne<\/a> of his plan to enter the portal, the first thing he asked was if he\u2019d be able to come back. Although the coach said he didn\u2019t love the idea, the relationship he and Nolan have is special.\u00a0<\/p>\n

MORE:Texas State football prepared to take Pac-12 by storm despite light transfer portal haul<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cCoach Kinne was real transparent with me, and let me know it\u2019d be hard for him not to let me come back,\u201d Nolan said.<\/p>\n

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Nolan announced his return after scoping out the transfer landscape, as did Texas State running backs Greg Burrell<\/a> and Jaylen Jenkins. Kinne said he didn\u2019t like that they left, but he brushed it off as another thing coaches must learn to live with.<\/p>\n

The important part is that the Bobcats were able to get them back.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was tough, really,\u201d\u00a0Kinne said. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of like one of those things you kind of have to adapt as a coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas State Bobcats safety Ryan Nolan (7) celebrates a stop in the third quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.<\/p>\n

Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n

Nolan wanted to talk to Windham before he left, but said\u00a0he didn\u2019t have the time. He finally connected with the defensive coordinator while mulling over the idea of returning to San Marcos.<\/p>\n

Part of why programs coveted Nolan coming out of JUCO was his ball skills, as he led the NJCAA in interceptions with seven in his final year at Hutchinson Community College. But Nolan didn\u2019t record a single interception in 2025. The safety said he thinks Windham\u2019s scheme will put him in a position to make more plays.<\/p>\n

\u201cKind of some of the success (Windham) had with different safeties in his system, I think, really helped bring him back,\u201d Kinne said.<\/p>\n

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In the end, however, it was Nolan\u2019s connection with Kinne that mattered most. The safety said he is the kind of player who prefers straightforward coaching \u2014 neglecting to critique a player directly hurts them, in his eyes.<\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0As transfer portal closes, which players did Texas State football lose?<\/a><\/p>\n

As he made his visits to other schools, he said he slowly began to realize that what he had at Texas State was unique. The other coaches he talked to were smooth over the phone, but not so much in person. Nolan said he felt like he’d be another body to fill their locker room.<\/p>\n

Nolan sought out the kind of vibe that the Bobcats’ coaching staff had brought to the table. But none of the programs was able to match what\u00a0Kinne had built in San Marcos.<\/p>\n

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“Those teams, they didn’t seem like they gelled together,” Nolan said.<\/p>\n

Nolan is a reminder that retention doesn’t end when a player enters a portal. No matter how enticing the opportunities, building culture, forming relationships and earning trust are aspects of a program that can’t be bought.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just didn\u2019t really feel the same way, like I felt with coach Kinne, coach (Tanner) Burns and the other coaches on staff,\u201d Nolan said.<\/p>\n

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