Texas State Builds Depth Up Front Through 'Shoe Factory' Pipeline

Offensive line coach Jordan Shoemaker and strength coach Bret Huth keep producing Power Four-caliber blockers for the Bobcats despite heavy annual turnover.

Texas State has developed a reputation for producing high-level offensive linemen under head coach GJ Kinne, and the program's upcoming matchup with Incarnate Word carries extra meaning because of deep ties between the two schools. The Bobcats host UIW at 5 p.m. Saturday in San Marcos, with the game airing on USA. Kickoff comes after a week in which Texas State's front five has again been a foundation of the team's success.

Central to the operation are offensive line coach and run game coordinator Jordan Shoemaker and strength and conditioning coach Bret Huth, both of whom previously worked at Incarnate Word from 2018 to 2021. Shoemaker's first group in 2023 brought Nash Jones, Dorion Strawn, Emeka Obigbo and Caleb Johnson over from UIW, with Alex Harkey arriving from Colorado. Jones entered the NFL draft and Harkey left for Oregon in 2025, while Obigbo, Strawn and 2024 recruit Brock Riker, a Penn State commit, moved on this offseason.

The departures have not slowed the unit. Sully Burns took over at right tackle in 2025 and shifted smoothly to the left side this year, while transfers Mikel Udengwu, William Boone and Rasheed Jackson have performed well. Justin DeLeon and Bamidele Badusi, members of the 2023 signing class, are the newest products of what the program calls the 'Shoe Factory.' Through this season, the line has surrendered just one sack and the Bobcats are putting up 262.3 rushing yards per game.

The development philosophy traces partly to Jeff Stoutland, the longtime NFL line coach who molded players such as Jason Peters, Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce in Philadelphia. Kinne spent 2013-15 with the Eagles working under Stoutland as an offensive line assistant, helping evaluate draft prospects. That model, exemplified by seventh-round pick Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player who became a second-team All-Pro in 2024, prioritizes physical traits that can be coached.

Shoemaker begins by targeting size, and the current Texas State starters average 330 pounds, among the heaviest groups in the country according to CollegeFootballData.com. From there he emphasizes hand fighting, lateral movement and conditioning, with Huth converting raw physical ability into functional strength. Kinne noted Shoemaker is the highest-paid assistant on staff, and the coach himself said his priority is simple: winning a championship at Texas State.